Croatia and Albania will go head-to-head in a crucial Group B match-up on Wednesday, with both teams desperately needing a win.
The UEFA Euro 2024 did not get off to the kind of start Croatia and Albania both would have liked as they suffered defeats in their opening Group B clash. The two teams now find themselves in a spot where another defeat could mean curtains for their campaign.
Croatia kick-started their campaign with a 3-0 loss at the hands of Spain. While the scoreline suggests complete dominance from La Roja, in reality, Croatia had enough of the ball. Vatreni did create quite a few opportunities, but they were just not good enough in the final third.
They currently sit bottom in the so-called ‘Group of Death’, and they will have to ensure they claim all three points in their next fixture to stay alive in the competition. On the other hand, Albania suffered a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Italy in their Euro 2024 opener.
They went ahead in the very first minute of the game as Nedim Bajrami found the back of the net. But, they could not stop the defending champions Italy, who scored twice in quick succession and were in complete control for the rest of the game.
There were quite a few positives for Albania in their defeat to Italy, and they will hope they come out with a better result against Croatia on Wednesday. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could put to use.
Team News & Tactics
Croatia
Ivan Perisic is not a hundred per cent, so he is unlikely to walk into their playing XI. But Zlatko Dalic is expected to make quite a few changes to the team following their disappointing performance against Spain.
Josko Gvardiol, who featured in a full-back position in the opener, is expected to be back in the heart of the defence for this one, and it will trigger quite a few changes around him. Meanwhile, Marcelo Brozovic might end up getting benched for this one.
Dalic is expected to stick with the 4-3-3 formation, where Dominik Livakovic will be in goal. Josip Stanisic and Borna Sosa could feature as the full-backs for this one. Josko Gvardiol will pair up with Josip Sutalo in the heart of the defence.
Luka Modric will continue in the centre of the park alongside Mateo Kovacic and Luka Sucic. The trio will look to control the tempo of the game and have the majority of the ball. In attack, Lovro Majer and Andrej Kramaric will provide the width to their attacks, while Ante Budimir will be leading the line for them.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Livakovic; Stanisic, Sutalo, Gvardiol, Sosa; Modric, Sucic, Kovacic; Majer, Budimir, Kramaric
Albania
While Croatia did not have any fresh injury concerns, the same cannot be said about Albania as Jasir Asani is a major doubt because of an ankle injury. They will stick to the 4-2-3-1 formation, but there could be a few changes up top in attack from their end. Thomas Strakosha will take charge in goal for the away team.
Elseid Hysaj and Mario Mitaj will be the full-backs or them, while Berat Djimsiti and Arlind Ajeti will feature in the heart of the defence. The back four will look for a clean sheet, and they will have the support of Kristjan Asllani and Ylber Ramadani, who will form the double pivot in front of the backline.
They will look to provide defensive stability and also create opportunities to hit Croatia on the break. Qazim Laci and Arber Hoxha will provide width to their attacks, while Nedim Bajrami will feature in a number 10 role behind Armando Broja who will be leading the line.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Strakosha; Hysaj, Ajeti, Djimsiti, Mitaj; Asllani, Ramadani; Laci, Bajrami, Hoxha; Broja
Key Stats
- Croatia and Albania are all set to face each other in a competitive game for the first time.
- Croatia have not lost back-to-back games at the European Championship since 1996.
- Nedim Bajrami’s opener against Italy was the fastest goal in the history of the European Championship.
- Zlatko Dalic’s team have lost three out of their last five competitive games.
- Albania’s goal against Italy was their second goal at the Euros in their history.
Player to Watch
Luka Modric
Croatia’s 3-0 defeat at the hands of Spain means the game against Albania is a must-win and they will be looking at their most experienced campaigner Luka Modric for some inspiration. The 38-year-old Real Madrid superstar has a habit of stepping up in big games and this might be the perfect stage for him. Modric contributed towards 10 goals during the 2023/24 campaign despite not being a regular starter and it won’t be a surprise if he adds a few to it against Albania.
Prediction
Croatia 2-0 Albania
Croatia surely had a rough outing against Spain. But things are expected to get better against Albania. Given the kind of quality the home team has in their squad, they will surely be the dominating force against the visitors.
Unlike the game against Spain, expect the Croatian forwards to find the back of the net here and help their team secure three points. The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-0 win for Zlatko Dalic’s team.