Group of Death! Spain, Italy, Croatia Fight for Top Spot

Group B is undoubtedly the “Group of Death” of the 2024 Euros. It features heavyweights Spain and Italy and is rounded out by Croatia and Albania, two Balkan nations.

Italy, the reigning European champions, will aim to defend their crown. They will be eager to erase the memory of missing the 2022 World Cup, while Spain, considered the favourite, will look to take the lead. While it’s tempting to predict Italy and Spain as the likeliest to advance, history has repeatedly shown that football is not about status, especially in knockout formats.

Croatia is a nation that has risen through the ranks in recent years. Finalists in the 2018 World Cup, Croatia has now rebuilt into a solid team after losing their golden generation. In 2022, they proved in Qatar that they remain a force to be reckoned with, serving as a warning to Spain and Italy not to take the Croats lightly.

Albania is undoubtedly the underdog and is expected to struggle. However, surprises are always possible in football.

Spain: A Favorite with a New Generation

Group Winner Odds: 1.82 (22bet)

Spain is, by default, one of the title favourites. Despite their unexpected exit in 2022 World Cup, when Morocco eliminated them on penalties, La Roja keeps producing new talents thanks to Spain’s excellent academy system.

Ansu Fati, who has fallen out of grace since his stint at Brighton, will not be the team’s focal point. Instead, another Barcelona talent is taking over: Lamine Yamal. Although he may not be able to drive a car yet, he can certainly drive his team to success. Additionally, players like Nico Williams and Pedri bring a balance of talent to the squad that Spain has not had in recent years.

Spain will kick off the group stage by facing Croatia, and this could prove to be an exciting match-up. Croatia is rebuilding after their 2018 Golden Generation, and underestimating them could be costly for Spain. The Spaniards were eliminated by Italy in a tight match-up in the last Euros, which eventually saw the Italians win the tournament. La Roja will be determined to seek revenge.