Sports Mole previews Saturday’s European Championship clash between Italy and Albania, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Starting the defence of their European title, Italy meet Group B rivals Albania on Saturday evening, when both nations kick off their Euro 2024 campaign.
While the Azzurri are ultimately aiming to win back-to-back Euros, their neighbours are simply hoping to advance from the group stage on just their second major tournament appearance.
Match preview
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Now taking part at an 11th European Championship, Italy can join Germany and Spain on three wins if they go on to retain the Henri Delaunay Trophy next month in Berlin.
They will also attempt to become just the second team to win successive Euros after their Spanish counterparts did so in 2008 and 2012 – but few pundits have Luciano Spalletti‘s side among the favourites to prevail.
The Azzurri have arrived in Germany unbeaten in six games, yet the spectre of failing to qualify for the last World Cup – and then only squeezing through qualifying after losing former boss Roberto Mancini – looms in the background.
Since succeeding Euro 2020-winner Mancini last year, Spalletti has nonetheless steered his nation to six wins and three draws – and Italy are ranked ninth in the world by FIFA – but a tough task awaits in Group B: Spain, Croatia and Albania will all pose problems for an injury-hit squad.
Despite defensive absences, La Nazionale have not conceded a goal in their last 317 minutes of play – including a 0-0 draw with Turkey and Sunday’s 1-0 win over Bosnia-Herzegovina in two pre-tournament friendlies – and they will now try to maintain an impressive record at European Championships.
Italy have conceded a miserly sum of just six goals across their last 12 matches in the competition, the most recent of which was in their 2021 triumph at Wembley, when upsetting final hosts England to claim glory via a penalty shootout.
To aid their aim of repeating that feat, the Azzurri must surely take care of business on Saturday, as ahead of two testing group fixtures, they meet opponents they have beaten in all four previous meetings.
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While Italy nervously edged past Ukraine to qualify, Albania topped their group in some style: after losing their opening game against Poland, they went unbeaten through the next seven, finishing ahead of both the Poles and second-placed Czech Republic.
The Euro 2024 draw was not kind, though, and their first fixture brings them face-to-face with some familiar foes – no fewer than nine players in the Albanian squad play their club football in Serie A.
In addition to compatriots Edy Reja and Christian Panucci, Italian coach Gianni De Biasi previously held the post of Albania manager, taking his adopted country to Euro 2016, where they secured their sole victory at a major finals to date – against Romania in the final group game.
The Eagles were still eliminated on that occasion, and current coach Sylvinho – the first Brazilian boss to lead a side at the Euros since Luiz Felipe Scolari in 2008 – has a huge job on his hands to avoid an early exit in Germany.
Certainly, recent friendly successes over Liechtenstein and Azerbaijan – the latter a 3-1 win in Tirana last week – will do little to persuade doubters that Albania can progress from this year’s ‘Group of Death’.
Nevertheless, they have very little to lose in Group B and have become ever more accustomed to winning, so an upset or two could be on the agenda.
Italy form (all competitions):
Albania form (all competitions):
Team News
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After Luciano Spalletti selected his preliminary 30-man squad, both Francesco Acerbi (groin) and Giorgio Scalvini (ACL) were forced to withdraw through injury, and the defensive duo are joined by Nicolo Zaniolo, Domenico Berardi, Destiny Udogie and suspended midfielder Sandro Tonali on the sidelines.
More positively, Davide Frattesi, Nicolo Fagioli – named in the squad despite barely playing for seven months due to a betting ban – and Nicolo Barella, who created more assists and chances than any other Italy player in qualifying, are all expected to overcome minor muscular problems.
Spalletti has experimented with numerous set-ups and varying personnel in recent months, but captain Gianluigi Donnarumma certainly starts in goal, while it seems to be a straight shootout between Gianluca Scamacca and Genoa’s Mateo Retegui up front.
Meanwhile, Atalanta BC defender Berat Djimsiti will skipper Albania from centre-back, having played a major role in La Dea’s Europa League triumph last month.
Deep-lying playmaker Kristjan Asllani recently won the Scudetto with Inter Milan, while both Nedim Bajrami and Marash Kumbulla were in the Sassuolo squad demoted to Serie B.
After a tough time at club level, Armando Broja is set to spearhead the Albanian attack, as 33-year-old striker Sokol Cikalleshi – who featured in all eight qualification matches – has announced his international retirement.
Italy possible starting lineup:
Donnarumma; Darmian, Buongiorno, Bastoni; Di Lorenzo, Cristante, Jorginho, Dimarco; Frattesi, Chiesa; Scamacca
Albania possible starting lineup:
E. Berisha; Hysaj, Ismajli, Djimsiti, Mitaj; Asllani, Ramadani; Asani, Bajrami, Seferi; Broja
We say: Italy 1-0 Albania
Given the other teams’ strength in a loaded Group B, this contest will have a high-stakes feel, so it should be a tense and cautious encounter.
The points’ destiny may be decided by just one goal, with Italy having sufficient experience to get a slim win over the line.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.