GELSENKIRCHEN, Germany (AFP) — Luciano Spalletti admitted on Thursday that he wants Italy to play like Spain after his team were given a reality check by La Roja at Euro 2024.

Italy were beaten 1-0 by Spain who are into the last 16 in Germany after a sumptuous display in Gelsenkirchen which highlighted the huge gap in talent between the two teams.

“Everyone would like to copy Spain as they have been playing good football for a long time,” said Italy coach Spalletti.

“I have to make the players understand how to play as equals. Because if you play like that against teams like this then it just gets difficult.”

Spain had more of the ball, created a catalogue of opportunities and only won by a single goal due to an outstanding performance from Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.

“It’s a result that shows that they were a team and we weren’t. It’s a result that they deserved regardless of how many goals they scored,” added Spalletti.

“We were never in it and never got into a position to take on a team which plays football at this level.”

Even though Italy suffered a humbling evening the reigning champions will go through to the last 16 alongside Group B winners Spain with a draw or win against Croatia on Monday.

THURSDAY’S RESULTS

Group B

Spain 1, Italy 0

Group C

Slovenia 1, Serbia 1

Denmark 1, England 1

FRIDAY’S GAMES

Group D

Poland vs Austria

Netherlands vs France

Group E

Slovakia vs Ukraine