Euro 2024: Group B Preview

We’re now less than a couple of days away from the start of Euro 2024, which means it’s time to begin looking at how each nation is shaping up ahead of the championships.

On paper, this group contains three teams who will look to go deep in the tournament. Three-time winners Spain, defending champions Italy, and Croatia, who know what life at the business end of recent major tournaments is all about, will face off knowing that all three could all qualify for the round of 16. Four of the six groups will see the team in third go through.

Albania round out the quartet here. The whipping boys? Maybe. That said, they did top a qualifying group containing Poland and Czechia, and will look to make life uncomfortable for the Italians in the opening group.

Spain will be favoured to top the section and a form guide of sorts to go on points to them beating Italy and Croatia in last summer’s Nations League finals.

ALBANIA

Manager: Sylvinho

Captain: Berat Djimsiti

Player to watch: Armando Broja

Best Euros performance: Group stage (2016)

Fixtures

Saturday, 15 June: Italy (Dortmund), 8pm

Wednesday, 19 June: Croatia, (Hamburg), 2pm

Monday, 24 June: Spain, (Dusseldorf), 8pm

After their participation at Euro 2016, Albania are back in the big time after topping qualification on goal difference from Czechia in Group E.

The appointment of former Arsenal and Barcelona defender Sylvinho in January 2023 brought about an upturn in fortunes, as evidenced by notable home wins against Poland (2-0) and the Czechs (3-0 in qualifying.

Chelsea’s Armando Broja, who spent the second half of last season on loan at Fulham is the player that most in these part would be familiar with. The 22-year-old attacker is expected to leave Chelsea permanently this summer, with Wolves, Monaco and Bologna amongst the clubs vying for his signature.

Broja, however, did not see much game time at Craven Cottage; hardly ideal preparation for the player entrusted with finding the net for Albania.

Defensively, Sylvinho’s side are well stacked with players from Serie A, including defenders Berat Djimsiti from Europa League winners Atalanta; Inter’s Kristjan Asllani; Elseid Hysaj from Lazio and midfielder Kristjan Asllani of Inter. Brentford’s reserve keeper Thomas Strakosha is also in the squad, though he and Empoli netminder Etrit Berisha have seen limited game time this past season

Regulars Sokol Cikalleshi, Myrto Uzuni and Keidi Bare were left out of the final squad, with Sylvinho offering contradictory reason as to their omission.

It’s a tough ask for Albania here, with much expected of Kristjan Asllani to pull the strings from a deep-lying midfield position.

Another one to watch is left-back Mario Mitaj, the Lokomotiv Moscow player is deployed more regularly as a defensive midfielder for club and many suitors are likely to keep an eye on his performances in Germany.

CROATIA

Manager: Zlatko Dalic

Captain: Luka Modric

Player to watch: Andrej Kramarić

Best Euros performance: Quarter-finals (1996 and 2008)

Fixtures

Saturday, 15 June: Spain, (Berlin), 5pm

Wednesday, 19 June: Albania, (Hamburg), 2pm

Monday, 24 June: Italy, (Leipzig), 8pm

Some 18 months on from again surprising those who didn’t think it was in them to reach a World Cup semi-final, who would bet against Zlatko Dalic’s side being involved in the final week of this tournament? And that would be an improvement for the Croats at the Euros; they haven’t reached a quarter-final since 2008 and exited in the round of 16, after extra-time, in the last two editions.

Again, Dalic will look to some familiar faces, with Luka Modrić, after winning another Champions League medal with Madrid, no doubt keen to add international silverware to his collection in what will be his last appearance at the Euros. The 38-year-old can still sprinkle that bit of gold dust, with coach Dalic full of praise for what Modric has contributed so far in the Croat jersey.

“He’s an exemplary person: the greatest Croatian football player ever,” he told Uefa.com: He’s an embodiment of a true athlete, a true football player. He’s someone everyone needs to look up to and someone everyone can learn from. When Luka is around, we are all better football players and better human beings in general.”

In spite of only six players still involved from the side that reached the 2018 World Cup final, Dalic still feels he’s manging the “golden generation”, so long as Modrić is still involved.

Mateo Kovacic and Marcelo Brozovic are the other key components in the Croatian midfield, while in defence Josko Gvardiol has come off a season where he again starred for Manchester City and won another Premier League title for good measure.

Up front, Ivan Perišić and Andrej Kramarić carry the main goal threat, with the latter their top scorer in qualifying with four goals. In total, the Croats scored just 13 times in finishing just behind Turkey in their group. Seven players got in on the scoring act, further underlying the strong collective that coach Dalic has built up. He will hope that same togetherness and a bit more is good enough to take them far again.

