EURO 2024: Spain vs Italy Live
Preview: Spain vs Italy
Spain vs Italy at Veltins Arena on Thursday at 7:00pm will see two European giants battle out as both teams seek the win to progress into the knockout stages of EURO 2024 ahead of time. Spain defeated Croatia 3-0 in thir tournament opener whiles Italy also won 2-1 against Albania.
La Roja secured an impressive 3-0 victory over Croatia in the opening round and will be seeking revenge after being eliminated by Italy in the last two Euros finals. Spain’s strong performance in qualifying (winning 7 and losing 1) has set them up well for this match, although their historical record against Italy is closely contested with 13 wins, 16 draws, and 11 losses. A win in this match would secure Spain’s spot in the knockout phase for the fifth time in a row with a game to spare, but four of their seven previous encounters with Italy at the Euros have ended in draws.
A tie in the upcoming match could be enough for both teams to advance to the knockout stage early. However, Italy, the two-time European champions, are not expected to hold back. In their first game, they had to come from behind to secure a win against Albania after conceding the earliest goal in tournament history. Coach Luciano Spalletti is aiming for maximum points in the group, just like their performance in Euro 2020. With five wins in their last seven matches and only two draws, Italy is hopeful of defeating Spain. They have mostly scored two goals or fewer in their recent encounters, indicating they may need to win by narrow margins.
Head-to-head
In three out of the last four matches between Spain and Italy, Spain emerged as the victor. Italy’s latest encounter with Spain in the UEFA Nations League ended in a 2-1 defeat for Italy.
Prediction
Spain came to Germany without being considered a top contender. They are going through a transition period with a new generation of players, which means they are not under immense pressure to achieve a significant outcome in this competition. This freedom from pressure has enabled their young players to demonstrate their skills effectively in the tournament’s early stages, and we expect that to continue against Italy, with Spain securing another victory.
