Italy secured the bronze medal at the European Championship, defeating Spain 3-1 in a hard-fought match. For Spain, this tournament turned into a historical low point. Despite a flawless run through the group stage, where they won every game, the team led by coach Pere Varias is heading home from Paredes with their worst performance in 75 years.
You have to go all the way back to the 1950 European Championship in Milan to find the last time Spain failed to reach the podium at this event. This year’s outcome is a tough pill to swallow for a nation used to seeing its roller hockey team among the very best.
The bronze medal game itself saw Italy strike first. Checco Compagno put the team, coached by Alessandro Bertolucci, on the scoreboard. However, Spain’s Sergi Aragonès quickly responded, tying the game shortly after. The second half brought more action. Davide Gavioli scored to put Italy ahead 2-1. As Spain pushed for an equalizer late in the game, pulling their goalkeeper, Malagoli capitalized, extending Italy’s lead to 3-1 and sealing their victory.
Spain’s journey to the bronze medal match was already bumpy. They had suffered a heartbreaking defeat in the semifinals, losing to Portugal in a penalty shootout. To make things even harder, the three-time European champions arrived in Paredes without two of their highly-rated stars, Pau Bargalló and Ignacio Alabart, whose absence certainly complicated their campaign.
