Italy, the four-time world champions, will take on Albania, one of the tournament’s biggest underdogs, in Dortmund on Saturday as they begin the defence of their UEFA European Championship title. Italy, the reigning champions, take on Albania in their opening match at UEFA Euro 2024.
The competition will begin with Italy, the current European champions, taking on Group B’s weakest team, Albania. Dortmund’s Signal Iduna Park will host the match.
Italy suffered a significant blow when they were unable to secure a World Cup spot following their victory in the Euro 2020. Even so, Italy bounced back from that crushing setback to win a very difficult group that included Germany, England, and Hungary in the UEFA Nations League. They ultimately placed third in the playoffs. They tied for second place in the EURO Qualifiers, barely missing out on points to Ukraine. Italy is still one of the favorites to win the championship even though they don’t have the big stars they once did, especially up front.
Albania has only made it to EURO twice; the first time was in 2016 when they placed third in a group that also included France, Switzerland, and Romania. They performed incredibly well this time around in the EURO Qualifiers, winning their group. Though it wasn’t a particularly strong group, the run was still impressive.
The Italians haven’t qualified for the World Cup for the second time running since the Azzurri broke English hearts in a penalty shootout at Wembley which seems like an age ago.
The Italian national team has seen difficult times, but they currently have one of the most accomplished managers in the world of international sports.
After taking over as Roberto Mancini’s replacement in August, former Napoli manager Luciano Spalletti has made some stylistic changes, though it’s possible he hasn’t had enough time to put his ideas into practice.
Undoubtedly, this group is dreaded along with Albania and Spain as the “group of death.”
Meanwhile, the Red and Blacks have changed under the direction of former Arsenal defender Sylvinho. They qualified for the European Championship for just the second time, winning their qualification group.
On June 15 Dortmund, Italy, and Albania began their Euro 2024 campaigns, hoping to start the competition with three points.
Italy, who trailed the team they defeated in the Euro 2020 final, finished second in Group C and qualified for Euro 2024. They were defeated by The Three Lions in both of their qualifying matches, and they needed to win by goal differential to finish ahead of Serhiy Rebrov’s team and avoid going to the playoffs in two of their draws with Ukraine. Since winning Euro 2020, Italy hasn’t had the best of times, but now is the ideal moment to get back on track and try to win the championship again.
Albania won the tournament after finishing first in Group E, defeating Poland and the Czech Republic. Albania’s lone defeat in the qualifying process occurred in their opening game against Poland, but they went on to qualify automatically for the team captained by former Arsenal and Manchester City defender Sylvinho thanks to their flawless record the rest of the way and some unfortunate results for the other teams in the group.
The Italians disappointed themselves by missing out on qualifying for the World Cup in Qatar after their triumph at Euro 2020, but they have since picked themselves back up and are back for another shot at the European Championships, this time with a new boss.
Luciano Spalletti has made Gli Azzurri a formidable opponent once more. They also tend to win with a traditional Italian flair, as they have demonstrated in three of their previous four games.
They lost both at home and away to England in their qualifying group, though, and it appears that they might not have the strength to defeat the best.
Even though Albania was not expected or even likely to be included in the European Championships, they made the most of their placement in one of the weaker qualifying groups, easily winning it.
The Albanians have been much more determined since Brazilian manager Sylvinho took over back at the beginning of 2023; in fact, they only lost three games in the eighteen months before arriving in Germany.
They proved they were no mugs by defeating Poland and the Czech Republic en route to qualifying for this tournament.
Regretfully, Sylvinho’s team has drawn a difficult group, but who knows? Maybe they can surprise even the most seasoned players by upsetting the establishment and earning a spot in the qualifying round of Euro 2024.
There is no doubt that Luciano Spalletti has a wealth of talent at his disposal, but after a dismal qualifying campaign and an unsuccessful attempt to qualify for the 2022 World Cup, doubts have been raised about their ability to compete on the greatest stage. In international football, four years is a long time, and it seems like a longer time since Italy’s 2020 Wembley victory.
Italy has a reliable, if unspectacular, backline defensively, and Gianluigi Donnarumma’s abilities between the posts could be crucial to the team’s success. With players like Nicolo Barella and Jorginho, Gli Azzurri have plenty of midfield stability, but it’s unclear if they have the players to penetrate opposition defenses.
