Spain have topped Group B of Euro 2024 with two wins, while Albania, Italy, and Croatia are still in the permutations to secure second in the group, or acquire enough points as the third placed team to advance to the knockout stages. Here is your look at all of Monday’s action.
Spain vs Albania (Monday in Dusseldorf)
Steen Kirby: After drawing facing two giants in the group of death, drawing with Croatia and narrowly losing to Italy, Albania have earned all of Europe (and the world’s) respect for their performances in Euro 2024. This is not a team that Spain will take lightly, however the third giant of this group have already qualified with two wins against two quality opponents and can now rotate the lineup and try out some new tactics. Rodri is suspended, a player like Barcelona’s Fermin Lopez should come in, and it will be interesting to see how Spain tries to break down Albania’s low block. Albania needs 3 points here, but beating Spain would take a miracle. Prediction: Spain 2 Albania 1
Ben Gray: Having already rubber stamped top spot, it’ll be interesting to see what sort of Spain is on show in Düsseldorf.
La Roja have played two and won two at this tournament so far, yet to even concede a goal, thereby already assured of finishing first in Group B with a game still to play.
Luis de la Fuente’s team swatted Croatia aside 3-0 in their opener, before beating Italy 1-0 in Gelsenkirchen on Thursday night, in one of the most one-sided 1-0s you’re ever likely to see; Nico Williams’ cross provoking an own goal from the unfortunate Riccardo Calafiori.
Many are anointing Spain as the best team at this tournament, already looking forward to a round of 16 tie in Köln next Sunday night, facing a third-place finisher, but before then, will la Roja end a group phase at a major tournament with three wins out of three for the seventh time, previously achieving this in 1950, 2002, 2006, 2008, 2009 and 2013?
Well, given that their opponents have nothing to play for, could Albania pull off a major upset? Many were expecting the Red and Blacks to be the whipping boys in a challenging group, but they’ve been far from it, Nedim Bajrami scoring the fastest-ever Euros goal after just 22 seconds against Italy, before they were ultimately beaten 2-1 at Westfalenstadion.
Then, on Wednesday, a similar pattern seemed to be on the cards, with Qazim Laçi firing them in front against Croatia in Hamburg, only for two goals in as many minutes, the latter a Klaus Gjasula own goal, seemingly leaving Sylvinho’s side set for another heartbreaking defeat.
However, there was to be a redemption story for Gjasula, firing home an equaliser in the 95th minute, sparking wild celebrations at Volksparkstadion, keeping the Eagles’ hopes of reaching the knockout stages for the very first time alive.
Victory here for Albania will see them through, at worst as a best-ranked third-placed finisher, and they’ve shown enough in their two games so far to suggest they can at least be competitive.
On the flip side, Spain have won all eight previous meetings with the Eagles, scoring 31 goals and conceding just three, a trend even a heavily-rotated Spanish side will fancy their chances of continuing at Merkur Spiel-Arena, thereby condemning the underdogs to elimination. Prediction: Spain 2 Albania 1
Italy vs Croatia (Monday in Leipzig)
Steen: Defending champions Italy sit on 3 points and should reach the knockouts, but they certainly don’t want disaster to strike and be sent packing in the group stages this year. Croatia has struggled mightily through two games, and yet in this format, on 1 point, the most accomplished modern team from the Balkans has every chance to secure victory and go through to the knockout stages. Italy was thoroughly defeated and outplayed by Spain, but in the end it was only a 1-0 margin as the Italian backline with Riccardo Calafiori and goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma were excellent, by contrast their attack didn’t fire and they didn’t much with the ball.
Croatia ending up in a draw with lowly Balkan rivals Albania was quite a shock, they conceded early, trailed at the half (and could have trailed by more), and in fact trailed into the 73rd minute before leveling the match, immediately scoring again, and then conceding late in extra time to end up with a draw in one of the matches of the tournament. This game is the last ride for Croatia’s experienced, but old team, they have looked leggy all tournament and Italy won’t concede easily, given that, Italy just looks like the better team and I don’t see Croatia ending up on 3 points, while Italy only needs a draw and can sit and defend. Prediction: 0-0 Draw
Ben: Critics of the 24-team format often sight that it removes jeopardy from the group stages; well that’s certainly not the case in Leipzig, as one of these traditional heavyweights is almost certainly set for elimination.
Just a draw will take Italy through as group runners-up, after Luciano Spalletti’s side beat Albania in their opener, thanks to goals from Alessandro Bastoni and then Nicolò Barella, coming just four minutes apart, at Westfalenstadion.
However, on Thursday night, the reigning European champions suffered a serious reality check, beaten 1-0 by Spain in Gelsenkirchen, but that doesn’t tell the whole story, as it was a 1-0 annihilation, with Riccardo Calafiori’s unfortunate own goal the difference in the end.
Gli Azzurri have only crashed out in the group phase at two of the ten European Championships at which they’ve previously featured, this in ’96 and 2004, so can Italy claim the point they need in Saxony, or possibly all three?
Well, the equation for Croatia is uncomplicated, they simply must pick up all three points to avoid an early exit, something they’ve failed to do thus far.
Zlatko Dalić’s team were beaten 3-0 by Spain in their curtain raiser before, far more disappointingly, failing to beat Albania at Volksparkstadion last Wednesday.
Two quick-fire goals, the first from Andrej Kramarić followed by an own goal, saw the Blazers turn it around to lead 2-1 in Hamburg, on course for a vital victory, only to concede an equaliser in the 96th minute, leaving them on the brink. So, with only one point on the board, Croatia must win here to reach the round of 16, a result that would of course see them leapfrog Italy, leaving the holders’ spot in the knockout phase in the balance.
Italy won the first-ever meeting between these two nations in 1942 but, since then, Gli Azzurri have never beaten Croatia in eight attempts, albeit each of the last three have been draws, including a 1-1 stalemate in Poznań at Euro 2012.
A repeat of that scoreline at Red Bull Arena would very much suit the Italians, but expect a nervy night for all involved in Leipzig. Prediction: 1-1 Draw
Main Photo Credit: Fussball 2024 Group B match between Spain and Italy at Arena AufSchalke on June 20, 2024 in Gelsenkirchen, Germany . xMarcoxCanonierox Imago Images
