Spain are on the charge at a major football tournament with a creative and technically gifted Barcelona player calling the shots from central midfield.
Sound familiar?
Only 18 and already seemingly indispensable for the national team, Pedri González has been given the keys to a midfield that was once the domain of two modern-day greats in Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta.
The comparisons are inevitable — and maybe justified — and will only become more widespread if Pedri leads Spain to the European Championship title in the coming days, just as Xavi and Iniesta did in 2008 and 2012 amid a golden era for the country.
Certainly, Switzerland need to be on top of Spanish football’s new midfield conductor in the first quarterfinal match at Euro 2020 in St. Petersburg on Friday.
That's easier said than done.
Pedri, who plays on the left side of Spain's ball-hogging central-midfield three, is playing in his first major tournament — he only made his senior international debut in March — and is tied for first place for most chances created (10) and has more passes in the opposition half (233) than any other player.
The youngest Spaniard to play at a European Championship, Pedri also became the youngest ever player in a knockout-stage game at the tournament — at 18 years, 215 days — against Croatia in the round of 16.
Perhaps most impressively, he is one of only two outfield players in Spain's squad to have played every minute of their team's games at Euro 2020.
Another European Championship record he holds comes with less distinction. After 20 minutes of the 5-3 extra-time win over Croatia, Pedri sent a back-pass from near the halfway line to Spain goalkeeper Unai Simon, who failed to control the ball and only succeeded in deflecting it into the goal.
It is the longest own-goal in the tournament's history, yet Pedri shrugged off that misfortune to produce a dominant performance against a highly regarded Croatia midfield led by veteran Luka Modric.
Pedri's technique, vision and ability to manoeuvre himself into space and find teammates with his astute passing is astonishing given his age. He is coming off his first year at Barcelona, which he joined from Las Palmas in the offseason, and has already played 60 games for his club and his country this season.
Midfield will be an area Spain will look to take charge of against Switzerland, which will be missing captain Granit Xhaka because of suspension.
Xhaka was selected as UEFA's man of the match after Switzerland beat France in a penalty shootout — following a 3-3 draw through extra time — to advance to its first quarterfinal match at a major tournament since the 1954 World Cup.
Switzerland faces the tough task of avoiding a natural comedown after one of the biggest wins in its history.
Fatigue, and the shrewd use of substitutes, is proving a key factor at a tournament that is coming off a gruelling, pandemic-affected club season. Both teams are likely to make changes to freshen up for a shot at the semifinals.
Lukaku a threat to Italy
Belgium's leading scorer at the European Championship is no stranger to Italy's veteran defenders.
They all play in Serie A.
Romelu Lukaku will likely be the main attacking threat when Belgium take on Italy in Munich on Friday in the Euro 2020 quarterfinals. The Inter Milan forward has scored three goals in his team's four victories so far.
And with Kevin De Bruyne and Eden Hazard both doubtful for the game, Italy captain Giorgio Chiellini and teammate Leonardo Bonucci — both defenders at Juventus — will know just who to focus on.
Belgium, who are trying to win their first major football tournament three years after a third-place finish at the World Cup, haven’t lost in 13 games and is the top-ranked team in the world.
The Italians haven't been beaten in a national team record 31 matches, though they were taken to extra time by Austria in the round of 16.
Both teams won all three of their group matches, and with France, Portugal, the Netherlands and Germany all eliminated from Euro 2020, the winner in Munich will certainly be among the favourites for the title.
Neither De Bruyne nor Eden Hazard's injury worries are new. De Bruyne fractured his nose and eye socket in a collision with Chelsea defender Antonio Rüdiger while playing for Manchester City in the Champions League final, but the latest problem is a bruised left ankle sustained after a tackle from Portugal midfielder João Palhinha in the round of 16.
The injury-prone Hazard was also taken off early against Portugal with a hamstring issue. Belgium coach Roberto Martínez said Monday that both Hazard and De Bruyne were "50-50" for Friday's game.
Belgium have only beaten Italy once before in a competitive game — in the 1972 European Championship quarterfinals.
