Croatia in battle to remain in Euro 2024 as Italy clash looms.
As Croatia and Italy prepare to meet at the Red Bull Arena on June 24, both teams face a high-stakes battle where Croatia aims to shake off a recent draw and Italy looks to rebound from a defeat, with progression to the next round of the European Championship hanging in the balance.
Croatia
Croatia, currently with a form of [DWWLD], are coming off a disappointing 2-2 draw against Albania. This result leaves them at the bottom of Group B with just 1 point and a goal difference of -3.
The match saw Albania take an early lead through Qazim Laci at the 11th minute. Croatia turned the game around in the second half, with Andrej Kramarić equalizing at the 74th minute and Klaus Gjasula's unfortunate own goal at the 76th minute giving them a brief advantage.
However, in a dramatic finish, Gjasula redeemed himself by scoring in stoppage time to level the match again. Croatian midfielder Mario Pašalić reflected on the game, saying, ‘The second half was better against Albania, and I hope we will have that kind of approach from the first minute against Italy.’
Monday’s fixture will mark the second European Championship meeting between Croatia and Italy, with their only previous encounter ending in a 1-1 draw in the 2016 group stage. A win could see Croatia advance to the next round as Group B's runners-up, provided Albania does not upset Spain, who have already secured their place in the round of 16.
‘Our goal is to advance as runners-up,’ Josip Juranović stated ahead of the clash. Croatia are expected to line up in a 4-3-3 formation again, featuring Andrej Kramarić, Bruno Petković, and Lovro Majer in attack. Unfortunately, Nikola Vlašić is ruled out due to a muscle injury.
Italy
Defending champions Italy suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat against Spain in their last outing. The scoreline could have been wider if not for Gianluigi Donnarumma’s brilliance in goal. However, an own goal from Riccardo Calafiori was enough to end Italy’s six-game unbeaten run.
The result leaves Luciano Spalletti’s men second in Group B with three points. As they head into their final group game against Croatia, they will look to avoid defeat to advance to the next round. A loss could potentially end their Euro 2024 campaign.
‘It's hard to play for a draw; I don't know how to set up a game aiming for a tie,’ Spalletti commented. He also mentioned, ‘I expect that they will also come out looking for a win, and they will probably make some changes.’ Spalletti is expected to stick with the familiar 4-3-3 formation, featuring Lorenzo Pellegrini, Gianluca Scamacca, and Federico Chiesa in attack.
Team form
Showing the latest five games—giving you a quick look at recent performance trends. Teams in good form tend to do well in the next match.
Team Comparison
Side-by-side assessment of team statistics, including goals, attacks, and more. This allows you to directly compare key performance metrics. Analyzing these stats can reveal patterns and strengths that might influence the outcome.