Euro 2024 - Group B

 

UEFA EURO 2024 – Germany

Group B Breakdown

Group B is definitely the group of death this time around. It consists of the defending champions Italy, the most successful team in Euros – Spain, the Luka Modric led giant killers – Croatia and an unfortunate Albanian team. We’ll first look at each team individually and then discuss what to expect from this group.

Euros Group B

Source - facebook.com

Spain

Squad

Goalkeepers:Unai Simón (Athletic Club), Álex Remiro (Real Sociedad), David Raya (Arsenal)

Defenders: Dani Carvajal (Real Madrid), Jesús Navas (Sevilla), Aymeric Laporte (Al Nassr), Nacho (Real Madrid), Robin Le Normand (Real Sociedad), Dani Vivian (Athletic Club), Alejandro Grimaldo (Bayer Leverkusen), Marc Cucurella (Chelsea)

Midfielders:Rodri (Manchester City), Martín Zubimendi (Real Sociedad), Fabián Ruiz (Paris Saint-Germain), Mikel Merino (Real Sociedad), Pedri (Barcelona), Álex Baena (Villarreal), Fermín López (Barcelona)

Forwards: Álvaro Morata (Atlético Madrid), Joselu (Real Madrid), Dani Olmo (RB Leipzig), Nico Williams (Athletic Club), Mikel Oyarzabal (Real Sociedad), Ayoze Pérez (Real Betis), Ferran Torres (Barcelona), Lamine Yamal (Barcelona)

Manager:Luis de la Fuente

Spain

Source - sport.optus.com.au

Overview

Spain has a star-studded squad as always which has the potential to go all the way. Spain has always been the team with the most technically gifted players in the world. However, there has been a decline in quality over the years especially in the defense. They had players like Ramos, Pique, Puyol, Casillas etc who made this team a defensive unit. If you look at their defense now, you'll definitely see that the quality is not the same anymore. The striker has always been a troublesome position for them. They haven’t produced a world-class striker since Fernando Torres. In their prime 2008-2012 era where they won two Euros and a World Cup, they had a midfield that did not need a striker.. we cannot say the same for them now but they are still one of the powerhouses. With so many players from so many different clubs, it would be interesting to see how they gel together. If things go well for them, we can surely see them making a deep run in the competition. Can the likes of Le Normand, Rodri, Pedri and Morata duplicate what Iniesta - Xavi and co. did back in the day?

Croatia

Squad

Goalkeepers: Dominik Livakovic (Fenerbahce), Ivica Ivusic (Pafos), Nediljko Labrovic (Rijeka)

Defenders: Domagoj Vida (AEK Athens), Josip Juranovic (Union Berlin), Josko Gvardiol (Manchester City), Borna Sosa (Ajax), Josip Stanisic (Bayer Leverkusen), Josip Sutalo (Ajax), Martin Erlic (Sassuolo), Marin Pongracic (Lecce)

Midfielders:Luka Modric (Real Madrid), Mateo Kovacic (Manchester City), Marcelo Brozovic (Al Nassr), Mario Pasalic (Atalanta), Nikola Vlasic (Torino), Lovro Majer (VfL Wolfsburg), Luka Ivanusec (Feyenoord Rotterdam), Luka Sucic (FC Salzburg), Martin Baturina (Dinamo Zagreb)

Forwards: Ivan Perisic (Hajduk Split), Andrej Kramaric (TSG Hoffenheim), Bruno Petkovic (Dinamo Zagreb), Marko Pjaca (Rijeka), Ante Budimir (Osasuna), Marco Pasalic (Rijeka)

Manager:Zlatko Dalic

Croatia

Source - total-croatia-news.com

Overview

Croatia has had a lot of recent success under their skipper, the veteran Luka Modric, an ex Ballon d’Or winner. A World Cup runners-up medal in 2018, a third-place finish in the 2022 World Cup and a runners-up medal in the Nations League 2023. They have displayed that they have enough quality to beat any team in the world. Their record has not been good in the Euros. They got knocked out by group mates Spain in the Round of 16 in the previous edition but now with players like Livakovic, Gvardiol, Kovacic and Majer, can this team finally get their hands on some silverware? It'll be interesting to find out.

