Euro 2020 final: meet the Italians from Cambs who are preparing for the match against England

While most chant “it’s coming home,” members of the town’s Italian community are hoping to settle old scores.

Other Cambridge residents, however, are hedging their bets.

Piero D’angelico, owner of Piero’s Hairdressers on Mill Road, stepped out in his Vespa flying the English and Italian flags behind him.

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“We are very excited,†said the store owner, who has lived in Cambridge for over 30 years.

He said: “Even though I feel divided in this situation, ‘I don’t mind’ is my point of view. I say to my English friends “OK guys, let’s put it that way, if Italy wins, I win. And if they lose, I win anyway.

“There is a great community here. We all know each other, we always joke around.

“Even today I have my English flag and I have my Italian flag. And my Vespa, of course.

Mr D’angelico couldn’t predict the score for the big game, but added: “My only nightmare, which I don’t want to see, is finishing on penalties.”

One Cambridge Italian who is a little more confident in his homeland is Alex Signorelli, who owns Signorelli’s Deli in Burleigh Street.

“From a sporting point of view and from a football point of view, we have a score to settle in our football team – the last World Cup that we did not even qualify.”

Mr Signorelli says he hopes Italy coach Roberto Mancini’s decision to play for a younger team will bear fruit this weekend.

“The majority of my friends are English and are very athletic. They like to joke when we lose rugby, so football is my only chance to rub it in their face.

Confidently, Signorelli predicted a 2-1 final score against Italy in overtime on Sunday.

“I think whoever wins, the fans are going to go crazy, whether in Italy or England,” he added.