As of June 19, the three rounds of the European Championship group stage were complete.
The final eight teams advancing to the quarterfinals were confirmed.
Group A: Portugal, Turkey
Group B: Croatia, Germany
Group C: Netherlands, Italy
Group D: Spain, Russia
Except for Portugal, all other group winners advanced with a perfect record of three wins in three matches.
This made the European Championship even more thrilling.
After the group stage ended, preparations for the knockout stage were in full swing.
On the very night the group stage finished, the quarterfinal draw ceremony was held.
All eight teams watched the draw from their respective hotels, while eight national broadcasting teams analyzed the upcoming matchups.
Italy, the last World Cup champion, had a comparatively poor showing in this tournament.
This was partly due to key players like Totti and Nesta retiring from the national team, and also because core player Pirlo's injury had not fully healed.
Italy's overall condition was shaky, causing them to struggle through the group stage.
They advanced as group runners-up, meaning they would face one of the other three group winners besides their own group's top team.
In Italy's heyday, the identity of the opponent didn't matter much—Italy was strong, and only opponents feared them, not the other way around.
But in this tournament's group stage, Italy's weaknesses were clear, leading to some uncertainty entering the knockout rounds.
Spain was, needless to say, stylistically a tough matchup for Italy.
They were the team Italy least wanted to face.
Moreover, Spain had been dominant throughout the group stage—the best-performing team so far.
Croatia had just risen back up in the last two years, thanks to a new generation led by Šuker and Modrić. This young team was not to be underestimated.
Although built on the Dinamo Zagreb core, they were no longer the 2005 youngsters.
Many had Champions League experience and played in the top five European leagues. Their raw strength was widely regarded as the only squad capable of truly challenging Spain.
While Italy's veterans had plenty of experience, facing this young Croatian squad made them uneasy.
At the same time, in the Croatian team's hotel, players watched the draw and discussed.
Mandžukić sipped from a water glass, clicking his tongue:
"If we could choose, Russia might be a good opponent—we faced them in the Euro qualifiers and know them somewhat."
"But Russia's performance in the group stage has already exceeded expectations,"
"Exactly! They seem tactically and physically improved."
"Russia's no joke."
"Turkey too. They almost upset Portugal. Group A was the most competitive."
"Doesn't Italy seem to have played too poorly?" the Croatian players debated as they awaited the draw.
Van Stoyac sat at the front, nodding slightly at their discussion.
He was very sensitive to the flow of the tournament, and their thoughts aligned with his own:
Italy was already declining.
From a traditional European powerhouse, their strength had rapidly diminished. Compared to two years ago, how much of their power remained?
"I just hope we don't face Italy. Turkey or Russia are the same to me!" said Bilic quietly.
Van Stoyac replied: "I actually hope for Italy."
Bilic frowned: "That's Italy! A traditional European powerhouse—we won't have much chance."
"No," Van Stoyac shook his head. "Against an aging Italy, we'd have a better chance."
"That's different," Bilic disagreed. "These European giants use the group stage to adjust. They unleash their true strength in the knockout rounds. So Italy is the toughest opponent."
Van Stoyac said: "They don't have Pirlo, and Drossi and Ambrosini are in charge of midfield orchestration, but can they really withstand our pressure?"
"You underestimate Italy's Catenaccio!" Bilic shook his head.
"Maybe you overestimate a declining Italy," Van Stoyac countered.
As they spoke, the camera showed the draw.
The entire hotel conference room fell silent.
The first team drawn was Spain.
As Group D's winner, they were placed in the first knockout bracket.
The second team drawn was also a group winner—Croatia.
The two strongest group winners were drawn first, increasing pressure instantly.
Soon, the third team appeared—Turkey.
The first knockout match: Spain vs. Turkey.
Next came the Netherlands.
And then Italy.
The second knockout bracket was set: Croatia vs. Italy.
Upon hearing Italy's name, Šuker smiled slightly.
"You're playing against club teammates now," Modrić joked, patting Šuker on the shoulder.
Šuker said, "It's not too bad a draw. It depends if they can get their form back. If they play like in the group stage, they won't win."
The knockout draw concluded as follows:
Match 1: Spain vs. Turkey
Match 2: Croatia vs. Italy
Match 3: Portugal vs. Germany
Match 4: Netherlands vs. Russia
Aside from these fixtures, the focal point was undoubtedly the Croatia vs. Italy match.
As Bilic noted, though Italy had struggled in the group stage, they were still a traditional powerhouse whose strength was deeply ingrained.
Meanwhile, Croatia was a rising star—how would they perform under this challenge?
And as Croatia's top player, Šuker's ability to maintain form against many club teammates was crucial.
Conversely, Italy's experienced players like Ambrosini and Gattuso aimed to effectively contain Šuker.
After the draw, the Croatian and Italian teams began to prepare for travel.
Šuker and the others returned to Vienna, Austria's capital, where they would face last World Cup champions Italy at the Happel Stadium.
On June 20, the Portugal vs. Germany match kicked off the knockout stage.
The intensity of matches after the group stage was obvious.
Facing possible elimination at any time, players felt greater pressure, and games became more intense and fiercely contested.
Both sides fought hard, matching each other's pace closely.
At the 22nd minute, Schweinsteiger made an assist and scored himself, helping Germany take a 2-0 lead.
With the lead, Germany showcased strong control over the game.
Although C. Ronaldo assisted Gomez to pull one back at 40 minutes, Schweinsteiger's cross at 61 minutes found Ballack, who powered a header to extend Germany's lead again.
After a series of substitutions, at 87 minutes, Nani assisted Postiga to score, narrowing Portugal's deficit.
That goal would be the last of the match.
Germany won 3-2, advancing to the European Championship semifinals.
Portugal and Ronaldo's Euro journey ended that day.
This match highlighted the brutal knockout nature of the Euros—one loss, and you're out.
No second chances.
Failure is failure.
To seek revenge or progress, one must wait another four years.
For a professional player, how many four-year cycles can they experience?
For example, Portugal's elder statesman Figo might be playing his last European Championship.
The first knockout match concluded, fueling passion and tension.
Next was the main event:
The reigning World Cup champions Italy vs. the European upstarts Croatia.
This was a challenge for Croatia's young team.
It was equally a tough battle for Italy.