Italy, the reigning European champions, will begin their title defense against Albania in the Group B opener of the 2024 European Championship at Signal-Iduna-Park tonight. The match promises to be a high-stakes encounter as Italy aims to secure back-to-back Euro titles, joining the ranks of Germany and Spain, while Albania hopes to advance past the group stage in their second major tournament appearance.
Italy enters the tournament with an unbeaten record in their last six games under coach Luciano Spalletti. Despite failing to qualify for the last World Cup and undergoing a managerial change, Italy is ranked 9th in the world by FIFA and boasts a formidable defense that hasn’t conceded a goal in their last 317 minutes of play.
The Azzurri face challenges with key defensive absences, but notable players like goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, forward Gianluca Scamacca, and midfielder Nicolo Barella are expected to feature prominently. Italy’s defensive solidity will be tested against an Albanian side that topped their qualifying group and includes several players familiar with Serie A.
Albania, led by coach Sylvinho, have shown resilience, going unbeaten in their last seven qualifying games after an initial loss. The squad features nine players from Serie A, and recent friendly victories against Liechtenstein and Azerbaijan have bolstered their confidence. Key players for Albania include captain Berat Djimsiti, playmaker Kristjan Asllani, and forward Armando Broja.
The predicted lineups suggest a tactical battle, with Italy likely fielding Donnarumma; Di Lorenzo, Calafiori, Bastoni, Dimarco; Jorginho, Barella; Frattesi, Pellegrini, Chiesa; Scamacca. Albania is expected to start with E. Berisha; Hysaj, Ismajli, Djimsiti, Mitaj; Asllani, Ramadani; Asani, Bajrami, Seferi; Broja.
As Italy looks to begin their campaign with a victory, Albania aims to defy expectations and secure a positive result in what promises to be a closely contested match.
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