Italy and France Fear the Biscotto, Neutrals Can Enjoy Some Ice Cream

Marco van Basten and the Netherlands are guaranteed top spot in Group C. They could lose 100-0 to Romania tonight and still top the Group of Death. Doesn’t matter to them. But it does matter to France and Italy, who know that a Romanian win eliminates them both.

And with MvB set to field a team of Netherlands stragglers tonight, three points for Romania is a possibility. So Italy are fearing the biscotto, apparently a reference to an ice cream sandwich, where you squeeze the two pieces of biscuit and the cream is forced out.

Italy have been here before, when Denmark and Sweden played out a 2-2 draw at Euro 2004 that saw both sides progress at the Azzurri’s expense. So you can understand them being a bit wary. Especially as the Netherlands would presumably prefer not to meet Italy or France again in the semi-final. Arrigo Sacchi has even written an open latter to Marco van Basten (who he coached at AC Milan) urging him to win the game.

The truth is that the Netherlands surely wouldn’t sink so low as to “throw” the game against Romania (would they?) It’s just too dishonourable and risks tainting a so far scintillating Euro 2008 performance. But fielding a weakened team will make things easier for Romania, and give Italy and France cause for concern.

But, adopting this biscotto metaphor… are Italy and France really the cream of Group C? Netherlands are the cream, and arguably Romania too (being unbeaten in Group C.) Marco van Basten has earned the right to pick whatever team he likes for the final game of Group C, and earned it by beating Italy and France 3-0 and 4-1 respectively. On their two performances so far Italy and France deserve to go out.

However… there’s still a game to go. So let’s turn this biscotto metaphor on it’s head. So far Italy and France have been – for all their talent – unappetizing and unenjoyable. The exact opposite of ice cream. But tonight they both realistically need a victory to have the best chance of going through.

So what we should see in Zurich tonight are two teams with some of the best attacking talent around and two of the most suddenly suspect back fours around. Going at each other, all out, for the win. The squeeze is definitely on. So whatever happens in Netherlands vs Romania, the Italy vs France game should be ice cream.

We’ll have LiveBlogs of both game for you:

Netherlands vs Romania LiveBlog (with Ian, who may or may not be eating biscotto while he types)

France vs Italy LiveBlog (with Chris and Laurie blogging and myself in the middle making sure no one gets hurt)