Spain vs. Italy - prediction, team news, lineups
Preview: Spain vs. Italy - prediction, team news, lineups
Two heavyweights of European football step into the ring on Thursday evening, as Spain and Italy aim to secure a place in Euro 2024's knockout phase.
Both won their opening Group B fixture, so one more point should prove enough for the reigning champions and their Nations League nemesis to progress.
Match preview
When Spain coach Luis de la Fuente sent his side out at Berlin's Olympiastadion for their Euro 2024 opener, he could scarcely have dreamed they would return at half time with a three-goal lead over Croatia.
Alvaro Morata, Fabian Ruiz and Dani Carvajal all scored before the break to start the campaign with a resounding success, as Morata made it into double figures at major tournaments and Carvajal became the oldest Spanish scorer at a Euros.
Having also fielded the competition's youngest player - 16-year-old Lamine Yamal, creator of La Roja's third goal - and seen Unai Simon save a spot kick, a composed performance suggests they could be challengers for the trophy this summer.
European champions in 1964, 2008 and 2012, Spain's hopes of adding a fourth continental crown to their collection are high, as they have now lost just one of 11 competitive games under De la Fuente, winning each of the last seven.
That represents their best run since 2017, and recent results against their next opponents in the so-called 'Group of Death' have been particularly positive.
La Roja beat Italy in successive UEFA Nations League semi-finals, going on to win last year's edition for good measure - but they have never before won three consecutive matches against their Italian rivals.
When the two teams meet in Gelsenkirchen, a point apiece may be enough to see both through to the last 16 - potentially allowing De la Fuente to rest key players against Albania - but plenty of pride will still be at stake.
While their Iberian counterparts have held the upper hand of late, Italy memorably overcame Spain on penalties three years ago, en route to Euro 2020 glory.
Since losing to La Roja in the Nations League last June, the new-look Azzurri have been beaten in only one of their next 12 matches - winning eight - and Luciano Spalletti has brought renewed vigour to a squad that had started to falter under Roberto Mancini.
However, Italy started the defence of their title in the worst possible fashion, before quickly recovering from an early blow in Saturday's Group B clash against Albania to take maximum points.
Sassuolo's Nedim Bajrami set a new Euros record for fastest goal ever - netting after just 23 seconds - but Spalletti's side soon bounced back: Alessandro Bastoni levelled the scores 10 minutes later, before his Inter Milan teammate Nicolo Barella put them ahead.
Now unbeaten in 10 games at the European Championship - with the first match of that run being a 2-0 win over Spain in 2016 - Italy's last defeat in the competition came against the Republic of Ireland eight years ago.
Though considered outsiders this summer, the Azzurri's ultimate ambition is to become just the second team to win successive Euros, following in the footsteps of Spain. First, though, they must make sure of progress to the knockout phase.
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