Italy beat Turkey 3-0 in the opening Euro 2020 Group A match in Rome
- 12 Jun 2021
Italy impressed in a 3-0 win over Turkey as the delayed Euro 2020 finally kicked off in Rome on Friday.
Ciro Immobile led Italy's three-man attack against Turkey, securing a thumping victory in Rome.
Immobile, who plays his club football at the Stadio Olimpico for Lazio, is flanked by wingers Lorenzo Insigne and Domenico Berardi.
Italy coach Roberto Mancini opted for a 4-3-3 formation for Italy's return to a major tournament for the first time in five years after missing out on the 2018 World Cup.
The coronavirus-delayed European Championship has started with Italy playing Turkey at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome with a colourful fireworks show and choreography featuring balloons representing the 24 teams in Rome's sparsely populated Stadio Olimpico.
There are about 16,000 fans in the stadium. Attendances for most matches at the 24-team tournament in 11 cities around the continent have been cut because of restrictions related to the pandemic.
Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli delivered a powerful performance of Giacomo Puccini’s aria "Nessun Dorma” at the opening ceremony for the European Championship.
Bocelli sang as the fireworks went off in the background and a female dancer attached to large helium balloons floated above the field.
The performance was followed by a virtual performance by U2 stars Bono and The Edge with DJ Martin Garrix.
Although few in number, supporters cheered their return to the stands after a year when most games were played before empty terraces to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
"We bought the tickets more than two years ago, and finally we are here", said Mattia Valentini, 27, holding an Italian flag with his cousin Edoardo Valentini, 23, outside the stadium.
Fellow Italy fan Vito, 34, came from the southern region of Puglia with six friends. The match is part of his bachelor party and they all donned an Azzurri shirt saying "Vito is getting married".
Starting line-ups for the Euro 2020 Group A opener between Italy and Turkey at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome on Friday:
Italy (4-3-3)
Gianluigi Donnarumma; Alessandro Florenzi, Leonardo Bonucci, Giorgio Chiellini (capt), Leonardo Spinazzola; Nicolo Barella, Jorginho, Manuel Locatelli; Domenico Berardi, Ciro Immobile, Lorenzo Insigne
Coach: Roberto Mancini (ITA)
Turkey (4-1-4-1):
Ugurcan Cakir; Zeki Celik, Caglar Soyuncu, Merih Demiral, Umut Meras; Okay Yokuslu; Kenan Karaman, Ozan Tufan, Yusuf Yazici, Hakan Calhanoglu; Burak Yilmaz (capt)
Coach: Senol Gunes (TUR)
Referee: Danny Makkelie (NED)
