England aim to solve 'wobbles' in semi-final, and what to expect from Italy
Will Wiegman mix up the defence?
A recurring theme of England's tournament has been the weaknesses exposed in defence, with France and Sweden's pace causing them problems.Carter has switched positions on three occasions - playing as a right-sided centre-back, a left-sided centre-back and a left-back to try to solve the issue.Alex Greenwood has also switched from centre-back to full-back, while defender Esme Morgan impressed when she came off the bench in the win over Sweden.Wiegman has a selection headache with Morgan pushing for a starting place, and she might also choose to protect Carter following the racial abuse. "Although it's a hard situation, Jess is a very strong person and wants to move on. She also felt we had to address this. You can't just let it go," said Wiegman. "We know there's a match going on and we're ready to perform - she's ready to perform and to compete. That says a lot about her and the team."We have headaches all the time because a lot of players can play from the start. It's what makes the team so strong."There were also doubts over the availability of captain Leah Williamson after she was seen using crutches and wearing a protective boot on Thursday. But Wiegman confirmed Williamson has recovered from an ankle injury and she was in full training on Monday. "She really wants to play and she did everything to recover as quickly as possible - and she has. It means she is available," added Wiegman.England became the first team to progress from a knockout tie at the Euros having trailed by two goals in their win over Sweden.Meanwhile, Italy have opened the scoring in all four of their matches so far.So can England wipe away the cobwebs and produce a solid defensive display?"I'd like to think we've got all the wobbles out of the way," England forward Beth Mead told BBC Sport. "I think this is very much the business end of the tournament, we've got to be on it and we've got to be very much in the right headspace. We've got to play well in knockout football now."
'Complacency is the biggest mistake'
England have won seven of their last 10 games in all competitions against Italy and are playing in their seventh Euros semi-final.They have progressed from two of the last three, whereas opponents Italy, ranked 13th in the world, are in the semi-finals for the first time since 1997.It means England go into Tuesday's game as favourites - but Wiegman is wary of acknowledging that."It would be really disrespectful to think we are the favourites," she said. "They made the semi-final just like we did and that's very impressive for any team. Complacency is the biggest mistake you could make. "You have seen them, how they have played. I don't think there is any way we can think that we might be favourites. We have to be at our very best to win."Defender Alex Greenwood told BBC Radio 5 Live it has become an "expectation" that England reach at least the semi-finals."I think as a team now, we've set those standards to reach these levels. We're really proud of that achievement," she added.Mead said England "thrive under pressure", while Brighton midfielder Fran Kirby, who retired from international football before the tournament, admitted Italy are "definitely the underdogs"."I think everyone knows that from the outside," Kirby told BBC Radio 5 Live."But on the flip side, Italy will have seen England's performances and think that there's an opportunity there as well because they know they can score goals. "[Hopefully] England play the way that we know they can play and really shut up shop defensively."
What challenge will Italy pose?
Though the top division of women's football in Italy was established in 1968, it's only in recent years that their domestic game turned fully professional.The national team have never dropped below 19th in Fifa's world rankings - but they failed to qualify for four successive World Cups between 2003 and 2015.So what kind of challenge will Italy pose England when they meet at 20:00 BST on Tuesday?"They have got a never-say-die attitude. They are a very aggressive, hard team to play against," said Mead. "They can be frustrating and they have individual quality."It's going to be a tough game and I know they're very much going to be up for it. They have something to prove, as do we. "We're defending champions but we've got to go out there and put the performance in. We've got to be at the races to beat this Italian team."In recent meetings, England have come out on top.Wiegman's side earned a 2-1 win in the Arnold Clark Cup in February 2023, before inflicting a 5-1 defeat in a friendly 12 months later. But in captain Cristiana Girelli, Italy have a player in form - the 35-year-old has netted three goals in the tournament so far."I think both teams will be confident going into the game for different reasons," added Kirby. "It's going to be really interesting, but I think England just need to tighten up a little bit. The Italian fans are also super passionate."
What are the pundits saying?
Former England captain Steph Houghton told BBC Radio 5 Live she is "really confident" they can reach a third successive major final."We can take really great confidence in how we came back against Sweden. It was more of a semi-final. It's an amazing opportunity for us," added Houghton.Kirby said England were "very expansive" against Sweden and they cannot afford to be the same against Italy."We were losing every second ball. Sweden killed us in the transition moments with their pace and Italy have quite a similar way of playing," added Kirby. "England really needs to focus on that side of the game against Italy. But I don't think Italy are as strong as Sweden."Ex-Manchester City defender Nedum Onuoha believes England have shown they are capable of performing in the biggest moments."It's tough to not believe in them. They have done everything they have needed to get to this point," he said. "Against Sweden, we saw them suffer but they found a way and made Sweden really uncomfortable. "When you are a winner, why would you not take belief into the next game?"
