UEFA Euro 2024 – Group B Preview

The UEFA Euro 2024 competition is fast approaching, with the curtain rising on Friday, 14th June, with the opening ceremony. When the party begins, host nation Germany will play Scotland in a match that’s sure to get things moving in style. The locals are red-hot favourites to win that game, top the group, and progress to possibly win the competition outright. But they’ll face plenty of resistance along the way, especially from the top teams in Euro 2024 Group B.

In this article, we focus on Group B, which looks evenly poised and could be the best pool in the lot. Every major international competition has what’s often referred to as a “group of death,” and it wouldn’t be exaggerating to say Group B is a contender for the crown. It boasts Spain, Italy, Croatia, and Albania, with fans at a loss in predicting which nation will finish in pole position and progress to the knockout stages.

We can’t take anything for granted in Group B, but one thing is more than likely: we’ll lose at least one big-name team from the competition after three rounds of fixtures from this set. Spain is the early favourite to win the pool, but they must fend off the current European champions, Italy, who beat England in the Euro 2020 final. Croatia is another great side that’s good enough to progress. Keep reading as we focus on a competitive pool.

Spain

Spain secured its place at Euro 2024 by winning its qualifying group ahead of Scotland, Norway, Georgia, and Cyprus. When the draw was made, it was expected the Spanish team would win all their games and progress with ease, but they didn’t get things all their way. Spain’s qualifying campaign finished with seven wins and one defeat, with the spare loss inflicted by the Scots early in the competition.

Spain has won the European Championships three times in the past, putting them at the level of Germany as the tournament’s most decorated team. Will the Spanish go one better to set a new record and do it on German soil? They are one of the pre-competition favourites with pundits and sportsbook traders. Spain has a talented squad, won their qualifying group, and is a three-time European champion.

Croatia

The Croatians would be the favourite to win most other groups at this summer’s championships, but they’ve landed in the toughest pool of the lot. Croatia going on to win the trophy wouldn’t be a major shock, but if they are to go all the way in Germany and build on their great recent form at major international tournaments, they must do it the hard way. Croatia has the skills but will require a share of good fortune.

The Croats finished second in Group D behind Turkey in a surprising result. They posted qualifying stats of five wins, one draw, and two defeats, with 13 goals scored and four conceded. They may not have lived up to expectations and won their group, but they did showcase a sturdy defence, and that will be key to any success they enjoy in Germany. It would be a shame to lose Croatia after three games, but don’t write them off yet.

Italy

The curious case of the Italian national team. It’s not too often you’ll see a defending European champion arrive as the underdogs, but few traders, pundits and football experts expect too much from the Italians this summer. They won Euro 2020 when the final was played at Wembley Stadium in 2021 due to COVID-19 restrictions and the pandemic 12 months earlier. Italy beat England in the final on penalties to lift the trophy, but can they make it two in a row? Fans and bettors certainly hope so.

Italy finished second behind England in Euro 2024 qualifying Group C, but they won’t lose sleep over allowing England to pip them to the post at that stage. They posted stats of four wins, two draws, and two defeats, scoring 16 goals and conceding nine. They didn’t qualify like champions, but there’s more to come from Italy, and they’ll be at their best in Germany.

Albania

Without being overly critical and at the risk of jumping early, we fear the worst for Albania in Germany. They are a good team and one that would be competitive in most other pools this summer. Unfortunately for the Albanians, they’ve been drawn into a tough set that includes three possible winners of this year’s trophy.

Albania qualified for Euro 2024 by winning their pool ahead of the Czech Republic, Poland, Moldova, and the Faroe Islands. Not the toughest pile, but they did what they had to do and deserve credit for making it out as winners of Group E. Their qualifying stats show four wins, three draws, and one defeat, with a dozen goals scored and four conceded.

Group B fixtures

• Spain vs Croatia – 15th June – Berlin
• Italy vs Albania – 15th June – Dortmund
• Croatia vs Albania – 19th June – Hamburg
• Spain vs Italy – 20th June – Gelsenkirchen
• Albania vs Spain – 24th June – Dusseldorf
• Croatia vs Italy – 24th June – Leipzig

Head-to-head analysis

• Spain vs Croatia: The Spanish have won this fixture five times in the past with Croatia on three wins and two games ending in a draw. The most recent meeting produced a 0-0 draw.
• Italy vs Albania: The Italians have never lost to the Albanians, winning each of the previous four matches without even dropping a point. The last game was a 3-1 away win for Italy.
• Croatia vs Albania: Followers of this game will sample a little piece of footballing history as the teams meet for the first time in history.
• Spain vs Italy: It’s the game every football fan wants to see, and it will be the biggest event of the group stage. The head-to-head stats show the rivals have produced no fewer than twelve draws in the past, with Spain winning 14 and Italy on 10.
• Albania vs Spain: The teams have met only three times since 2016, with Spain holding a 100% record over the Albanians. The most recent match finished 2-1 in 2022.
• Croatia vs Italy: What a game we have to finish the group as these nations meet for the tenth time. Italy has just one win with Croatia on three and five games ending in a draw.

Euro 2024 Group B predictions and expectations

This group could go either way, and it wouldn’t be a shock to see Croatia finish in pole position. All Group B teams must play each other once, so there’s no draw bias, but Italy plays Albania first and that gives them an excellent chance to get off to a winning start. Three points on matchday one would give them an edge over the competition.

*Odds are subject to change

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