The Red Bull Arena in Leipzig plays host to a Group B clash on 24 June, with Italy favourites to land a victory against Croatia. The Azzurri came from behind to claim a win against Albania in their opening match, with goals from Bastoni and Barella turning the game on its head and they come into this encounter after meeting European heavyweights Spain.
The squad has changed a good deal since winning Euro 2020 which actually took place in the summer of 2021, with captain Gianluigi Donnarumma now the captain of the side, with Alessandro Bastoni and Riccardo Calafiori the fairly untested central defensive pairing although there is experience in the form of Nicolo Barella and Jorginho.
Croatia were dealt a blow when losing to Spain in their opening match, with the Blazers three goals down by the interval after Morata, Fabian and Carvajal were all able to find the net. They also found life tough going against Albania in their second encounter, with Zlatko Dalic’s side potentially needing to land a win from this clash.
It could be a nervy encounter and it’s clear that the Croats have had issues when it comes to finding the net. Over 150 minutes had passed before they were able to score their first goal of the tournament, with Under 2.5 Goals looking like a decent selection for this clash and it could be a game that is decided by a single goal.