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Shortly before Sarina Wiegman walks into one of the grand rooms at England 's five-star Dolder base overlooking Zurich, Ella Toone can't help but laugh. 'We've nearly killed her twice in this tournament,' Toone says. It sometimes feels like at least twice in single games, especially those against Sweden and Italy. 'You've definitely aged me,' Wiegman told the players after the semi-final. You wouldn't think it as she walks in for a more informal chat with media on the eve of the Euro 2025 final. Wiegman is all smiles and laughs, as you might well be when your team repeatedly get through emotional late rescue acts. Everyone conspicuously looks to the coach in such moments. That isn't always the case in football. Wiegman admits that she finds focus on her 'awkward', if of course 'very special'. Except, it's hard not to focus on her. This is the 55-year-old's third consecutive major final in the England job, and fifth as a manager, going back to Euro 2017. It sums Wiegman up that she says it's a record she doesn't even want to think about until she retires. For everyone else, it defines her. While there have been a number of factors in England's rise, not least FA investment, the money they have spent on Wiegman is well justified. She is almost certainly the single most important figure in the history of the women's team. Hence the FA being 'in awe' of Wiegman, according to many insiders, to the point chief executive Mark Bullingham says she's priceless. If England loves Wiegman, however, what does Wiegman think of England? As a manager, she can come across as an abrupt figure, especially when talking in that matter-of-fact manner. Some close to her just say it's part of being Dutch. Nevertheless, Wiegman's success comes as her own players talk about how she's changed; maybe even softened. She is relaxed enough to elaborate on her relationship with England outside the job, something she hasn't really done before. 'I have been here four years and it just feels like my home away from home. I always enjoy it when I'm at work, when I'm in England. It is just the people, the sporting culture. I really love the sporting culture and the fans of course. It is the connection I have with the people, we are very, very close. The people at the FA, with everyone.' Wiegman is eventually asked whether she's 'fallen in love' with England? 'Yes, I have,' she says. 'Otherwise, I would not be sitting here with such a smile on my face.' Wiegman has certainly harnessed some of England's distinctive sporting traits, most visibly in the resilience of this team. 'Proper England', as her players keep saying. 'I absolutely see that,' she says. 'People that really want to work hard and are very committed.' That quality has been honed for this England team through Wiegman's nurturing of a proper old-fashioned team spirit. It has meant that, no matter how the team plays - and, in this tournament, that hasn't been very well - they always have a chance. Hence her resistance to speak about herself, except in the most couched way. 'I think I'm pretty good at bringing people together. But, without the quality, you're not going to win a tournament. So you need very good players and the support staff. The environment we created, the performance, how we do recovery… but they're important things to be the best prepared. 'What I'm trying to do is bring people together in the best possible way. Players and staff and the people around are really, really good.' As is always the case with such figures, you can't truly separate the real personality from the sporting personality, much as they try to. 'I'm kind of a caring person,' Wiegman says. 'I care about them… but at the same time I'm the coach.' The England players say she now lets out more emotion when they score. 'That comes from these performances,' she laughs. 'It's so intense. Of course I look very calm, but when the whistle goes and we score a goal and we change the game, when you have one minute left, of course that is emotional. Now, yes, like every person, I develop too with experiences. 'What I really wanted to do over all these years was try to enjoy it a little bit more, instead of always being so…' Wiegman interrupts herself. 'You have to be focused in this job, but you need to celebrate the moments that are good. It's really nice.' Some of the squad go even further and describe her as 'a mum'. 'Yeah, you know, sometimes when people say about 'the girls', I think 'do they mean my daughters or my team?!'I care about them but at the same time I'm making these hard decisions at the moment. So sometimes you should leave that caring and leave it up to them. They're grown-up women! But at least a mum should care.' Being in the job for four years has naturally seen her become closer to players, though. 'Those informal moments are just nice, to have a conversation in so you get to know each other better on and off the pitch. I say this a lot, but I truly believe connections make a difference. That's why I like team sports so much. That's what I like about the tournaments because you have more time together, so you have more time to have these informal moments.' Wiegman even admits that she misses the players away from camps. 'When we go into international breaks it's 11 days… you don't have much time. And then I'm not a person who just goes out and has a conversation where there's no purpose.' Much of this comes from the amount of consideration she put into actually taking the job in 2021. 'I think from both sides, before 2021, we have been really diligent to figure out if we were a good match. And you never know until you go in.' They now know so well that she's signed a contract to take her at least to the 2027 World Cup. There was 'a click', as Wiegman puts it. No matter how long she goes in the job, though, she's unlikely to face a tournament as tumultuous as Euro 2025. From the retirements beforehand to the being on the brink throughout, she admits there's been nothing like it. 'Before the World Cup, we had challenges with players who were injured. But in this tournament, it has been the craziest one with how the games went. That has been different.' The words don't quite reflect the mock exasperation on her face. Wiegman does admit that she now recovers from matches better. 'I've worked on that, too, because I always say don't put too much emphasis on the result. Of course, we are here to win, but you can't control winning. You can control what you do and what you try to do to win the games. And I do better at that.' As another tournament proves, however, she's not bad at winning either.
