Croatia vs Italy Euro 2024 Preview: Team News & Playing XI, H2H Record, Stats, Prediction

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Croatia vs Italy Euro 2024, Group B: On June 25th, the Red Bull Arena in Leipzig will host a high-stakes clash between Croatia and Italy, a match that will determine the proceedings of Group B at Euro 2024.

Croatia's campaign began disastrously with a 3-0 defeat to Spain, denting their hopes of progression. In their second match, they appeared to be on course for a vital win against Albania, only to concede a heartbreaking stoppage-time equalizer, resulting in a 2-2 draw. Now, Zlatko Dalic’s side needs nothing less than a victory to keep their tournament dreams alive.

Italy, in contrast, find themselves in a slightly better position, having secured a win over Albania in their opener. However, their 1-0 defeat to Spain means they too face uncertainties.

Should Albania manage to defeat a potentially rotated Spanish side, Italy must avoid losing to Croatia to ensure their advancement to the knockout stages. Considering all such this should be a game to watch out for.

Croatia vs Italy Euro 2024 Schedule

When will be the Croatia vs Italy Euro 2024 Match?

The Croatia vs Italy Euro 2024 Group B match will be played on Tuesday (June 25th). The game starts at 12:30 am IST/ 8.00 pm GMT (June 24th).

Where will be Croatia vs Italy Euro 2024 Match Played?

The Croatia vs Italy match will be played at Red Bull Arena in Leipzig., Germany.

Croatia vs Italy FIFA Ranking, Recent Form

Croatia FIFA Ranking: 10

Italy FIFA Ranking: 9

Recent Form (Most Recent First)

Croatia (in all competitions): D-L-W-W-W

Italy (in all competitions): L-W-W-D-D

Croatia vs Italy H2H Record and Last Meeting

Historically, Croatia have been a tough opponent for Italy. The two teams first met in 1942, but since then, Italy have failed to secure another victory. Croatia are unbeaten in their last eight encounters with Italy, recording three wins and five draws. Their most recent three matches have all ended in 1-1 draws.

Croatia vs Italy Team News, Injury Update

For Croatia, Dalic made several changes between their matches against Spain and Albania. Ivan Perisic started at left-back, moving Josko Gvardiol to the center, while Marin Pongracic was benched.

Josip Juranovic replaced Josip Stanisic at right-back, and Bruno Petkovic started up front instead of Ante Budimir. Budimir, however, made a significant impact off the bench against Albania and might return to the starting lineup. The defense is expected to remain unchanged after a solid performance.

Italy, under Luciano Spalletti, have maintained consistency in their lineup, fielding the same starting XI in both matches so far. They are likely to field the same team.

Croatia vs Italy Predicted Playing 11

Croatia Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Livakovic; Juranovic, Sutalo, Gvardiol, Perisic; Modric, Brozovic, Kovacic; Majer, Budimir, Kramaric

Italy Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Donnarumma; Di Lorenzo, Bastoni, Calafiori, Dimarco; Frattesi, Jorginho, Barella; Chiesa, Scamacca, Pellegrini

Croatia vs Italy Match Prediction

Given the stakes, this match is expected to be fiercely contested. Both teams need a positive result, but Croatia's desperation for a win could drive them to take more risks. Italy, aware of its historical struggles against Croatia, will need to capitalize on any early opportunities.

The first goal could be crucial in such a tightly contested game, potentially setting the tone for the remainder of the match. Considering the recent performance, Italy could just edge out the 2022 World Cup semi-finalist.

Predicted Score: Croatia 0-1 Italy