Sunderland’s Emanuele Giaccherini reveals HE delivered team talk before Italy triumph

Italy defender Leonardo Bonucci hailed coach Antonio Conte as “the master” after a 2-0 victory at the Stade de France dumped defending champions Spain out of Euro 2016.

Although this resulted in a 0-1 loss to Ireland, which sent them into an unwanted clash with Spain in the round of 16, the move paid dividends as Chiellini poked the opening goal, and Buffon made three late key saves before Graziano Pelle wrapped up Italy’s triumph in stoppage time.

Revealing he clapped the team when they entered the dressing room he said: “I applauded them because they did something fantastic tonight”.

Italy’s emphasis on team discipline in defence and attack was in full display against Spain.

“I have battled for two years for people to understand this and we are a team”.

“We need the players to be 130 per cent against Germany”, said Conte.

According to The Sun, Lazio winger Antonio Candreva wants to join Chelsea to play under Antonio Conte more regularly.

“We hope that will be the same instance post-match following the next game”, he added.

Italy came into the season with little or no expectation from the football world.

“Tonight we dreamed the match and played it in that fashion”.

Juventus is now one of the best teams in world football, along the likes of Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid.

‘We suffered against Spain only towards the end of the second half, as we got too deep and they have exceptional players, but we had so many chances and could certainly have finished it earlier’.

“But on the pitch, this team – not just a collection of players or a national side – this team deserved to go through and now we must focus on Germany”.