Italy will face Spain, Croatia and Albania in the Euro 2024 group stage, so here’s what the Azzurri must expect from their opponents in Germany next year.
Italy were in pot 4 in the Euro 2024 group stage draw on Saturday, so they could only hope for a favourable outcome, but in the end their group was one of the toughest in the 2024 European Championships.
The Azzurri will meet Spain, Croatia and Albania and Sunday’s printed edition of La Gazzetta dello Sport (page 14 and 15) highlights what to expect from Italy’s opponents next year.
Spain
La Roja’s starting goalkeeper is Athletic Bilbao’s Unai Simon, while the four potential starters at centre-back are Aymeric Laporte, Robin Le Normand, Pau Torres and Inigo Martinez. Laporte may not be a starter next summer, especially if Pau Torres and Martinez continue impressing for Aston Villa and Barcelona, respectively.
Pedri and Rodri are Spain’s ‘certainties’ in the middle of the park, but La Roja won’t rely on Gavi next year as the Barcelona starlet has recently suffered a severe knee injury. Fabian Ruiz, a former Napoli midfielder, Mikel Merino, Martín Zubimendi and perhaps Brais Mendez are expected to complete Spain’s midfield although Roro Riquelme, Koke and Marcos Llorente also have chances to be included in the Euro 2024 squad.
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Up front, the captain Alvaro Morata is having the best season of his career with 12 goals in 17 games for Atletico Madrid. Mikel Oyarzabal and Nico Williams are in shape, but the latter will compete with Lamine Yamal for a spot in Spain’s squad. According to Gazzetta, Ferran Torres and Dani Olmo are also expected to be in the team, while injury-prone Ansu Fati has limited chances of being called up for Euro 2024.
Croatia
Their win over Armenia in November pushed the Azzurri to pot 4 in the draw and Croatia will be the last team Italy will meet in the group stage next year after Albania and Spain respectively. Croatia take part in the Euros for the sixth consecutive edition. Spain eliminated them in the Round of 16 in 2021, winning 5-3 after extra time.
One of the group leaders, Ivan Perisic, is currently out of action with a knee injury. Croatia coach Zlatko Dalić hopes the former Inter star will recover in time for next summer, but Perisic is unlikely to be fully fit in Germany. Another ex-Inter star, Marcelo Brozovic, has left Europe to join the Saudi Pro League. His ability to cope with the intensity of football in the Old Continent must be tested. On the other hand, Luka Modric is still one of the best players on the continent, and his motivation will be high as Euro 2024 will be his last international tournament. Manchester City’s Mateo Kovacic, another former Inter player, is ready to contribute and the same is true of versatile Atalanta midfielder Mario Pasalic.
Croatia could be struggling in attack as the likes of Ante Budimir and Andrej Kramaric do not seem to be up to the task, Gazzetta suggest, even if Budimir scored the winner against Armenia last month. The most valuable player in the Croatian squad is Man City’s defender Josko Gvardiol who joined Pep Guardiola’s side for €90m last summer.
Albania
It won’t be just football. There will be more at stake when Italy and Albania meet in their debut game at Euro 2024. Many Albanian immigrants came to Italy at the end of the 90s and millions are still living in the country and have perfectly adapted to the Italian culture. On the pitch, they will be guided by former Arsenal, Barcelona and Manchester City defender Sylvinho, appointed by the Albanian federation at the beginning of 2023.
Albania play with a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 system. Sylvinho lost his first game in charge against Poland but remained unbeaten for eight consecutive matches, eventually winning Group E with 15 points. There are many familiar faces for Serie A fans playing in the Albanian national team. Former Lazio goalkeeper Thomas Strakosha and Empoli‘s Etrit Berisha. Elseis Hysaj (Lazio) is their captain and defensive leader alongside Ardian Ismaili (Empoli) and Berat Djimsiti (Atalanta). Inter’s Kristjan Asllani, Ylber Ramadani (Lecce) and Nedim Bajrami (Sassuolo) will likely get the nod in the midfield even if Sokol Cikalleshi will fight for a starting spot with Bajrami. Chelsea’s Armando Broja is probably Albania’s most-known star. As reported by Gazzetta, Italy must keep an eye on Jasir Asani as well. The 28-year-old plays for South Korean club Gwangju and was spotted by the Italian Alarico Rossi, Albania’s head scout, who uses an algorithm to identify and study players eligible to play for Albania’s senior team.
How is it that 3 teams in Italy’s group are in the top 10 of the world rankings? What is the point of the world rankings? These groups are so un-balanced.
“Croatia only won one of their previous nine meetings with Italy, in 1942”
Actually the opposite. Italy have only won the single match.
croatial play with hate in ther bellies espically with italy they know they will beat us and spain will beat us
Shut up Enrico
Negative comments by England fan “enrico quarto” every article
Enrico is still hurting from the Italy euro cup win over england. Bro if you need a hug your not going to get it on here.
Rick Foursquare is English. They have an army of trolls in most Italian forums. It’s a weird obsession.
It’s envy..i’ve been trying to shut up Enrico 4 for months.. note that he consistently thinks Mario Balotelli is the answer to italy’s scoring problems..
These englishmen and so sad.. nothing to cheer for