Italy

Squad

Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain), Alex Meret (Napoli), Guglielmo Vicario (Tottenham Hotspur)

Defenders:Alessandro Bastoni (Internazionale), Raoul Bellanova (Torino), Alessandro Buongiorno (Torino), Riccardo Calafiori (Bologna), Andrea Cambiaso (Juventus), Matteo Darmian (Internazionale), Giovanni Di Lorenzo (Napoli), Federico Dimarco (Internazionale), Federico Gatti (Juventus), Gianluca Mancini (AS Roma)

Midfielders: Nicolò Barella (Internazionale), Bryan Cristante (AS Roma), Nicolo Fagioli (Juventus), Michael Folorunsho (Hellas Verona), Davide Frattesi (Internazionale), Jorginho (Arsenal), Lorenzo Pellegrini (AS Roma)

Forwards: Federico Chiesa (Juventus), Stephan El Shaarawy (AS Roma), Giacomo Raspadori (Napoli), Mateo Retegui (Genoa), Gianluca Scamacca (Atalanta), Mattia Zaccagni (Lazio)

Manager:Luciano Spalletti

Italy

Source - onefootball,com

Overview

Italy has been an exceptional team to watch over the years. The highs and lows have been incredible. Failing to qualify for the 2018 World Cup to winning the euros in 2021 and then again failing to qualify for the 2022 World Cup… you cannot write this stuff. They might be the defending champions but their recent form has been poor. A lot has changed for the team since the triumph in 2021. Some experienced players have retired and a new manager has come in. This team can still put up a fight and make a deep run but it is looking difficult this time. They have a difficult group and a lot of their key players are out of form. Players like Di Lorenzo, Dimarco, Barella and Chiesa will have to take responsibility. Will they somehow find a way or will the poor run of form continue? Only time will tell.

Albania

Squad

Goalkeepers:Etrit Barisha (Empoli), Thomas Strakosha (Brentford), Elhan Kastrati (Cittadella)

Defenders: Elseid Hysaj (Lazio), Berat Djimsiti (Atalanta), Adrian Ismajli (Empoli), Arlind Arjeti (CFR Cluj-Napoca), Marash Kumbulla (Sassuolo), Enea Mihaj (FC Famalicao), Naser Aliji (Voluntari), Iván Balliu (Rayo Vallecano), Mario Mitaj (Lokomotiv Moscow).

Midfielders: Amir Abrashi (Grasshoppers), Ylber Ramadani (Lecce), Klaus Gjasula (SV Darmstadt 98), Qazim Laci (Sparta Prague), Nedim Bajrami (Sassuolo), Kristjan Asllani (Internazionale), Ernest Muci (Besiktas), Medon Berisha (Lecce)

Forwards: Rey Manaj (Sivasspor), Armando Broja (Fulham), Taulant Seferi (Baniyas), Jasir Asani (Gwangju FC), Mirlind Daku (Rubin Kazan), Arber Hoxha (Dinamo Zagreb).

Manager:Sylvinho

Albania

 Source - goal.com

Overview

Albania would really be hating the fact that they got put in the group of death amongst teams who are much stronger than them on paper. It is going to be only their second appearance in the Euros after a group-stage exit in 2016. It is not looking good for them and almost everyone except their fans expects them to crash out of the group stages again. Luckily for them, with the way the Euros work, they might be able to make it out of the group if they sneakily get a result in the group but that too is going to make them work a lot. Beating European powerhouses is not a cakewalk. Let us see how Albania copes with its situation.

Fixtures

Source - 90min.com

What to expect?

It’s a very tricky group. It won't be a surprise if Albania finishes dead last. It is very difficult to predict where the other three teams might finish. Some high-stakes matches are guaranteed in this group. It'll come down to which team uses their potential more than the others. Anyone of the three teams can top the group. It'll most probably be the most interesting group to watch.

Stay tuned for a detailed prediction blog where I give my predictions for all the groups and knockouts as well

The next blog will be a breakdown of Group C.

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