UEFA Euro 2024 Group Stage
25 June, 2024 - Indian Date
Leipzig Stadium
MATCH TIMES
India
12:30 AM
UAE
11:00 PM
Saudi Arabia
9:45 PM
FULL TIME
Italy possible starting lineup: Donnarumma; Darmian, Bastoni, Calafiori, Dimarco; Fagioli, Barella; Chiesa, Pellegrini, Zaccagni; Retegui
Croatia possible starting lineup: Livakovic; Stanisic, Sutalo, Gvardiol, Sosa; Modric, Sucic, Kovacic; Pasalic, Budimir, Kramaric
Match Preview
Preview
Zlatko Dalic's Croatia faces a crucial match against Italy on Monday, needing a win to avoid an early exit from Euro 2024. Croatia, sitting with just one point in Group B after a 2-2 draw with Albania and a 3-0 defeat by Spain, must overcome Italy to have any chance of progressing. Dalic attributes the team’s struggles to an ageing squad and defensive issues, with Croatia conceding five goals in two matches.
Historically, Croatia has not failed to win a group stage match at a major tournament since the 2006 World Cup. Their defensive frailties have been exposed in this tournament, conceding more goals than in any group stage since Euro 2004 and the 2014 World Cup, where they let in six.
Dalic highlighted the defensive problems as a key issue: "We haven't started well. We haven't been up to our usual standards because we've been conceding too many goals," he told reporters. He noted the difference from their performance in the 2022 World Cup group stage, where they conceded just once.
The Croatian squad’s midfield, featuring veterans like Luka Modric, Marcelo Brozovic, and Mateo Kovacic, along with Ivan Perisic, has shown its experience, particularly Modric, who had an impressive 64 passes in the final third against Albania, the second-highest in a European Championship match since 1980. Modric also marked his 34th appearance across Euros and World Cups in the Albania draw, a record surpassed by only a few European players.
Despite these individual performances, Croatia has struggled to convert chances into victories. They have created more shots and shots on target in this tournament (38 shots, 15 on target) compared to their Euro 2020 group stage performance. Dalic emphasized the importance of the match against Italy, calling it a must-win situation: "We know it's essentially a knockout match tomorrow, and there won't be any extra time. We must simply win the game," he said.
Dalic has previously apologized to Croatian supporters for their performance against Spain, recognizing the pressure to deliver a positive result: "There is pressure for us to put a smile on their faces, to try to get a good result for our country. We need to show our true level."
Facing Italy, Dalic and his team aim to correct their course and demonstrate their true potential, hoping to secure the much-needed victory in Leipzig and advance in Euro 2024.
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