In the best Matthew McConaughey voice I can muster…alright-alright-alright…
The Azzurri kick off their Euro 2024 today vs Albania. While Italy is currently ranked 9th in FIFA world rankings, and Albania ranked 66th, on paper this has all the markings of a trap game for the Italy. Can Spalletti get the Azzurri…current reigning Euro champions…off on the right foot?
Matchday - Round 1
LAST FIVE:
ITALY: WDWWD
ALBANIA: WWLLD
FORMATIONS
ITALY (4-2-3-1): Donnarumma; Di Lorenzo, Bastoni, Calafiori, Dimarco; Jorginho, Barella; Frattesi, Pellegrini, Chiesa; Scamacca
ALBANIA (4-3-3): Strakosha; Hysaj, Djimsiti, Ajeti, Mitaj; Asllani, Ramadani, Bajrami; Asani, Broja, Seferi
TIME/LOCATION
TIME: 3pm EST/8pm GMT
PLACE: BVB Stadion Dortmund, Dortmund, Germany
WHERE TO WATCH
All games in the US the game will be on FOX or FS1, and in Spanish on TUDN, Unvision, and UniMás (as well as streaming Vix Premium). Click here to find your local broadcaster.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
Lisi’s Euro 2024 preview gave some idea of what to expect and I agree that as Chiesa goes so will Italy…at least in build up. I think Scamacca is what ends up being the difference between the 2020 version, the ones that won the championship but won it on the back of their defense, and what we see this time around. Immobile Scamacca is not. Italy will score in this tournament.
Albania will surely be sitting back and with Italy’s knack for poor finishing, I worry this match ends up being more difficult than it probably should be. Still, while I don’t know Albania AT ALL, let me take a stab at what might happen based on watching Azzurri games vs substantially lower ranked teams.
I think we likely see a slow start, something we’ve been seeing from Italy even during the Euro 2020. Throw in that Italy apparently wasn’t exactly sure if they’d go with a back 3 or back 4, they appear to be going with a hybrid: a back 4 while defending and a back 3 while in possession with Di Lorenzo likely tucking in like Pioli did with Calabria at times.
So while I don’t think it would surprise anyone if the first 20-30 minutes started rather slow, to be fair, all 3 games played in the Euro to this point had early goals and a lot of them. Maybe then, in a change of recent fortune, Italy breaks through with an early Scamacca goal? Ok, I’m not going to say SUPER early but I think they get one in the first half. Then the flood gates will open but Italy will showcase that average finishing and in a game they should win 3-0/4-0 they end up winning 2-0. A total guess? Absolutely and I’m sticking with it, LOL.
Here’s what Lisi thinks of this opening round match:
Italy with a 2-1 win. Betting ideas? Take the under. Consider Pellegrini to score. He played really well under DDR at Roma and might just be the wild card we need to push us along.
Forza Italia
gillis