Italy coach Cesare Prandelli put on a brave face after their Euros final thrashing by Spain.

The Azzurri impressed on their way to the Final, but were beaten 4-0 after playing with 10 men for the last half-hour due to Thiago Motta's injury.

"It was harsh, but you could see straight away they were much fresher," Prandelli told Rai Sport after the final whistle in Kiev.

"We used up a lot of energy this week and didn't have time to recover, so when 2-0 down against these players that was inevitable.

"We didn't take the wrong approach, as we realised physically they were on another level. At times the generosity of this team hurts the balance of the side.

"It was an extraordinary tournament and I complimented the lads for their efforts throughout Euro 2012."