Italy Counting on 'Magical Spirit'

Azzurre, who last reached the semifinals in 1997, will give their all against unbeaten Norwegians

- 

ZURICH - Italy are putting the euphoria of making the knockout stages of the Women's European Championship for the first time since 2013 to one side, aiming for even greater heights when they take on Norway in the quarter-finals in Geneva on July 16.

The Italians lost their final Women's Euro 2025 Group B game to Spain, but managed to go through in second place thanks to a 1-0 win over Belgium and a 1-1 draw with Portugal to set up a meeting with the Norwegians, who won Group A with three wins out of three.

"The fact that we qualified in the quarter-finals gave us a lot of positive energy, (but) we immediately got back to work and we are preparing the game as we have prepared the others, taking care of every detail," Italy forward Sofia Cantore said on July 14.

"Once you reach a small goal like this, you think about doing your best to reach another, so let's say there is maximum concentration for the next game. Beyond tactics, I think we should put in everything we have in our hearts."

After making it to the last four in six of the first seven Women's Euro, Italy have since struggled.