Here we go!
All squad and expected lineup information from goal.com. If you’re curious, they had nice previews for all the Euro teams but we’ll link to just the four teams in Group B at the bottom of the post if you’re interested in reading.
Group B
Italy
Italy
Should be straight forward Italy here, bunker in a 352 and hit on the counter. The defense doesn’t have the names of the past but I have no doubt it could be nearly as good. The right combo of the back 3 might still be a work in progress but the pieces are there. The midfield should be solid and DiMarco will be doing his best Spinazzola circa 2021 impression as the LWB. He will look to bounce balls off the head of Scamacca and square balls to whoever the AM is.
I think Italy goes as Chiesa goes. If he has a moment then Italy can get to the semis. If teams can focus on erasing Scamacca without worrying about anything else, it will be a short tournament.
SQUAD:
Goalkeepers: Gigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain), Alex Meret (Napoli), Guglielmo Vicario (Tottenham)
Defenders: Alessandro Bastoni (Inter), Raoul Bellanova (Torino), Alessandro Buongiorno (Torino), Riccardo Calafiori (Bologna), Andrea Cambiaso (Juventus), Matteo Darmian (Inter), Federico Dimarco (Inter), Giovanni Di Lorenzo (Napoli), Federico Gatti (Juventus), Gianluca Mancini (Roma)
Midfielders: Nicolo Barella (Inter), Bryan Cristante (Roma), Nicolo Fagioli (Juventus), Michael Folorunsho (Verona), Davide Frattesi (Inter), Jorginho (Arsenal), Lorenzo Pellegrini (Roma)
Forwards: Federico Chiesa (Juventus), Stephan El Shaarawy (Roma), Giacomo Raspadori (Napoli), Mateo Retegui (Genoa), Gianluca Scamacca (Atalanta), Mattia Zaccagni (Lazio)
Coach: Luciano Spalletti
Expected Italy XI (3-4-2-1): Donnarumma; Di Lorenzo, Buongiorno, Bastoni; Bellanova, Barella, Jorginho, Dimarco; Pellegrini, Chiesa; Scamacca
Spain
Spain
Will this be the same tiki taka (read BORING) Spain we usually get or will they use the weapons they have to be more direct? With guys like Olmo, Yamal and Morata I think they can certainly do just that. They certainly have the defense to support it. Raya in goal is solid. Rodri has been EPL player of the year.
The one to watch for me? Nico Williams. If he gets a runout he could have a big tournament. A dark horse to lead Spain in goals at +1300.
SQUAD:
Goalkeeper: David Raya (Arsenal), Alex Remiro (Real Sociedad), Unai Simon (Athletic Club)
Defenders: Dani Carvajal (Real Madrid), Marc Cucurella (Chelsea), Alejandro Grimaldo (Bayer Leverkusen), Aymeric Laporte (Al-Nassr), Robin Le Normand (Real Sociedad), Nacho (Real Madrid), Jesus Navas (Sevilla), Dani Vivian (Athletic Club)
Midfielders: Alex Baena (Villarreal), Fermin Lopez (Barcelona), Mikel Merino (Real Sociedad), Pedri (Barcelona), Rodri (Manchester City), Fabian Ruiz (Paris Saint-Germain), Martin Zubimendi (Real Sociedad)
Forwards: Joselu (Real Madrid) ,Alvaro Morata (Atletico Madrid), Dani Olmo (RB Leipzig), Mikel Oyarzabal (Real Sociedad), Ayoze Perez (Real Betis), Ferran Torres (Barcelona), Nico Williams (Athletic Club), Lamine Yamal (Barcelona)
Coach: Luis De la Fuente
Expected Spain XI (4-3-3): Unai Simon; Carvajal, Le Normand, Laporte, Grimaldo; Rodri, Zubimendi, Fabian Ruiz; Yamal, Morata, Olmo
Croatia
Croatia
Croatia are at that moment where either the old guard, supported by some young studs, makes one more run…OR the realize they held on a bit too long and fall flat. Forgotten Serie A names like Brozovic, Kovacic and Perisic are still in the fold. As is Modric of course. That’s a lot of age.
The last World cup they ran out of gas in the semis. My guess this time is they barely squeak through the group, surprise in one knockout game and then falter after that.
