Italy 2-0 Spain: Chiellini and Pelle send Spain tumbling out of Euro 2016
Spain's domination of European football is over. They were humiliated at the World Cup in Brazil two years ago, but they still entered Euro 2016 among the favourites - after all, they had won the last two European Championships.
Four years ago, when Spain won the second of those European titles, it was Italy who were clinically taken apart in the final. La Roja hit four as they reaffirmed their status at the top of the continent's table. On Monday, though, the fall from their perch was confirmed as the Italians inflicted revenge.
Goals from Giorgio Chiellini and Graziano Pelle ensured Italy will meet Germany in the quarter-final. Spain will go home and their coach, Vicente del Bosque, will surely follow. He offered his resignation in 2014, only to see it rejected. Now it is certainly time for change.
Antonio Conte will also be leaving his role as Italy manager after the tournament as he takes over at Chelsea. However, he looks set to be leaving on a much more positive note than Del Bosque.
The former Juventus manager, as had been the case against Belgium in the group stages, produced a flawless game plan and his players carried it out to perfection. Germany will be a different test completely, but few will doubt Italy's credentials to go far in France now.
They could and should have been out of sight by half-time. Spain were marginal favourites heading into the game, but it was Conte's side, who were unfancied before the tournament, who played all the football in the first half.
But for David de Gea, the Azzurri would have scored twice inside the opening 10 minutes. The Manchester United goalkeeper had been criticised for his performance against Croatia, but he produced a save of the highest quality to keep a Graziano Pelle header out.
Minutes later, he tipped an Emanuele Giaccherini effort on to the post as Spain were made to suffer. And by the time De Gea made another save from the lively Giaccherini, an effort which looked to be curling into the top corner, Italy had already taken the lead.
A clumsy Sergio Ramos challenge had given away a free-kick on the edge of the box. With no Andrea Pirlo to take the set play, Eder hammered it low and hard at De Gea. The keeper got his hands to the ball, but he couldn't keep it away from the influx of Italians clambering to get on the end of the rebound - Chiellini won the race.
Spain failed to threaten in the 10 minutes which remained of the first half and Vicente del Bosque shuffled his pack at the break, replacing Nolito with Aritz Aduriz. It gave La Roja, unfamiliarly, a more direct look, but it did breed chances.
Alvaro Morata headed straight at Gianluigi Buffon in the early stages of the second period. He should have done better.
Italy maintained their threat, too, and Spain were once again grateful to De Gea just before the hour mark. A flowing move resulted in Eder being sent scuttling through behind the Spain back four. De Gea stood his ground and made another save, although the Inter forward's finish was lacking in quality.
What was most startling about Spain as they pushed for an equaliser was their lack of energy. They looked a million miles away from the side that dominated the world between 2008 and 2012.
Ramos headed over from a corner, while Buffon produced tidy saves from an Andres Iniesta volley and a long range effort from Gerard Pique. There would have been questions, though, it the Juventus goalkeeper hasn't kept them out.
Pique then had his side's last chance in the final minute of the game. Left alone behind the Italy defence, he helped the ball on as it was pumped into the box, only to be denied by Buffon. Spain would have hoped for one more chance, but instead they were helpless as Italy counter-attacked in stoppage time, Pelle applying the knockout blow.
