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Yes, Italy was missing Pirlo yesterday, both during the game and during penalties.
Still don´t understand why Donadoni let go Di Natale for the penalties...all the stadium was against him after his unfair teather... and he failed...I´m curious what the people in Italy think about this decision and what did they say about it on TV?
Semifinal Russia vs Spain and Turkey vs Germany...who would say it before the tournament...
Don't recall any 'unfair teather' from di natale, only thing i remember is that once he needed medical support and the referee stopped the game, like it happened several other times for Spaniards and Italians. The spanish supporters booed. The ball was in midfield, so there was no important action delayed and no reason to simulate something.
But maybe I am missing some other episode.
The only player who was yellow carded for simulation is a Spaniard who plunged in the Italian penalty area, but in my opinion that was not deserved because my impression is that he slipped rather than simulate a foul.
Dinatale failed the penalty because he failed to shoot properly, that's it!
Since penalties were under the spanish supporters curve every Italian was booed. But this is normal and a professional player is not impressed by that.
Italians thinks that Donadoni made worse mistakes than send DiNatale to shoot a penalty...The biggest one is to have used DelPiero (top scorer of the Italian league) only for half match+the last 10 minutes and stubbornly let the phantom of Toni play all the match...
But this is already the past, makes no sense to lose more time with that:the match is over.
What about a Germany-Russia final in Vienna, the capital city of eastern Europe? That may look scary ...
Di Natale was slightly fouled in the overtime behind the side line, he fell down and moved back into the field just to stop the game which I think was unfair from him. Since that all the stadium whistled on him after his every touch with the ball. That´s why I don´t understand why he went for the penalties as he had to be under pressure...
But it´s really nothing against you, this is what I´ve noted...
Parm thanks for taking the time to respond. I grew up in NYC and the only soccer I really played was on a cement playground. We were a bunch of Italian,French,Spanish,Irish kids with a crappy ball having fun. I do remember playing goalie once when my friend Albert Lemonica kicked the ball and it caught me square in the face(the kid was a beast), thought I busted my nose and while there was no real tackling we were bloodied daily by trips and falls. The point being I understand the pain involved in the beautiful game, just can't stand the BS that slows this game down..PS was not picking on any one player from Spain nor Italy. Just a general comment...
Oh, ok I understand now, but I don't think is a relevant episode.
Let's try to put things in perspective, and also to give some info about some aspect that is not familiar for those who did not play(ed) or know soccer.
When a player is temporarily injured and need assistance, it is normal behavior that the team who has the ball stops the game by throwing the ball out, and the other team will then return the ball at the restart of the game.
It is one of the few remaining non-written rules of fair play, and is normally considered very rude when it is not applied. Sometimes it happens that a team does not notice that a player is in need of assistance, and either the other team draw their attention or the referee applies the rules and stops the game himself.
This does not happens if there is a clear important action in place (an effective goal opportunity when the injured player is far away from the action) but this is the 'way to behave' in all other cases.
What the supporters of one team or the other believe, has little to do with the actual facts.
I don't believe that DiNatale 'moved back in the field to stop the game', the ball was in midfield and was an action like another. If it was a clear offensive opportunity, the referee would not have stopped the game, especially a referee with the style of the guy that was in charge (some ref whistle for everything, some other tolerate a more tough play. This ref was of the second type)
About supposed 'theatre' of the players in need of medical aid: guys, in 99% it is not theatre.
Taking a kick on your shin or on your thig's muscle, even if it is not foul, hurts like hell. It is a short-lived pain, but for about one minute is really intense and you literally can't stand it.
Bear in mind that any hit brought with a kick (like is almost always in soccer) has much more strenght than a hit brought by hands or arms, and normally you bring the tackle with all your available strenght.
Just ask somebody expert of martial arts how more powerful is a kick than a push.
So, even if i.e. you first touch the ball and after that the other player leg (and this is not foul), be sure that he will notice the hit. Same if you revert roles...
Even in sports more violent than soccer, like rugby or american football, the legs are mainly used to run and not to play or tackle, so there is a lot less chance to hit somebody with a kick.
Acting from soccer players normally take place when there is a potential reward, like diving inside the penalty area or enhancing the effect of a 'forbidden' foul like a slap or a fist. But divers are normally well known by the referees, and they are seldom successful...
I used to play football but had to give it up due to health problems so I think I know something about the rules.
I´m sorry I couldn´t find any video of this moment but maybe you could have a chance to find it. If so this happened 6 minutes before the OT´s end. I totaly agree with you it´s fair from the other side to kick the ball aside when some of your competitors is injured and stop the game. No doubt...
But Di Natale knows it as well and if you have a chance, check it out...he was ''injured'' on the side line and as he saw Spain is in the ball possesion he rolled back in the field, though he could be treated behind the line. After noting the referee stopped the game, he stood up and his ''injury" was healed...and since that a half of the stadium whistled on him...also the newspapers here wrote about it the other day and no one could understand why he went for the penalties...
But don´t get me wrong, this is just a episode...