* If Spain win, they will equal Germany's record of three European titles. Spain won the second Euro tournament in 1964 and the last one in 2008. They were also losing finalists to hosts France in 1984. * Italy's only previous European title was as hosts in 1968 when they beat Yugoslavia in the final. They were also runners-up in 2000 when they lost 2-1 to France on a golden goal in extra time. * The European final has never been decided by a penalty shootout in 13 previous tournaments. The last two finals were decided by a solitary goal - Greece beat hosts Portugal 1-0 in 2004 and Spain beat Germany 1-0 four years ago in Vienna. * Spain have met Italy seven times before in major tournaments and never managed an outright win. Their only success was in a penalty shootout at Euro 2008 in the quarter-finals following a 0-0 draw. The two met in the group stage at this tournament and drew 1-1. * Nine of the 14 Spanish players who appeared in the 2008 final are in the current squad - Iker Casillas, Sergio Ramos, Xabi Alonso, Xavi, Andres Iniesta, David Silva, Cesc Fabregas, Santi Cazorla and goalscorer Fernando Torres. * Four of the six Spanish players who were voted on UEFA's team of the 2008 tournament are missing. Imposing defender Carles Puyol and the 2008 finals top scorer David Villa are absent through injury. Carlos Marchena and Marcos Senna are no longer in the squad. The two survivors are Casillas and Xavi. * If Mario Balotelli, who scored two goals in Italy's 2-1 semi-final victory over Germany, finds the net again he could be the tournament's outright leading scorer on four goals. Spain have three players on two goals who could rival him - Torres, Fabregas and Alonso. Balotelli shares the lead on three goals with Alan Dzagoyev of Russia, Mario Gomez of Germany, Mario Mandzukic of Croatia and Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal. * Spain, the world and European champions, have continued their amazing run in competitive matches since losing to Switzerland in their opening game of the 2010 World Cup. They are unbeaten in 19 matches of which they have won 17. The two draws were both at this tournament - 1-1 against Italy in the group stage and 0-0 against Portugal in the semi-finals. Spain won that game on penalties but, statistically, it counts as a draw. * Spain have conceded only eight goals in that run of 19 games and have kept clean sheets in their last four games at this tournament. * The only player to score against Spain in this tournament is Italy's Antonio Di Natale, who came on as a second half substitute in the group game and found the net within five minutes. * Italy have lost only two of their last 19 matches outright at Euro finals. Apart from the 2000 final when they went down 2-1 to France in extra time, their only other defeat was a 3-0 loss to the Netherlands in a 2008 group game. They went out on penalties to Spain in the quarter-finals that year after a 0-0 draw. Previous meetings: 9/03/24 Fr Italy 0 Spain 0 Milan 14/06/25 Fr Spain 1 Italy 0 Valencia 29/05/27 Fr Italy 2 Spain 0 Bologna 22/04/28 Fr Spain 1 Italy 1 Gijon 22/06/30 Fr Italy 2 Spain 3 Bologna 19/04/31 Fr Spain 0 Italy 0 Bilbao 31/05/34 WCF Italy 1 Spain 1 Florence 1/06/34 WCF Italy 1 Spain 0 Florence 19/04/42 Fr Italy 4 Spain 0 Milan 27/03/49 Fr Spain 1 Italy 3 Madrid 28/02/59 Fr Italy 1 Spain 1 Rome 13/03/60 Fr Spain 3 Italy 1 Barcelona 21/02/70 Fr Spain 2 Italy 2 Madrid 20/02/71 Fr Italy 1 Spain 2 Cagliari 25/01/78 Fr Spain 2 Italy 1 Madrid 21/12/78 Fr Italy 1 Spain 0 Rome 12/06/80 ECF Italy 0 Spain 0 Milan 14/06/88 ECF Italy 1 Spain 0 Frankfurt 9/07/94 WCF Italy 2 Spain 1 Boston 18/11/98 Fr Italy 2 Spain 2 Salerno 29/03/00 Fr Spain 2 Italy 0 Barcelona 28/04/04 Fr Italy 1 Spain 1 Genoa 26/03/08 Fr Spain 1 Italy 0 Elche 22/06/08 ECF Spain 0 Italy 0 Vienna (Spain won on penalties) 10/08/11 Fr Italy 2 Spain 1 Bari 10/06/12 ECF Spain 1 Italy 1 Gdansk Head to head Played: 26 Italy 8 wins Spain 7 wins Draws 11 Key: WCF = World Cup finals, ECF = European Championship Finals, Fr = Friendly (For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports)
