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The Azzurri faced accusations of simulation and time-wasting after Friday's fine win over Belgium that merely perpetuated outdated stereotypes
Italy's dazzling displays at Euro 2020 have proven something of a problem for pundits.
Roberto Mancini's attack-minded Azzurri have not conformed to type, rendering the usual cliches about catenaccio, cynicism and dark arts redundant.
So, even though Italy produced another thrilling, high-energy performance to defeat Belgium in Munich on Friday night, some analysts dwelt on the fact that a few of the victors' players resorted to time-wasting and play-acting to see out the final 15 minutes of a titanic quarter-final tie.
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The most egregious act of simulation actually occurred just before Nicolo Barella broke the deadlock in the first half, with Ciro Immobile falling to the ground – seemingly in agony – before making a rapid recovery after seeing his team-mate's thumping effort hit the back of the net.
It was indeed a disgraceful display of gamesmanship, rightly ridiculed and castigated. However, it was interesting to see just how much of a furore it created in England.
On BBC Sport's coverage, former Germany international and diving pioneer Jurgen Klinsmann was obviously in no position to take a moral stand, but fellow pundit Alan Shearer was incensed.
As host Gary Lineker and Michah Richards made light of the Immobile incident, Shearer fumed: "I don't even want to laugh at that. That's pathetic. You can see him have a look at the referee before he goes down."
Richards quipped: "I've seen you do that before." A still unamused Shearer replied: "Never."
That is debatable, of course, but what is beyond dispute is that football, in general, still has a massive problem with simulation.
It is not just an Italian issue by any stretch of the imagination, so it was strange that it immediately became the main talking point in England after the highest-quality contest of an enjoyable European Championship to date.
While Spain's AS was enthusing "This Italy is a joy" and L'Equipe was hailing a glorious "Italian lesson", some UK journalists and fans were arguing online that it was difficult to get behind the Azzurri because of a perceived level of cynicism that was apparently far worse than anything we have seen from every other side in the tournament.
One commentator on BBC Radio 5 Live even suggested that Italy calling for a stretcher for the stricken Leonardo Spinazzola was an act of time-wasting. It has since transpired that the Roma full-back had ruptured his achilles tendon, leaving him facing months on the sideline.
It is perfectly acceptable to express disgust with simulation, but one cannot be selective and chime in only when it supports outdated national stereotypes.
Indeed, in an editorial published in La Repubblica on Saturday, a bemused Maurizio Crosetti wondered if the English were upset by what they view as "the usual Latin mischievousness".
As well as offering a reminder that only "he who is without sin [should cast the first stone]", Crosetti closed his piece paraphrasing Lineker by arguing that "Football is a sport where 22 men chase a ball for 90 minutes and at the end, the English are always bitter, because they haven’t won anything since 1966."
It would be wrong to get wrapped up in petty jibes, but the English media's longstanding 'holier-than-thou' attitude on this topic is baffling.
Play-acting is undeniably endemic in football and, remember, England, too have players prone to exagerrating contact.
Marcus Rashford even admitted last season that Jose Mourinho taught him to be more "savvy" about winning penalties during the Portuguese manager's time in charge of Manchester United.
"After that, we started to get a few," the England forward told the Football Writer's Association in January, "and it was something that, in terms of development, you have to learn and understand."
Rashford is one of the most admirable figures in football today, so the fact that even he felt compelled to embrace a more cynical approach to winning fouls hammers home that there is a major problem with the way in which the game is governed and officiated on a global level.
After watching Belgium's Romelu Lukaku stay on his feet despite being repeatedly fouled during the same burst forward by a host of Portugal players, and then not be awarded a free-kick, Lineker himself pointed out on Twitter, "[This] is exactly why players dive. Referees need to reward honesty if it's to change."
Instead, we are in a situation where players – from all over the world – are making the most of every single contact. The penalty Kylian Mbappe won against Portugal in the group stage is a perfect case in point.
If that collision constitutes a penalty these days – in the era of VAR – is it any wonder that some players are trying to be more "savvy"? In such an environment, it is sadly inevitable that the likes of Immobile will go even further in pursuit of spot-kicks and end up utterly humiliating themselves, their teams and the game itself.
Indeed, the frustrating thing is that the Lazio striker's shameful antics – and the debate it provoked (the words 'Immobile' and 'embarrassing' were both trending on UK Twitter on Saturday morning) – drew the focus away from what was a real statement of intent by Italy.
Switzerland's run to the quarter-finals, which included eliminating reigning world champions France in the last 16, had already made a mockery of that argument, given the Azzurri had routed Vladimir Petkovic's side 3-0 in the group stage.
However, there is no doubt that a 2-1 victory over the number one-ranked team in the world has changed things. It is clear now to everyone that Italy are the real deal, the best side we have seen at the tournament so far.
Belgium manager Roberto Martinez and goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois both conceded that the Azzurri deserved to go through, while attacking midfielder Kevin De Bruyne described them as "team of the highest level".
Their goals were certainly world class, with Barella and Lorenzo Insigne belatedly announcing their arrival at the tournament in sensational fashion.
Barella had been by no means poor, but he had not looked anything like the player that powered Inter's midfield during their 2020-21 Serie A title triumph. There was talk of fatigue and demotion to the bench.
The real Barella finally turned up in Munich, though, along with Insigne, who had proven maddeningly frustrating during his four previous appearances.
Against Belgium, the diminutive Napoli winger did not just score the decisive second goal, cleverly taking advantage of the knowledge that Youri Tielemans was on a yellow card when he stepped inside the Belgian midfielder, he worked tirelessly, occasionally providing cover for the marauding Spinazzola.
Of course, the big question now is whether Emerson Palmieri can adequately fill the void left by Spinazzola in Tuesday night's semi-final against Spain, given the Roma left-back had been one of the players of the tournament so far.
It is a big ask of Emerson, who has played so little football over the past season, but Leonardo Bonucci reiterated afterwards that there is now a belief within this squad that every single player is capable of stepping up when required.
As Gianluigi Donnarumma beamed in an interview with RAI Sport, "This Italy is extraordinary and we can fight it out with anyone."
And not even Shearer would argue with that now.
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