Ultimate success for the Vatreni in Berlin on 14 July would be a popular conclusion.

ITALY

Manager: Luciano Spalletti

Captain: Gianluigi Donnarumma

Player to watch: Gianluca Scamacca

Best Euros performance: Winners x2 (1968 and 2020)

Fixtures

Saturday, 15 June: Albania, (Dortmund), 8pm

Thursday, 20 June: Spain, (Gelsenkirchen), 8pm

Mondau, 24 June: Croatia, (Leipzig), 8pm

The champions from the delayed Euro 2020 just edged out Ukraine to claim the second qualifying berth in their group. With Inter Milan reaching last season’s Champions League final and Atalanta going all the way in the Europa League a few weeks back, club football in Italy has found its voice again on the European stage.

Despite their success at Wembley three years ago, the Azzurri failed to qualify for the last two World Cups, so new boss Luciano Spalletti is now entrusted with making the international side an even more formidable force. Qualifying for USA/Canada/Mexico in 2026 will be the priority after their Euros defence.

Spalletti, who succeeded Roberto Mancini, led Napoli to the Serie A title in 2023.

Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini, the defensive rock that was key to their success in 2021, are no longer involved.

Goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, their Wembley penalty hero, will captain the side, though he was less than assured in some of PSG’s latter games in the Champions League.

Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Alessandro Buongiorno and the Inter duo of Alessandro Bastoni and Federico Dimarco are the mainstays in defence, though Dimarco is often employed in a more advanced role.

Jorginho and Nicolo Barella offer the guile and experience in midfield, with Andrea Cambiaso another option there. Up front Atalanta’s Gianluca Scamacca has had a good season for Atalanta, with Federico Chiesa and Roma’s Lorenzo Pellegrini also entrusted with improving Italy’s goal return.

Stats will show, with Opta Analyst bearing this out, when stating that Italy’s 45 matches at European Championships have produced an average of just 1.84 goals (52 for, 31 against), the lowest ratio of any of the 25 teams to have taken part in 10+ matches in the competition.

Spain are the only country so far to have won back-to-back Euros. Italy are behind a few in terms of their quest to reign supreme here. They’ll need to surprise us again.

SPAIN

Manager: Luis de la Fuente

Captain: Alvaro Morata

Player to watch: Lamine Yamal

Best Euros performance: Winners x3 (1964, 2008 and 2012)

Fixtures

Saturday, 15 June: Croatia, (Berlin), 5pm

Thursday, 20 June: Italy, (Gelsenkirchen), 8pm

Monday, 24 June: Albania, (Dusseldorf), 8pm

After failing to set to world alight at the last World Cup and then starting slowly in qualifying, losing to Scotland, Spain, under new coach Luis de la Fuente, eventually found their groove to win the Nations League and then finish ahead of the Scots in their group.cr

Their Nations League victory saw them account for Italy in the semis and Croatia in the decider, after a penalty shootout. Relief then for the Spaniards on the back of three major tournament exits from spot kicks.

In terms of possession, Spain dominate their opponents, but not in the same way that made their trophy-winning sides from 2008 to ’12, stand out.

Manchester City’s Rodri is the conductor-in-chief of the Spanish orchestra. As is the case with his club, Rodri is at his best in a more advanced position and from midfield he’s the up that can up or slow down the tempo. He will likely have PSG’s Fabián Ruiz alongside him in the engine room.

Elsewhere, the spin sees Unai Simón between the posts; Aymeric Laporte as an accomplished presence at the heart of the defence; and team captain Álvaro Morata, despite goals drying up of late, leading the line. Of course there is also the option of 34-year-old Joselu up front, this in the week that Real Madrid have exercised the option to sign him permanently. Joselu netted a brace as Madrid came from behind to beat Bayern Munich in the Champions League semi-final second leg. Days of playing on those wet nights in Stoke now long forgotten.

With full-backs José Gayà Dani Carvajal given licence to push forward and Nico Williams and Ferran Torres menacing down the flanks.

Lamine Yamal is one to keep an eye on and stood in the friendly victory against Northern Ireland. He’s only 16, a shining light in the season gone by for Barcelona, and that club needs more like him. Seven goals and 11 assists underlines his worth for Barca.

A likely starter in the group games, may see action against Albania, and if that happens he’ll be the youngest ever player to line out at a Euros.

England, France, Germany and Portugal are ahead of the Spanish in the betting. Can they win it? Yes, they can.