UEFA Euro 2024: Group B Preview

Spain 🇪🇸 

After impressing in Euro 2020, and making the semifinals, La Roja disappointed in the 2022 World Cup. Only made the Round of 16, losing to Morocco on penalties. Having dominated European and World football during the late 2000s and early 2010s, Spain has struggled to replicate their past success, with the past European Championships their best showing in the last five tournament outings. Now under new management in Luis de la Fuente, who has been in the Spanish setup since 2011, de la Fuente hopes to succeed in his first tournament as Spain's coach. Having won the U-19 and U-21 European Championships with the underage teams. Spain eased through qualification. Finishing first in their group with seven wins from eight games, scoring 25 goals. The most in the group. The squad going to Germany is relatively youthful, with only six players aged 30 and over. This is no surprise with de la Fuente's experience with Spanish's youth sides. Their midfield is their biggest strength with different varieties. Rodri will be at the base of midfield alongside two of Pedri, Martin Zubimendi, Mikel Merino, Alex Baena and Fermin Lopez. However, they will be without Barcelona midfielder Gavi, who suffered an ACL injury late last year. Alex Grimaldo was rewarded with a place in the squad after a fantastic debut season with Bayer Leverkusen, Alvaro Morata will lead the attack after a 20-goal season with Atletico Madrid, supported by the wing duo of Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal. Both are very young but have tremendous pace and are direct. Improving Spain's attack, which was often criticized for being pedestrian. They are an outside shout to win the Euros and their form going into the tournament is strong, winning eight of their last 11 games. Advancing from a tough group is the first priority and see where their journey goes.

Likely Starting XI:- Simon - Carvajal, Le Normand, Laporte, Grimaldo - Rodri, Ruiz, Pedri - Yamal, Morata, Oyarzabal

Italy 🇮🇹 

The Azzurri were crowned European Champions in the last edition. Their first major title since 2006, beating England in the final at Wembley. Since that night, they missed out on qualifying for the 2022 World Cup, finishing second in their group and losing to North Macedonia in a one-off playoff at home. Their qualification campaign was a tricky one. They managed to gain direct qualification to the tournament, finishing second in the group. Ahead of third-placed Ukraine on goal difference. During the qualifying process, Roberto Mancini surprisingly resigned as Italian head coach, with former Napoli coach Luciano Spalletti taking the helm. Spalletti has made a heavy turnover from the squad that won Euro 2020, with only nine players who won in London being called up for Germany. Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci retired from the international stage, while Ciro Immobile, Manuel Locatelli, Leonardo Spinazzola and Domenico Berardi failed to make the final squad. Five players from the Serie A winners Inter Milan will be key players from the defending champions like  Federico Dimarco, Alessandro Bastoni and Nicolo Barella. Gianluigi Donnarumma continues to stand between the sticks and is now the captain of the Azzurri. The choice of attackers for Spaletti is one for concern. Federico Chiesa and Giacomo Raspadori have tournament experience but have experienced difficult club seasons. Mateo Retegui and Mattia Zaccagni are fine depth options and Gianluca Scammaca had a successful season with Atalanta, winning the Europa League and was their top scorer in all competitions with 19 goals. Only Spain has successfully won the Euros consecutively and being in a group with Spain and Croatia, every game counts. If they fail to get three points against Albania, they could be in trouble and fail to get out of the group. A strong start is a must for the Azzurri.

Likely Starting XI:- Donnarumma - Bastoni, Mancini, Darmian - Dimarco, Cristante, Jorginho, Di Lorenzo - Barella, Pellegrini - Scammaca (3-4-2-1)

Croatia 🇭🇷 

The perennial overachievers of international football, this period has been a golden era for Croatian football. For a relatively young nation with a small population, the Kockasti (Checkered Ones) reached the World Cup Final in 2018, the UEFA Nations League Final in 2023 and finished third in the 2022 World Cup. Croatia's showing in the Euros is a story in itself. They have only reached the quarterfinals in the Euros twice in 1996 and 2008, missing out on the quarters in the last Euros. Losing to Spain in the Round of 16 after extra time. Coach Zlatko Dalic has been Croatia's coach since 2017 and qualified for every major tournament, utilising the national pool available to him very well. Making a formidable team with a great mental spirit. The past years have seen Mario Manduzkic, Ivan Rakitic, Sime Vrsaljko and Dejan Lovren retire from international football, as we might be seeing the last remnants of this Croatian generation. Croatia finished second in their group behind Turkey and four points ahead of third-placed Wales; Conceding just four goals from eight games. Croatia's 26-man squad is an experienced squad, with 12 players in the squad aged 29 and over. Luka Modric, Croatia's most capped and possibly greatest player continues strong at 38 years of age, having won La Liga and the Champions League with Real Madrid. This will be his fifth appearance in the European Championships for Modric, with Cristiano Ronaldo making more Euro tournament showing with six. Young players like Josko Gvardiol, Josip Stanisic and Luka Susic will be key players for Croatia, with two winning league titles this season. Ivan Persic headlines Croatia's attack, now playing his trade in Croatia with Hadjuk Split while Andrej Kramaric had a prolific season in the Bundesliga, scoring 15 goals for Hoffenheim. The Kockasti have earned the respect but with an ageing squad on their last squad, it's unlikely they will ruffle any trees this summer.

Likely Starting XI:- Livakovic - Sosa, Gvardiol, Vida, Stanisic - Brozovic, Modric, Kovacic - Pjaca, Kramaric, Perisic

Albania 🇦🇱 

The second-lowest ranked nation in the tournament, Albania is one of the minnows going into Euro 2024. Making a solitary appearance in the competition back in 2016 and finished third in the group. Earning a first tournament win against Romania. They narrowly missed out on the playoffs during World Cup qualifying, finishing behind England and Poland. Former Arsenal and Barcelona defender Sylvinho has been head coach of Albania for over 12 months, overseeing the qualifying campaign and topping their group. Finishing ahead of Czechia and Poland. Their 26-man squad consists of players scattered across Europe, with ten playing their trade in Italy. Elseid Hysaj, Berat Gjimshiti, Amir Abrashi and Etrit Berisha are the experienced heads of the squad, all having over fifty caps. Gjimshiti coming off a successful year with Atalanta, making 54 appearances in all competitions. Starting every game in their Europa League winning run. Hysaj has been playing in Italy since 2011 with Empoli, Napoli and now Lazio, his time at Naples was where he played his best football, making 225 appearances in all competitions from 2015 to 2021. Young bucks like Armando Broja and Kristjan Asllani have come onto the scene and will provide some youthful energy for the Red and Blacks. They have been put in a tough group, with their first game against Italy. With several players playing in Serie A, it could play to their advantage but whether they can get points against Croatia and Spain is another question. They have gotten a win in Euro 2016. Getting to the knockouts in this tournament will be a huge achievement. Can they shock the group?

Likely Starting XI:- Strakosha - Hysaj, Djimisti, Ismaji, Mitaj - Asllani, Bajrami, Ramadani - Berisha, Broja, Muci