Fabregas hits out at pitch

Spain midfielder Cesc Fabregas hit out at the state of the pitch in Gdansk after the defending European champions were held to a 1-1 draw by Italy on Sunday.

The Barcelona midfielder grabbed the equaliser for Vicente Del Bosque’s men shortly after Antonio Di Natale had put the Azzurri ahead after 61 minutes.

Spain had late chances to win it, most notably through Fernando Torres, but Italy held on for a deserved point in the Group C opener.

Fabregas, who was preferred to Torres in the starting line-up in a 4-6-0 formation, felt the slow pitch at the Arena Gdansk prevented Spain from playing their high-tempo passing game.

He said: “I don’t want to complain, but we deserve much more. It is lamentable that we have to play on a pitch like this.

“It has been a difficult match, the most difficult one we have in the group against a very strong rival.

“After going behind it is not a bad result. We are still dependent on ourselves. We have shown character and played well.”