Marco Verratti: 'Spain deserved final victory'

Italy midfielder Marco Verratti believes that Spain fully deserved to win the European Under-21 Championship.

Verratti and his teammates fell to a 4-2 defeat in the final of the competition, as Barcelona midfielder Thiago Alcantara netted a hat-trick in his side's win.

"It was always going to be a difficult game, but we knew that right from the start," he told Rai Sport.

"We took to the field with a desire to win, but unfortunately did not succeed. Spain were superior to us and we must congratulate them."

The 20-year-old was part of the Paris Saint-Germain team that claimed the Ligue 1 title last season.