SQUAD:
Goalkeepers: Dominik Livaković (Fenerbahçe), Nediljko Labrović (Rijeka), Ivica Ivušić (Pafos)
Defenders: Josip Stanišić (Bayer Leverkusen), Marin Pongračić (Lecce), Joško Gvardiol (Manchester City), Martin Erlić (Sassuolo), Borna Sosa (Ajax), Domagoj Vida (AEK Athens), Josip Juranović (Union Berlin), Josip Sutalo (Ajax)
Midfielders: Lovro Majer (VfL Wolfsburg), Mateo Kovačić (Manchester City), Luka Modrić (Real Madrid), Marcelo Brozović (Al Nassr), Nikola Vlašić (Torino), Mario Pašalić (Atalanta), Luka Ivanušec (Feyenoord), Luka Sucic (Red Bull Salzburg), Martin Baturina (Dinamo Zagreb)
Forwards: Andrej Kramarić (Hoffenheim), Bruno Petković (Dinamo Zagreb), Marko Pjaca (Rijeka), Marco Pašalić (Rijeka), Ivan Perisic (Hajduk Split), Ante Budimir (Osasuna)
Coach: Zlatko Dalic
Expected Croatia XI (4-3-3): Livakovic; Juranovic, Vida, Gvardiol, Stanisic; Modric, Brozovic, Kovacic; Perisic, Kramaric, Pasalic
Albania
Albania
Clearly the team that got the toughest draw in the tourney. While they are certain underdogs in every match they aren’t exactly without some quality. They have a number of names Serie A fans will be familiar with that’s for sure. Chief among them being Asllani in the midfield and Ismajli in the back line.
Also of note is Armando Broja up top who plays for Chelsea and has been in the recent Milan rumor mill. The one hope I think they do have is that every team playing them will feel they need a win against them. In this format just one win certainly gets you through. With that in mind Albania will sit and sit and sit against everyone looking for an opening. If they can surprise, then the whole group gets turned on it’s ear.
SQUAD:
Goalkeepers: Simon Simoni (Frankfurt), Elhan Kastrati (Cittadella), Thomas Strakosha (Brentford), Etrit Berisha (Empoli)
Defenders: Iván Balliu (Rayo Vallecano), Mario Mitaj (Lokomotiv Moscow), Elseid Hysaj (Lazio), Berat Gjimshiti (Atalanta), Enea Mihaj (Famalicão), Marash Kumbulla (Sassuolo), Naser Aliji (Voluntari), Arlind Arjeti (CFR Cluj-Napoca), Adrian Ismailji (Empoli)
Midfielders: Medon Berisha (Lecce), Nedim Bajrami (Sassuolo), Qazim Laçi (Sparta Prague), Ylber Ramadani (Lecce), Kristjan Asllani (Inter), Amir Abrashi (Grasshoppers), Klaus Gjasula (Darmstadt), Ernest Muci (Besiktas)
Forwards: Rey Manaj (Sivasspor), Jasir Asani (Gwangju FC), Taulant Seferi (Baniyas), Armando Broja (Fulham), Arbër Hoxha (Dinamo Zagreb), Mirlind Daku (Rubin Kazan)
Coach: Sylvinho
Expected Albania XI (4-2-3-1): Berisha; Ismajli, Mitaj, Balliu, Hysaj; Laci, Asllani, Bejrami; Broja; Daku, Manaj
Wrap Up
If it looks like a must win, talks like a must win and walks like a must win…is it a must win? Yes and no. With this years format 3 points will very likely get you through, which means 3 draws will probably be fine. A win sure makes it easier to breathe though. Lots of questions to asked here. Do we have the right back 3? Is Jorginho really still able to do it? Are Chiesa and Scamacca the right pair up top? Will the stadium be full of German neutrals that hate our guts? As usual with Italy it will be a slog…an ugly, hard to watch slog.
Prediction time!
Lisi: Spain wins, Italy and Croatia tie for 2nd and both go through. Albania goes home
gillis: I think Spain takes the group, Italy takes 2nd, Croatia 3rd (still make it through), and Albania gives hope to all Albanians in every game but ends up with just 1pt and goes home
Enjoy the games!
Lisi
* Here are the goal.com write-ups on each team in the group (Group B):