Italians living in Kent have spoken of how they feel ahead of tonight's Euros 2020 final against England.

Harry Kane's extra-time goal against Denmark on Wednesday sealed the Three Lions' spot in the tournament decider tonight.

Now, if England win against Roberto Mancini's unbeaten side, it will be the first major international tournament they have won since the World Cup in 1966.

KentOnline has spoken to Italian residents and businesses ahead of the match, and also discovered how Italian-English households are coping with the rivalry.

Alessandro Biscardi, 37, moved from Naples to Tunbridge Wells with his family when he was 14.

He now owns and runs Vesuvius, an Italian restaurant in Maidstone's Lower Stone Street.

Mr Biscardi, an avid supporter of Napoli football club and proudly displays the team's memorabilia in his restaurant, said: "Now I have lived here longer than I have lived in Italy, my football heart is split in two.

"I would be happy if England wins, I would be happy if Italy wins. It's a very strange experience, for me, it's a win win either way."

Mr Biscardi will be working on today, but is hoping to finish early so he can catch the game at a friend's house.

He said: "All our staff in the kitchen are Italian so they will be supporting Italy. Even when Italy has been playing we have always been working.

"When we were playing Spain I was on the front of house and the chefs were in the kitchen. As soon as Italy scored we could hear a scream from the kitchen and everyone turned round."

Teaching assistant Rita Ramsdale, 47, from Meopham says she will be the only one wearing a blue Italian shirt amongst her friends while watching the match at home.

'You're going to be crying...'

Mrs Ramsdale, who is from Sardinia, moved to England 17 years ago and her husband Graham is from Yorkshire. She is decorating the house with English and Italian flags.

Mrs Ramsdale said: "Graham will probably have a beer and I will have an Aperol Spritz. When the England match finished on Wednesday I said congratulations and he said 'you're going to be crying on Sunday' and I said 'just be careful, it's you that's going to be crying'".

If Italy do win, Mrs Ramsdale has said she will wear her Italian shirt into her school tomorrow morning.

One couple in a similar situation to the Ramsdales are Giulia and Michael Maddox, both 30, from Swanley and parents of two.

Mrs Maddox, who is from Rome, is passionate about Italian sport, her husband says, something he finds amusing when they watch games together.

He said: "She just shouts, if one Italian person falls over she wants the other person to be sent off and shouts 'break his legs!' She's very passionate, it's brilliant."

Both will be watching the game intently, he says.

"We will just sit either end of the sofa not talking to each other," Mr Maddox jokes.

"I would say they both have a good chance of winning, I would like Italy to win for my marriage's sake," he said.

There is no question on where Tommaso Dimiddio's loyalties lie.

The KMTV journalist and former University of Kent student, who moved to England five years ago, said: "I would like to tell you my heart is split but it isn't, it would have to be Italy. I have just bought myself a new Italian shirt for the final."

"If I'm being honest I think England will win, I think it will be a tight game.

"I think the home advantage is massive, and it was the same for Italy at the beginning of the competition, it's not unfair, that's just how it is.

Asked about the reaction if Italy wins, he said: "I think it would be massive. We failed to qualify for the world cup in 2018 so everyone's last international memory of England is 2016.

Similar to Mrs Ramsdale, the journalist says he will come to work wearing his new Italian shirt.

And if England win? "I will try to be happy, I have been living here almost five years, it's my second home."

Andrea Leach, 56, from Ramsgate has always had a problem supporting England. Although his dad is English and an ex-footballer, his Italian mother was the bigger influence.

But he says it is now time, after half a century of hurt, to get behind the Three Lions.

He said: "I have supported Italy since 1978. I was blessed with having a bi-cultural upbringing. I'd go to school in England and spend all my summer holidays on the Italian Riviera.

"I even had a professional football contract offered to me by an Italian club when I was 17.

'In a nutshell, football must come home, no excuses...'

"My dad played for Wolves, QPR and Gillingham. After 55 years of allegedly very unlucky decisions, I think football is finally coming home.

"I think England have too much for Italy. The alignment is there and the luck is there. Italy have been brilliant and are technically the better side.

"They have won four World Cups, after all. But I think England will have just enough as long as they don't play the occasion and play the match."

The export manager for Britain's oldest brewer Shepherd Neame, ironically looking after the beer company's Italian connection, added: "I think Italy are struggling and they have injuries. If Federico Chiesa isn't playing they definitely won't win. If he's there, they may have a chance.

"In a nutshell, football must come home, no excuses."

Meanwhile, staff at Julius Caesar's Italian Restaurant in Gravesend High Street may be in the green if Italy triumph.

Gino Ficetola, director, said: "All the staff here put a bet on Italy to win before it started. We could win £1,200."

On his predictions for the match, he said: "I believe England will score first but Italy will win 2-1.

"If we win we'll probably go to London to celebrate all together. We're still going to celebrate for England if England win.

"We're still Italian but we live in England, so whoever wins we'll celebrate."

And Nino Trimarchi, who works at Don Vincenzo in Rochester High Street, is a veteran of major football tournaments involving his home country.

He's not sure of a good result later today.

The 60-year-old Sicilian said: "Since the 1970s I have seen them lose many times, so I have my doubts. It could go either way 0-1, 1-0.

"But it would be difficult for England to get it wrong with 65,000 fans at Wembley."

The Inter Milan fan added: "We are a family restaurant so won't be doing anything. We wouldn't want it to get noisy."

'We will be on the edge of our seats...'

Bob, as he is known, is manager of Mamma Mia, also in the High Street.

He confessed he was not a football fan – unlike his staff.

He said: "We will be closing early at 7pm instead of 9.30pm. So I have invited them to my home to watch the match."

The owners of Ashford's top-rated restaurant on TripAdvisor have more reason to celebrate than most.

Massimo and Justina Deidda of Amici on North Street will be watching the match at home with friends and family as Massimo will also be celebrating his 52nd birthday.

Noting that their favourite player is Lorenzo Insigne, Justina said: "Our prediction is 2:1 to Italy, we think both teams are strong and definitely deserve to be in the final.

"We think it will be very exciting match and we will be on the edge of our seats."

Jo Morgan, who lives in Parkwood with her Italian partner Phil Lord, says she may have to watch the game in different places.

She said: "I had already said to him before out win against Denmark if we get to the final that if we get through we will have to watch in different places.

"I can't cope with anyone putting our lads down when we've been dreaming about this for so long.

"Italy are widely accepted as one of the best teams and expected to do well but who knows if this will ever happen again or even in my lifetime.

"I just want to enjoy the moment win or lose and not have the negativity of the opposition in my earshot. I just want to believe for one moment that it might actually come home."

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