Giorgio Chiellini and Graziano Pelle strike to sink Spain and send Italy into quarter-finals

Giorgio Chiellini and Graziano Pelle both scored as Italy beat Spain to reach the quarter-finals of Euro 2016.

Holders Spain, who won the European Championships in 2008 and retained the title in 2012, suffered their first defeat in the knock-out stages of a major tournament since the 2006 World Cup as Antonio Conte's side set up a lip-smacking quarter-final meeting with world champions Germany in Bordeaux on Saturday.

Italy dominated the first half, and Juventus defender Chiellini opened the scoring in the 33rd minute after David De Gea could only half keep out Eder’s free-kick.

Manchester United's De Gea was in outstanding form, denying Emanuele Giaccherini twice and Pelle in the first half.

But Italy's 38-year-old goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, described by De Gea as a "living legend" ahead of the match, showed the 25-year-old young pretender that he is not ready to give up his unofficial crown as best goalkeeper in the world just yet, with a magnificent one-handled stop to deny Gerard Pique in the final minute.

And, Italy being Italy, they took advantage of Spain's heartache to add a second deep into injury-time, as Pelle swept home Matteo Darmian's cross from close rnage.

Antonio Conte lined up with a 3-5-2 formation, which turned into a 3-4-3 when Italy had the ball. And Italy had a lot of the ball. Conte, who takes over as Chelsea boss at the end of the tournament, emphatically won the tactical battle with Vicente del Bosque at the Stade de France.

Emmanuele Giaccherini and Daniele de Rossi stopped Spain, and Andres Iniesta and David Silva in particular, from getting on the ball in the lines between midfield and defence.

And, when Italy did win the ball from Spain in midfield, they were quick to counter attack on the break, with Alessandro Florenzi excellent down the right flank and Graziano Pelle and Eder linking brilliantly up front.

Chelsea no doubt want Conte to start work as soon as possible – somebody better tell owner Roman Abramovich that he may not be available until after the final on Sunday 10 July!

Italy's defensive BBC of Bonucci, Barzagli and Chiellini is a well-honed wrecking machine, and Chiellini edges it ahead of his team-mates as man of the match for his brilliant shackling of his Juventus club-mate Alvaro Morata.

Juve playmaker Paulo Dybala said before the match that Morata “was always scared of facing Giorgio” in training, and the Spain striker barely got a touch at the Stade de France, completing fewer passes (six) than any other player in the opening 45 minutes.

And, at the other end, Morata would have been proud of Chiellini's goal, a predatory finish from close range after he followed in Florenzi's free-kick like a world-class goal poacher.

Spain: De Gea 8, Juanfran 6, Pique 6, Ramos 6, Jordi Alba 6, Fabregas 6, Busquets 6, Iniesta 6, Nolito 5, Morata 5, Silva 6. Subs: Aduriz 6, Vasquez 6. Pedro 6.

Italy: Buffon 8, Barzagli 8, Bonucci 7, Chiellini 9, De Sciglio 7, Parolo 7, De Rossi 8, Giaccherini 7, Fiorenzi 8, Eder 8, Pelle 8. Subs: Motta 7, Insigne 7, Darmian 8.

9' – SAVE! Brilliant one-handed stop low to his left by De Gea to keep out Pelle's header from Florenzi's free-kick.

11' – SAVE! De Gea tips Giaccherini's overhead kick on to his post from Pelle's knockdown, but the referee blows up for a high foot anyway.

33' – GOAL!Italy 1-0 Spain. Chiellini nets from close range after De Gea can only half keep out Eder's free-kick, and Giaccherini manages to flick the ball away from De Gea's boot.

45' – SAVE! Three players swarm Nolito after he miscontrols - Giaccherini breaks down the left on the counter and De Gea makes a brilliant flying save.

49'- CHANCE! De Rossi flicks Silva's free-kick away for a corner. Morata then heads a great chance straight at Buffon from close range.

55' - SAVE! De Gea makes a brilliant block to deny Eder from the right channel, after the Inter forward was set up by a brilliant Pelle backheel.

69' – CHANCE! Aduriz sweeps wide from Alba's pass into the box and Iniesta's dummy over the ball.

87' – SAVE! Buffon palms over a first-time Iniesta volley from the edge of the area. A huge smile from the Juventus keeper, but soon he is called into action again, with a flying stop from Pique.

90' – SAVE! Buffon! What a brilliant one-handed stop low to his right to deny Pigue. Busquets gets a yellow card for his protests over Motta.

90+1' – GOAL!Italy 2-0 Spain. Pelle sweeps home Darmian's cross on the break in the first minute of four additional minutes, to knock the holders out of Euro 2016.

Chiellini's goal was the first Spain have conceded in the knockout stages of the Euros for 679 minutes, since Youri Djorkaeff’s strike for France in the Euro 2000 quarter-final in Bruges.

Spain's defeat is the first time they have lost a match in the Euros by more than one goal since 1988, and their 2-0 defeat to West Germany.