It'll be quite intense' England arrive in the heart of Euro 2025 with Italian job to come

Just off the shore of Lake Geneva, the Jet d'Eau fires a relentless arching cascade 140 metres into the air.

- Nick Ames

Just off the shore of Lake Geneva, the Jet d'Eau fires a relentless arching cascade 140 metres into the air. It is the centrepiece of a refined city that has taken brief leave of its senses at times during Euro 2025. England supporters landing on a clear Monday morning could appreciate the landmark from high up; those feeling brave could walk within a few dozen strides of the torrent being pumped out at 500 litres a second.

The hope is that England's women can channel similar momentum when they face Italy at Stade de Genève in their semi-final later today. It took the squad time to switch off from their epic shootout win over Sweden in the last eight, when they snatched victory from the jaws of defeat. Adrenaline coursed through Sarina Wiegman's players in the hours afterwards and nobody would be averse to a sounder night's sleep this time around.

In practice nothing comes easily at this stage. It has been tempting to bill this assignment as an inconvenience before an inevitable appearance in Sunday's final. England negotiated a fiendish group that included France and the Netherlands, their performances mixed, and it felt significant that they overcame a fine Sweden side.