Italy will close off Group B’s Round 1 of the European Championship that is set to kick-start in Germany on Friday 14 June at Signal Iduna Park Stadium. They are in one of the hardest groups in the tournament which consists of Spain and Croatia. This will be without a doubt one of their easiest games in the group stages. They are set to clash with Spain in their next match.
Meanwhile, Albania who is the dark horse of the group are partaking in the tournament for the second time and are expected to give the Italians a run for their money following a great showing during the qualifiers which saw them finish at the helm of Group E.
To Win (90 mins)
Italy 4/10
Draw 7/2
Albania 7/1
Italy
Italy qualified for the Euros by finishing second in the group with 14 points behind England who topped the group without a loss. They began their road to Germany with a defeat against ten-men England following a red card that was given to Luke Shaw after he received a second yellow card for time wasting.
The Italians managed to turn things around in their second match when they defeated Malta 2-0 recording their first win through goals by Mateo Retegui and Matteo Pessina. They failed to build from that win when they were held to a 1-1 draw by North Macedonia.
The 4-0 victory against Malta and their 5-2 hammering of North Macedonia were crucial for Luciano Spalletti’s side to qualify as they booked their spot in the next round through goal difference after finishing on equal points with Ukraine. They scored sixteen goals and conceded nine goals.
The reigning champions boast a formidable squad with experienced players including Nicolo Barrella who was part of the team that won this tournament in 2021. Following the 2021 triumph, Barrella went on to be featured in the 2023 UEFA Champions League with Inter Milan and also lifted the Scudetto this season with Nerazzurri.
Albania
Group B underdogs are coming to this match with momentum on their side following back-to-back wins against Azerbaijan and Liechtenstein, scoring six goals and conceding one goal in the process. They look to be struggling with the stronger teams having lost 1-0 against Sweden and suffered a 3-0 defeat against Chile. They face a mountain of a task against Spain, Italy and Croatia who are world-class teams.
Albania finished on top of Group E to qualify for the tournament after winning 4 matches, playing three draws, suffering one defeat, and accumulating 15 points. They showed that they are a team not to be taken lightly when they gave Poland who were tipped to top the group 2-0 and followed that by easing past Czechia 3-0.
Sylvinho’s side is known for their discipline which saw them finish without receiving a red card. Their ball retention has been impressive as they managed an overall 52% ball possession with 82% pass accuracy, and they kept four clean sheets in eight matches during the qualifiers.
Prediction: Italy win & over 2.5 goals
Albania assembled an experienced squad that is expected not to crack under pressure including Atalanta’s center-back Berat Djimshiti who is expected to solidify their defence and provide leadership for his side in this tough clash. Djimshiti will also provide much-needed insight about the Italians as he plays in the country and is more familiar with their style of play and tactics. Meanwhile, the Italians will rely on the speed of their young and fast-paced attackers including Atalanta’s Gianluca Scamacca, 24-year-old Giacomo Raspadori, and Matep Retegui.
The odds are in favour of Italy who last tasted defeat in October 2023. Tipping Italy to win & over 2.5 goals are worth splashing your money on.