Euro Under-21 Championship Game Time Thread: Italy vs. Spain

Just like that, we find ourselves at the end of the road for the Under-21 Euros. And luckily for Italy, their squad that had the potential to reach the championship game has gotten there.

Spain vs. Italy. Heavyweight vs. Heavyweight. It's the same final that with saw at the senior tournament a year ago, only with the obvious twist of an age difference and different names on the back of all the jerseys.

Azzurrini manager Devis Mangia is confident that his squad will compete against a Spain side that has been the talk of the tournament through the first five games leading up to the championship.

"I looked into the eyes of my players and no one is satisfied with just reaching the Final," the former Palermo tactician is quoted as saying on UEFA.com.

"The players will all contribute and do their best. There is no doubt about this in my mind, you just need to look at us to see there desire.

"Spain have a great team and I don't mind if they are the favorites. However, from kickoff we start at 0-0 with 11 players on each side.

"Italy have a chance to win because in the past, in different competitions, the less favored team has won.

"Perfection does not exist in football. We have tactical and technical resources."

-- Source: Football Italia

Mangia is expected to stick with the same starting lineup that edged the Netherlands over the weekend. That means Juventus midfielder Luca Marrone, who has only played in the Azzurrini's opening game against England due to a hamstring injury, will all but certainly miss his fourth straight game of the competition.

Pre-game reading: SB Nation's preview; UEFA.com's preview; WhoScored's preview

On TV in the United States: ESPN and ESPN Deportes. Also available online at ESPN3 with coverage scheduled to begin at 11:45 a.m. on the East Coast and 8:45 a.m. out West.

UPDATE: LINEUPS!

Italy XI (4-4-2): Bardi; Donati, Biancheti, Caldirola, Regini; Florenzi, Rossi, Verratti, Insigne; Immobile, Borini

Italy bench: Leali, Colombi, Biraghi, Capuano, Marrone, Bertolacci, Crimi, Gabbiadini, Destro, Sansone, Paloschi, Saponara

Spain XI (4-3-3): De Gea; Montoya, Bartra, Martinez, Moreno; Koke, Illarramendi, Thiago Alcantara; Tello, Morata, Isco

Spain bench: Marino, Joel, Nacho, Marc Muniesa, Alvaro, Carvajal, Camacho, Sarabia, Rodrigo, Munian, Alvaro Vazquez