European Championship 2024 Group B
In Group B, Spain, Croatia, Italy, and Albania will compete against each other, with the opening matches set for the 15th of June in Berlin and Dortmund. Ultimately, Group B was the draw no team hoped for. All strong contenders, Spain, Italy, and Croatia, would have stood a better chance of progressing to the knockout rounds had they been placed in a less competitive group. The draw is particularly unfortunate for Albania, as they are widely predicted to be eliminated early on, considering the teams they are up against.
Group B Teams
Spain
Spain are the team from Group B with the highest likelihood of advancing to the knockout phase. Despite a near-perfect qualifying run marred only by a defeat to Scotland, Spain’s performance included straight wins from June to November in the previous year. Their winning streak came to a halt with a loss to Columbia in March.
While this current Spanish squad does not mirror its iconic teams of the past, they have a new generation of players and a different style of play suited for modern football. Players like Rodri will be essential for Spain this time, but they will also miss out on some talent due to recent injuries. Spain also needs a stable striker, as no player scored more than four goals in the qualifying campaign. There is speculation about the team’s offensive capabilities against stricter competition, which could be their biggest weakness.
Italy
Italy's unexpected victory at Euro 2020 showed a tendency to triumph in tournaments against the odds. However, their recent form has not been as inspiring, as they failed to qualify for the last two World Cups.
Despite finishing behind a very strong English team in their qualifying group, Italy only managed 14 points, the same as third-place Ukraine, and came second thanks to goal difference. Though Italy saw some success in the March friendlies against Ecuador and Venezuela, these victories might not count for much when they face stronger teams like Croatia and Spain.
Croatia
Based on FIFA rankings, Croatia is the eighth-best team in Europe. The team secured their spot in Germany as their group’s runners-up, finishing behind Turkey, with both teams winning their away games against each other. Their qualifying campaign was uninspiring, highlighted by a single point from matches against Wales and narrow victories over Armenia. Croatia has recently performed exceptionally at the World Cup, having reached one final and two semifinals, compared to their best European Championship results, which are two quarterfinals.
Veteran captain Luka Modrić, at 38, remains vital for Croatia, with support from Manchester City’s Mateo Kovačić and Joško Gvardiol and Andrej Kramarić leading as their top scorer in qualifying. Despite their potential, Croatia faces a challenging group in Germany, and their ageing players might be unable to keep surprising people.
Albania
Albania faces a tough challenge in Group B, making only their second appearance at the European Championships after finishing first in their qualifying group. Despite their impressive qualifying campaign, recent friendlies resulted in losses to Chile and Sweden. Under manager Sylvinho, Albania has a boost with Armando Broja’s return to fitness and form with Fulham, having missed the qualifiers. With Broja absent due to injuries early on in their campaign, Jasir Asani and Nedim Bajrami stepped up, scoring three goals each, and they will likely be key players again as they move forward.
Biggest Game
Group B features the top contenders, Spain and Croatia, facing each other immediately. The winning team will receive a huge morale boost. This early clash could have significant consequences for advancing to the next round. For the losers, however, the pressure will indeed be on them.
Influential Players
- David Raya: The 28-year-old goalkeeper has been included in Spain’s provisional squad for Euro 2024 and will likely start ahead of Unai Simon for the starting position. Goalkeepers are rarely talked about when mentioning influential players, yet their performance can be crucial in determining a team’s success. David Raya won the Golden Glove with Arsenal in the Premier League this year, and his performance during the campaign was key to his club’s success.
- Gianluigi Donnaruma: Donnarumma, the only goalkeeper to be named “Man of the Tournament” at a European Championship, has played a pivotal role in Italy’s victory at the last final. The game came down to penalties, and the two penalties that were saved in the end were the obvious reasons why Italy are the current champion of Europe.
Possible Final Standings
Predicting the outcomes in this group is a tough call, with the only near certainty being Albania’s likely position at the bottom. There may be multiple draws, considering the history of tight matches between the contenders. For instance, the last three encounters between Croatia and Italy have resulted in 1-1 ties (although they have not faced off since 2015). Spain also drew in both teams during Euro 2020 and with Croatia in the Nations League more recently.
That being said, Spain, having been the strongest over the past year, is favoured to top the group, followed by Italy. Croatia will likely narrowly end up in third place, with Albania almost certainly going out in the first stage.
1. Spain
2. Italy
3. Croatia
4. Albania
List of other Groups Participating in The European Championship of 2024: