In Germany, the recent mood was as if the national team were already European champions.
This over-confidence was punctured, though, after the fully deserved 2-1 defeat to old rivals and bogey team Italy, whom Germany have never beaten in a competitive game.
After finishing runners-up at Euro 2008 and reaching the semi-finals at the World Cup in 2010, everybody in Germany wanted this title.
However, you can only beat Italy when you create pressure by playing a fast-paced game, and Germany failed to do that in the first half against the Azzurri.
There are days when nothing seems to go right. It was the same with Bayern Munich in the Champions League final against Chelsea.
Italy have surprised us once again, especially considering their preparations for Euro 2012 were overshadowed by an investigation into match-fixing, complete with suspensions and arrests.
But, in the very first game, Italy made you sit up and take notice. They drew 1-1 in Group C with Spain in what many people thought was the best of all the group matches.
All respect then to the Italians. Reaching the final could not have been predicted in view of their troubled times before the tournament.
Coach Cesare Prandelli also deserves respect for putting his faith in the difficult-to-manage 21-year-old striker Mario Balotelli from English champions Manchester City.
Balotelli repaid this trust with two superb goals against Germany in the semi-final victory on Thursday — one a header, the other a shot so fierce it was hard to pick it up with the human eye.
Balotelli is an exceptional talent and exceptional talents can polarise opinion.
One has to admit he is a wonderful footballer who could decide many a tournament if a coach can keep him under control as Prandelli has so far managed.
Now Spain and Italy will be meeting again in the final, and I believe that, despite Italy’s strengths, Spain will defend their title. The Italians will have to cover a lot of ground against them.
Andrea Pirlo has been the star of the show by running the game, helped by other midfielders such as Riccardo Montolivo. And Italy have in Gianluigi Buffon a goalkeeper who, unlike other goalies who fly through the air, takes a couple of steps and coolly brings a shot down. He is absolutely world class.
Spain’s brains of the team, Xavi and Andres Iniesta, have looked tired in recent games.
Coach Vicente del Bosque took them both off in the last match to give them a bit of a rest. But I am sure everyone from both teams will be able to go to the limit for Sunday’s final in Kiev.
I don’t like the 4-6-0 system Del Bosque has played, though. Spain, it seems, have no finisher, no one to score decisive goals. And they need an incredible number of chances to score a goal.
But Spain have found refuge in their short-passing game and possession football. No one can stop them, although Croatia came close by man-marking Xavi. Portugal were also a match for them for an hour, then the Spanish way of playing got the better of them, even if it needed a penalty shoot-out to decide the semi-final.
Spain can rely on a watertight defence as well, plus they have a top goalkeeper in Iker Casillas. Buffon and Casillas should now be vying for the world ‘keeper of the year award for a fifth time.
I make Spain the favourites, but if Italy manage to play as well as they did in the 1-1 draw in their group-stage encounter, then they also have a very good chance of becoming European champions.
— With inputs from agencies
