Nations League semi-final: Spain beat Italy to reach Nations League final

1. Gavi handed Spain debut, aged 17, to become country's youngest player
2. Torres scores twice for Spain as Bonucci sent off, before Pellegrini pulls one back
3. Belgium face France in Thursday's other semi-final
4. Final and third place play-off take place on Sunday
5. Get involved via #bbcfootball

Imagine being 17 and playing in a game like this? Madness. I could barely be trusted to heat up beans when I was 17.

Gavi looks at home in front of 10s of thousands, though.

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Dreadful distribution from Unai Simon. Italy press high, close down the options, and he chips a pass straight out of play.

Regardless of the personnel for Spain, the strategy stays the same. Patient, probing, nothing rash, nothing rushed.

Italy fancy this.

Alessandro Bastoni charges forward from the back for a shot that is on target but tame and saved.

Chance!

Federico Chiesa forces Unai Simon into a low save from a shot from distance. Decent effort. Sharp. Always willing to try something, the young forward.

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Gavi already charging around with intent. Emerson slides in to stop him getting in down the right.

Spain's turn to come forward. They waste the chance to carve something out, though, with a cross from the right miles over everyone and out for a throw.

Lorenzo Insigne turns sharply on left and fires a low ball into the box. It is meant for Federico Bernardeschi but is way ahead of him.

Boos already as Spain start with possession. The home fans might want to save their voices. If this goes as it usually does possession-wise they'll be doing a lot of booing.

KICK-OFF

The little car is back! On it comes to deliver the ball before promptly speeding off back to its tiny garage.

And we're away! This has potential to be good, people. Please don't let us down.

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Yep. With gusto. Leonardo Bonucci need a deep breath to compose himself midway through. And a mighty big snarl to end.

One thing I can guarantee. These Italian players are going to absolute belt out this anthem.

Here we go then. The players are heading out of the tunnel at the San Siro. Anthems first, then a whole game of Nations League football.

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Where are the goals?

With injuries for strikers from both sides, neither Italy nor Spain have anybody in their squads who have scored more than 10 international goals.

Manchester City's Ferran Torres, who is only 21, is the top scorer in the Spain squad.

Napoli winger Lorenzo Insigne is Italy's. Both have exactly 10 goals for their countries.

The bosses

Italy manager Roberto Mancini: "Spain were the team we struggled against most during Euro 2020.

"It would be amazing to win [the Nations League] after the European Championship - and it would be amazing to qualify for the World Cup early - but it won't be that easy. Every game is full of difficulties."

Spain boss Luis Enrique: "It was already an attractive proposition before the Euros took place - to play Italy in Italy in the final four.

"This is a competition that we would love to win. It will be a very interesting match, to see what kind of performance we are capable of producing in front of an Italian-majority crowd and against the reigning European champions."

Useful

What's the point?

Brilliantly, in our guide to the Nations League finals (which you can find here), we have a section headlined: 'What's the point?' It is a valid question where this competition is concerned and one plenty have asked.

So here is our answer...

The Nations League group stage - which involve all 55 Uefa countries - was brought in to replace international friendlies with more meaningful games, involving promotion and relegation.

The finals are considered a proper tournament, with the winner getting a sterling silver, 7.5kg, 71cm tall trophy.

Oh, and prize money. The winners get 10.5m euros (almost £9m), with 9m euros for second place, 8m euros for third and 7m euros for fourth.

That includes the participation fee and prize money for winning their groups.

How did the teams qualify?

The 2020-21 Nations League group stages took place in September, October and November last year with the winners of each group in the top division qualifying for these finals.

You'll remember that England reached the 2019 finals, but this time finished third in Group A2 behind Belgium and Denmark.

Italy finished unbeaten in their group, one point above the Netherlands.

France, also unbeaten, finished three points clear of Portugal. Spain were two points above Germany.

None of these sides reached the 2019 finals.

The San Siro is a proper football ground. Looks in decent nick too.

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'Ready and waiting'