The defending champion Italy will take on one of the favorites to win this year Spain in the second matchday of Group B. The game will take place at Veltins Arena in Gelsenkirchen. Both teams are coming off wins in the opening game and this will be one of the most interesting games in the group stage of EURO 2024.
Spain vs Italy: Initial situation
Since the EURO 2024 draw was conducted, this game has been one of the most anticipated. Both teams are among the top favorites to win the tournament, and this game will most likely decide which of them will finish the group stage on top of Group B. Both Spain and Italy played very well in the opening matchday, and it will be interesting to see which team is better at the moment.
Spain Stats & Form
Luis de la Fuente took over the head coaching position with Spain two years ago and has been doing a great job with the team since then. He has a squad packed with talented players who are eager to prove themselves on the international stage. Spain came into the tournament strong, making a statement with a dominant 3-0 win against Croatia. That was their eighth win in the last ten games and their third consecutive. Preparing for the EURO, Spain defeated Northern Ireland and Andorra in friendly games, scoring five goals in each of those two. Colombia is the only team that beat Spain recently, while they also played 3-3 against Brazil. Spain has kept a clean sheet in five of the last ten games and has scored at least three goals in six of the last seven games.
Italy Stats & Form
Italy missed the 2022 FIFA World Cup after winning the last EURO and is here with a lot to prove. They were stunned in the opening minute against Albania but picked themselves up, dominated the rest of the game, and took care of business. Italy has won seven of the last ten games, losing only to England and playing a tie with Ukraine and Turkey. The goal they allowed against Albania was the first one after three consecutive clean sheets, and they have scored at least two goals in six of the last ten games.
Spain vs Italy: Head to Head
Spain and Italy have played 24 times before. Spain won eight times, Italy seven, and nine of their previous head-to-head games ended in a draw. They faced each other in the semifinal of the last EURO, where Italy won in the penalty shootout. They also played in the 1/8 final in 2016, where Italy also moved on with a 2-0 victory. Spain was the better team in their previous two meetings at EURO. In the 2012 final, they won 4-0, while in the 2008 quarterfinal, they won on penalties. Overall, Spain has won 3 of the last 4 meetings, with the last one being a 2-1 win in the semifinal of the League of Nations last year.
Germany vs Hungary Odds
Spain is a slight favorite going into this game with 115 odds going in their favor while the odds for Italy’s win are at 260. The odds for a draw are 225.
The total goals margin is set at 2.5 with 112 for over and -140 for under.
Betting tip and prediction: Spain vs Italy (20.06.2024)
Spain had an excellent start on the opening matchday, getting the job done in the first half against Croatia. They showed up ready and determined to make a statement that they are one of the best teams in the competition. They looked very good on the field, connecting passes and keeping the ball in their possession. The midfield was constantly creating scoring opportunities for the strikers, and Alvaro Morata, Fabian Ruiz, and Dani Carvajal scored, setting the final score of 3-0.
Italy also started with a win, but things did not go that well in the 2-1 win over Albania. After a cold shower in the opening minute, Italy had to bounce back, and they did that quickly. Alessandro Bastoni and Nicolo Barella scored in a five-minute stretch, and Italy took over the lead before the midpoint of the first half. They controlled the possession for the rest of the game and managed to win the game.
There is no doubt that both teams will advance to the next stage of the competition, but their matchup certainly brings a lot of pressure. Italy eliminated Spain in the semifinal of the last EURO, and The Red Fury definitely remembers that. However, both teams would rather not lose in this one than go all-in for the victory. Italy has a solid defense and will probably let Spain have the ball, but it will not be easy to score against a defensive lineup with Gianluigi Donnarumma at the goal line. Therefore, we are going with a draw in this game.