The current European Champions are also concerned about the absence of a true top-tier goal scorer. To solve that issue, Federico Chiesa and Gianluca Scamacca will need to take charge.
Barella, Fagioli, and Frattesi have all had thigh problems going into this game, but the latter still seems likely to start because he has been training normally with the team.
Italy’s performance in this opening game could determine how successful they are at Euro 2024. A straightforward victory might give them the foundation and impetus they need to beat Croatia and Spain, but anything less could ruin their campaign before it even gets started.
Although the Albania squad doesn’t include many well-known players, they still have a lot to offer, especially following an outstanding qualifying campaign.
They qualified for the European Championships with three goals each from Nedim Bajrami and Jasir Asani, but it took a true team effort—seven players scored in their eight games—to win them a second-ever title. English football fans may be most familiar with Armando Broja, a striker who spent the last three years playing for Southampton, Chelsea, and Fulham. His elite-level experience could prove to be invaluable. Albania only gave up four goals in their eight qualifying campaigns, which is perhaps the most impressive stat. Elseid Hysaj, a defender for Lazio, leads a strong defense that could be a major source of frustration for the other teams in Group B.
The three biggest decisions Albania faces on matchday one are who will start in goal (Strakosha is a strong contender), who will play center back and partner with Gjimsiti in the defense, and who will play left forward. With this kind of experience, Ajeti is arguing that he should start as a center-back instead of Ismajli. Hoxha has demonstrated potential in friendly matches as a left forward, but Seferi—who contributed significantly during the qualification phase—is probably going to start ahead of him.
It’s Italy and Albania’s first time playing each other at a major tournament.
Since 2014, Italy has defeated Albania in each of their previous four meetings (7 goals for, 1 against).
Following a 1-0 victory in a friendly in Genoa in 2014, the team won 2-0 and 1-0 to qualify for the 2018 World Cup. In their most recent meeting, Vincenzo Grifo (2) and Giovanni Di Lorenzo (2) scored goals to help the Azzurri win a friendly in Tirana 3-1 in November 2022.
It should not come as too much of a surprise that Italy has an extremely strong record against Albania, having won each of their four meetings with Kuqezinjtë. The only goal Albania has ever scored against Italy came in their last meeting in 2022.
These two teams have only faced off four times on the field, with Italy emerging victorious in Albania in 2022 with a score of three goals to one. The Italians defeated their opponents on Saturday for the first time since their first meeting in 2014, giving up just one goal in the process.
Italy has won all four of their matches against Albania.
When they last faced off in November 2022, Italy prevailed 3-1 in Tirana.
Italy wins: 4
Draws: 0
Albania wins: 0
The Italy vs. Albania match is set to begin at 8 p.m. BST on Saturday, June 16, 2024.
The venue will be The BVB Stadion Dortmund (Signal Iduna Park) in Dortmund.
TV channel BBC One will televise the match. The show begins at 7:20 p.m.
Live stream: A free live streaming service will be available on the BBC Sport and iPlayer websites.
Italy’s forward-thinking, front-runner coach Luciano Spalletti wants his team to play as Roberto Mancini did as they advanced through UEFA EURO 2020. Although the Azzurri have some technical talent scattered throughout their squad, their inability to field true quality attackers like Domenico Berardi and Lorenzo Insigne from three years ago may prove to be their downfall. Even though Albania will be uncompromising and will make it very difficult to defeat them, Italy should still have more than enough to defeat them.
The football community is ablaze with predictions for the upcoming match between Italy and Albania in Euro 2024, which is set for June 15, 2024. This match, one of the prominent fixtures of Euro 2024, is evidence of the excellent football the league produces. Italy is preparing for a strong performance because they are playing at home. But Albania is ready to defy expectations in the unpredictable terrain of Euro 2024, bringing their own strategies and passion to the match. This match looks to be an exciting demonstration of strategy and skill, fitting with the competitive nature of Euro 2024.
Regarding Euro 2024, the tactical match between Italy and Albania on June 15, 2024, is anticipated to be the season’s high point. It looks like this will be a strategic battle between two teams trying to outmaneuver one another. With the backing of their home crowd, Italy, who are renowned for their tactical discipline, maybe in the lead. But Albania is expected to be a strong opponent because of their level of flexibility and agility on the field. Football fans should not miss this matchup in Euro 2024 because it’s not just about winning; it’s also about showcasing the best footballing talent.
