Italy will qualify for the Round of 16 of EURO 2024 with a win or a draw against Croatia, but Lorenzo Bettoni argues this is one of the traps the Azzurri must avoid in Leipzig on Monday.
Italy are preparing to face Croatia in the last game of EURO 2024 Group B. One or three points will allow them to qualify for the knock-out round, but this doesn’t mean the game should be underestimated.
Football Italia was among the accredited media in Iserlohn on Saturday when Matteo Darmian spoke about the team’s preparation for the next match and their reaction to Thursday’s loss to Spain.
Threats to Italy in key EURO 2024 game vs. Croatia – Two options
The Inter defender touched on a possible threat to the Azzurri in their final group-stage game, saying that he and his teammates must not think they have two results available: “We must play to win,” he insisted.
To be fair, it was quite an obvious reply, as any other coach or player would answer the same thing, but this is particularly true for Italy. The Azzurri may even qualify with a defeat as one of the best third-placed teams, but in that case, they’d not have the destiny in their hands.
Don’t forget that going into games with a relaxed mood has historically been bad for the Azzurri and that the biggest problem in this situation is that Croatia will need exactly the opposite as they must win at all costs to qualify for the Round of 16.
Threats to Italy in key EURO 2024 game vs. Croatia – Opponents’ experience
It is true that the Croats are not getting any younger, but don’t forget how proud they are and how much experience they have compared to this Italy side. They know they must leave everything on the pitch and use all their tools to beat Italy and finish as runners-up in Group B. Croatia’s experience and strong motivation are probably the biggest threats to Italy as they go into this key match.
Last but not least, a geographical factor could disorientate the Azzurri.
Italy’s training base is in Iserlohn, just 40 km from Dortmund, where they played the first match against Albania, and barely 65 km from Gelsenkirchen, where they met Spain on Thursday.
Threats to Italy in key EURO 2024 game vs. Croatia – Travel
This means they prepared for both matches at their training camp, sleeping at their hotel. This time it will be different. Italy will fly to Leipzig, circa 420 km from Iserlohn, on Sunday, so the match against Croatia will feel like a proper away game, with a longer distance to cover and probably more tiredness.
Luciano Spalletti said at a post-match press conference on Thursday that some Italy players were probably exhausted against Spain five days after their win over Albania. This time, Croatia even have one more day to rest because they played against Albania on June 19, while Italy lost to La Roja the following day.
Italy may have two results at their disposal to qualify for the EURO 2024 knock-out phase, but there is more than a reason why the Azzurri should not rest on their laurels against the Croats.
Let’s not beat around the Bush and say it as it is – this is one of the worst Azzurri sides ever and will never win this tournament simple !
Hopefully we get another manager and change things to qualify for the World Cup as the last two we did not even get there !!!!
Not a great side it’s true, but fans and pundits alike dismissed our chances last time. I agree it’s highly unlikely we progress to the later stages but stranger things have happened. We do have quality in places so a chance to progress and time will help the team bond. Italia has plenty of talent coming through, fingers crossed for their development. In the meantime, please drop Scamacca, Bryan and Di Lorenzo. We have taken Fagioli, so play him. Forza Italia.
Scamacca is good, has developed link-up play greatly. orsolini is missing, also locatelli and the others.