Football
Dermot Corrigan, Madrid correspondent 8y

Xavi fears for Spain vs. Italy in round of 16: 'They like the battle'

Xavi Hernandez said that Italy "are the worst team Spain will have" to face in the Euro 2016 round of 16, and his former side only have their own "big mistake" to blame for landing on the more difficult side of the draw.

Double-defending champions Spain were minutes away from a straightforward route to the final until late in their final group game when they allowed a late Croatia winner and dropped to second place in Group D.

That result sent La Roja to face Group E winners Italy on Monday at the Stade de France, with Spain's only win over their Mediterranean neighbours in nine competition meetings being a 4-0 victory in the Euro 2012 final.

The former Barcelona star told Gazzetta dello Sport that Italy had traditionally always had the mental upper hand over Spain.

"It will be interesting," Xavi said. "Spain will dominate as Italy prefer not to. The difference between the two teams is that Spain suffer without the ball but Italy don't. They like the battle, they are the worst team Spain could have got, we have always feared Italy. We beat them recently but we always feel we can lose. It will be difficult for Spain on Monday."

Italy's 3-5-2 shape would also be a problem for Spain's high-pressing approach, said Xavi, who starred as his country won Euro 2008, 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012, and then retired from international football after a disastrous showing at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

"Italy are a mix of Barca and Atletico [Madrid]," he said. "Chile and Holland used a 3-5-2 against us at the last World Cup, and we were beaten. It is a tough formation for teams who want to press high up the pitch. When Italy move the ball they have the three centre-backs, and five midfielders, and it is difficult to press them."

The now Al-Sadd midfielder said that losing to Croatia last Monday, after first missing a penalty at 1-1 and then giving up a late goal on the counter attack, had seriously hurt Spain's chances of going all the way this time.

"It was a big mistake," he said. "The other side of the draw is much more straightforward. Anything could happen with all these teams on one side -- Germany, England and France, the teams who have won World Cups and European Championships."

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