Cesar Azpilicueta warns Spain about Chelsea teammate Jorginho ahead of Italy showdown
Speaking to Sky Italia (h/t Daily Mail), Chelsea captain Cesar Azpilicueta has warned Spain about his club teammate Jorginho ahead of the semi-final clash against Italy.
Spain will square off against Italy in the first semi-final of the UEFA Euro 2020 next week. La Roja earned a hard-fought win over Switzerland via penalty shootouts to make it to the final four stages. Italy, meanwhile, breezed past Belgium in their quarter-final tie to book a place in semis.
Azpilicueta, who has been a regular in the Spain side in recent games, has now warned his teammates about Jorginho, who has been in sublime form for Italy. Indeed, the Chelsea midfielder has been one of Azzurri’s best performing players at the European Championships, helping them control games from the midfield.
And, Azpilicueta is of the opinion that curbing his influence will be key for the Spanish national team in the semi-final encounter.
“We have a WhatsApp group with our Chelsea team-mates, but it will be nice to meet him again on the pitch. That’s why football is great, now we are going to give the best for our national teams. Jorginho has proved to be a crucial player for Italy.
“He has important qualities, he likes to keep the ball in his feet and control the game. If we limit his involvement, we’ll have more chances to qualify for the Final.”
More Chelsea News:
- Victor Moses leaves Chelsea on permanent deal
- Transfer News: Inter Milan hope to keep Romelu Lukaku amid Chelsea interest
- Transfer News: Tottenham Hotspur look to rival Chelsea for Barcelona star Miralem Pjanic
While Jorginho has indeed stood out for Italy, Azpilicueta and Spain will do well not to focus only on the Chelsea ace, considering the threat that the likes of Marco Verratti, Nicolo Barella and Lorenzo Insigne also pose.
Nonetheless, an exciting clash awaits as the two Chelsea senior stars go head-to-head for a spot in the finals.