Fans and sports commentators alike are giddy with anticipation for Italy vs. Albania on June 15, 2024, in Euro 2024. There are a lot of different scenarios being considered for this important game, and predictions are flying around. Albania is concentrating on using skill and resiliency to counter the home-field advantage, while Italy seeks to capitalize on the passion of their home crowd. This Euro 2024 match is more than just a competition; it’s an exhibition of the league’s incredible talent and the unpredictable nature of football. Anticipation is high for the match between Italy and Albania, which promises to be a memorable encounter at Euro 2024.
Alessandro Bastoni, Alessandro Buongiorno, Alex Meret, Andrea Cambiaso, Bryan Cristante, Davide Frattesi, Federico Dimarco, Federico Gatti, Federico Chiesa, Giacomo Raspadori, Gianluca Scamacca, Gianluca Mancini, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Guglielmo Vicario, Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Jorginho, Lorenzo Pellegrini, Mateo Retegui, Mattia Zaccagni, Matteo Darmian, Michael Folorunsho, Nicolò Barella, Nicolò Fagioli, Raoul Bellanova, Riccardo Calafiori, Stephan El Shaarawy.
Head coach: Luciano Spalletti
Amir Abrashi, Arbër Hoxha, Armando Broja, Ardian Ismajli, Arlind Ajeti, Berat Djimsiti, Elhan Kastrati, Ernest Muçi, Etrit Berisha, Elseid Hysaj, Enea Mihaj, Iván Balliu, Jasir Asani, Marash Kumbulla, Mario Mitaj, Naser Aliji, Klaus Gjasula, Kristjan Asllani, Medon Berisha, Mirlind Daku, Nedim Bajrami, Qazim Laçi, Rey Manaj, Taulant Seferi, Thomas Strakosha, Ylber Ramadani.
Head coach: Sylvinho
Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Donnarumma (captain), Alex Meret, Guglielmo Vicario
Defenders: Alessandro Bastoni, Alessandro Buongiorno, Andrea Cambiaso, Federico Dimarco, Federico Gatti, Gianluca Mancini, Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Ivan Provedel, Matteo Darmian, Raoul Bellanova, Riccardo Calafiori
Midfielders: Nicolò Barella, Jorginho, Bryan Cristante, Lorenzo Pellegrini, Davide Frattesi, Samuele Ricci, Nicolo Fagioli, Michael Folorunsho
Forwards: Federico Chiesa, Giacomo Raspadori, Gianluca Scamacca, Mateo Retegui, Mattia Zaccagni, Riccardo Orsolini, Stephan El Shaarawy
Nicolo Barella, Davide Frattesi, and Nicolo Fagioli are doubtful.
Rafael Toloi, Domenico Berardi, and Francesco Acerbi are injured.
Ciro Immobile, Marco Verratti, Manuel Locatelli, and Giacomo Bonaventura were not called up.
Goalkeepers: Elhan Kastrati, Etrit Berisha, Thomas Strakosha
Defenders: Arlind Ajeti, Berat Gjimshiti (captain), Elseid Hysaj, Enea Mihaj, Ardian Ismajli, Iván Balliu, Mario Mitaj, Marash Kumbulla, Naser Aliji
Midfielders: Amir Abrashi, Ernest Muçi, Klaus Gjasula, Kristjan Asllani, Medon Berisha, Nedim Bajrami, Qazim Laçi, Ylber Ramadani
Forwards: Arbër Hoxha, Armando Broja, Jasir Asani, Mirlind Daku, Rey Manaj, Taulant Seferi
Arbnor Muçolli is injured.
Armando Sadiku was not called up. Sokol Cikalleshi retired from the national team in March.
ITALY PREDICTED XI (3-4-2-1): Donnarumma; Bastoni, Calafiori, Darmian; Barella, Di Lorenzo, Jorginho, Dimarco; Chiesa, Pellegrini; Scamacca
ALBANIA PREDICTED XI (4-2-3-1): Berisha; Balliu, Djimsiti, Hysaj, Kumbulla; Asllani, Ramadani; Asani, Bajrami, Manaj; Broja
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