Seeking to win an unprecedented third consecutive European Championship, Vicente del Bosque’s Spain will once again have to see off old foes Italy today to retain their crown.
 Before winning back-to-back Euros and a maiden World Cup in 2010, Spain suffered an inferiority complex with Italy having never beaten them in five tries at major finals.
 A quarter-final clash between the two in Vienna in 2008 changed that.
Spain—who had previously suffered a terrible record on penalties—went through in a shootout before going on to win the tournament.
 “That is the most important day in the history of the Spanish national team,” said captain Iker Casillas.
 After winning the World Cup, Spain had to face Italy twice more in retaining the Euros four years ago.
A 1-1 draw in the opening match was long forgotten as del Bosque’s men thrashed Italy 4-0 in the final.
La Roja then also won another shootout between the two in the Confederations Cup semi-finals in 2013.
 Indeed, the European champions have lost just one of their last 11
meetings with Italy—a 2-1 friendly defeat in 2011.
Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas has been a constant menace to the
Azzurri. He scored the winning penalty in 2008, Spain’s equaliser in the 2012 opening game and set up David Silva’s opener in the final.
 Fabregas will also be coming up against his future manager as Italian boss Antonio Conte will take over at Stamford Bridge next season.
“The way they play will demand the absolute most of us,” Fabregas told Spanish sports daily Marca.
 Spain started the tournament in great form, sweeping aside the Czech Republic and Turkey. However, a shock 2-1 defeat to Croatia in Bordeaux on Tuesday cost del Bosque’s men top spot in Group D and a much easier route to the final.
 Even if they see off Italy, Spain face having to beat world champions Germany and hosts France for the right to defend their title in Paris on July 10.
 “We need to get back to playing our best football because they will not stop running and fight for every ball,” added Fabregas. “They have a very strong defence and they know how to take their chances.”
 Italy have been dealt a huge blow with influential midfielder Antonio Candreva ruled out due to a groin injury.
Conte’s men have been unfortunate to find themselves on the tougher side of the draw despite beating the highly-fancied Belgium to top Group E.
 “There is a crazy imbalance in the draw for the second round, but those are the rules and we have to respect them,” said Conte.
 The former Juventus boss made eight changes for the 1-0 defeat to the Republic of Ireland on Wednesday with qualification to the last 16 already assured. Juventus stalwart Giorgio Chiellini will return to partner club teammates Andrea Barzagli and Leonardo Bonucci.
 And Chiellini is hopeful Italy can reverse their recent run against Spain.
“In a way, they’re our bogey team,” he said. “But let’s keep things in perspective. The Ireland match, with all respect to them, didn’t really count for us.
“And if we play to our potential, give it everything and limit them where they are strong, I think we can create something special,” he added.
 Chiellini will also come head-to-head with another former Juventus teammate Alvero Morata, who Real Madrid exercised a buyback clause on last week.
 “I wish him well for the rest of his career but I hope he has a bad match on Monday,” joked Chiellini.
“He’s a special kind of guy and a player who, as well as having great skills, is only going to get better.”

Five classic Italy vs Spain clashes
Four years after routing Italy 4-0 to win the the Euro 2012 title, Spain meet them again in the last 16 of Euro 2016 today. Here are five classic Italy-Spain clashes:

Italy 2 Spain 1
1994 World Cup quarter-final
Italians will forever remember the 1994 World Cup for Roberto Baggio’s stunning penalty miss in the final over Brazil. Yet, it was an 88th-minute winner from the ‘Divine Ponytail’ that helped the Azzurri overcome a stubborn Spanish side in a lively quarter-final in Boston. Dino Baggio’s 25-yard piledriver gave Arrigo Sacchi’s men a 25th-minute lead, only for Atletico Madrid midfielder Jose Luis Caminero to level just before the hour. Spain were livid when Mauro Tassotti’s vicious elbow that left now Barcelona coach Luis Enrique bloodied and prone in the penalty area went unpunished before Baggio ran on to a cross to round Zubizaretta and beat the Spanish legend with a crisp finish from a tight angle.

Spain 1 Italy 1
Euro 2012 group stages
Although still at the group stages, this was an eagerly-awaited fixture between a desperate Italy side and the defending champions. Italy were given a 61st-minute lead in Gdansk by Di Natale. But a slick Spain rescued a share of the spoils shortly after when Fabregas finished off a move of lightning-quick passes from Andres Iniesta and David Silva to fire first-time past Buffon.
 
Spain 0 Italy 0
(Spain won 4-2 on penalties)
Euro 2008 quarter-final
On a humid night in Vienna, Spain goalkeeper Iker Casillas was the hero for Luis Aragones’s men as Italy maintained their tradition of coming up short from the penalty spot. Spain had shaded a mouthwatering quarter-final clash in regulation time against the then World Cup champions as Marcos Senna hit the post in the final stages. In the shootout, Casillas saved from Daniele De Rossi and Antonio Di Natale. Cesc Fabregas then made no mistake against Gianluigi Buffon to send Spain in the semis and on their way to ending a 44-wait to be crowned kings of Europe.
 
Spain 4 Italy 0
Euro 2012 final
Italy had upset pre-tournament predictions to book a place in the final with Spain after a pair of Mario Balotelli goals in a 2-1 semi-final win over Germany. But the fairytale campaign enjoyed by Cesare Prandelli’s men went awry before half-time. Making amends for their 1-1 draw with Italy in the group stages, Silva, with a rare header, and Jordi Alba, scoring his first Spain goal, gave Vicente del Bosque’s men a two-goal lead at the break. Italy struggled to respond and Torres and Juan Mata added two more Spain goals inside the final six minutes to hand La Roja an unprecedented hat-trick of major tournament wins.
 
Spain 0 Italy 0
(Spain won 7-6 on penalties)
2013 Confederations Cup SF
In the searing heat of Fortaleza neither side could find the breakthrough as Italy midfielder Emanuele Giaccherini hit the post, while at the other end Buffon tipped Xavi Hernandez’s long-range effort onto the woodwork. It went to penalties, and after both sides hit the net six times apiece, Italian defender Leonardo Bonucci blasted over. Jesus Navas stepped up to beat Buffon and send Spain in to the final, where they succumbed 3-0 to Brazil.