EURO 2024: Croatia vs Italy Live
Preview: Croatia vs Italy
Croatia vs Italy will take place at the Red Bull Arena on Monday at 7:00pm as both sides seek a result to help their hopes of progressing into the knockout stages of EURO 2024. Italy lost their previous match 1-0 against Spain whiles Croatia drew 2-2 with Albania.
Croatia managed to avoid back-to-back defeats at a major tournament since Euro ’96 by securing a 2-2 draw against Albania in Group B. However, this result did not bring much comfort to a team that has achieved top-three finishes in the last two FIFA World Cups. Following a 3-0 loss to Spain and a last-minute draw with Albania, Croatia now must secure a victory in their final group match against Italy to advance to the knockout stage for the third consecutive European tournament. Their chances may be hindered by a poor goal difference, potentially making it challenging for Zlatko Dalić’s team to qualify as one of the top four third-placed teams.
Italy lost 1-0 to Spain due to an own goal by Riccardo Calafiori and were fortunate that the score wasn’t more lopsided, with goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma making some impressive saves. Despite this loss and a previous 2-1 victory over Albania, Italy can still advance in the competition if they avoid defeat in their next match. Their recent history against their upcoming opponent has seen three consecutive 1-1 draws, which would be enough to secure a spot in the knockout stage. However, coach Luciano Spalletti is aware of the defensive struggles his team has faced in recent Euro tournaments, putting pressure on the forwards to perform in the upcoming game.
Head-to-head
Croatia has three wins and five draws in their last eight meetings against Italy, with their most recent meeting ending in a 1-1 draw in 2015.
Prediction
With a spot in the knockout stage on the line, we anticipate a cautious and low-scoring match between these competitors. Croatia and Italy are currently facing challenges, making it difficult to predict a clear favorite. Therefore, we are predicting a low-scoring draw on Monday evening.
