There are very few games in world football that tantalise the taste buds quite like Spain vs Italy. These are two of the heavyweights of European football, and their Euro 2024 Group B clash on June 20th could shape up to be one of the games of the tournament.
In this post, we’re going to explore some of the talking points that will surround the game, who might emerge victorious, and what the future might hold for both sides.
Spain
Once upon a time, Spain were perennial also-rans, and then they became the biggest kid on the playground, with 2008-12 seeing the national team win three consecutive major titles.
The Spanish squad in this era was seen as one of the greatest in football history, but lean years have followed since. Despite taking 3rd place in Euro 2020, and winning the UEFA Nations League last year, Spain are seen as a work in progress right now, undergoing a rebuild, and are far from the force they were under Vicente Del Bosque.
Their match-up against Italy will pit them against a familiar foe, having faced The Azzurri on 40 different occasions, and coming out on top against their European counterparts 15 times, losing 12 times, and with 13 draws, as per Transfermarkt.
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The squad is a mixed bag of youth and experience, with Atletico Madrid striker (and captain) Alvaro Morata posting the most caps with 69.
Barcelona wonderkid Gavi, Manchester City talisman Rodri, and Osasuna centre-back David Garcia are among the stand-out talents in the side. Spain will be hoping they can hit the ground running in their Group of Death, which also includes Croatia.
Italy
Italy are one of the most curious teams in the world, and continue to defy convention. This is, after all, the team that won Euro 2020, and just one year later failed to qualify for the Qatar World Cup.
The four-time World Cup winners have endured erratic form in the past decade, with their Euros win really the only thing of note in an otherwise disappointing few years. The Blues will be keen to get things back on course as they kick off Euro 2024 as reigning champions.
However, they have a less-than-stellar recent record against Spain (or Croatia) and will be hoping to put this hoodoo to bed during their Group B match-up.
They beat their Spanish counterparts on penalties in the Euro 2020 semi-final, following a 1-1 draw, but have since lost to them in consecutive Nations League semi-finals. But they will take heart from the fact that Spain have not beaten them in a major tournament since the Euro 2012 final.
Who Will Win?
Calling this match-up is going to be tricky, and it’s likely both sides will probably play for a point, and rely on picking up wins against Croatia and Albania.
In terms of what the bookies are saying, Spain appears to be fourth favourites, with Sportytrader reporting them at 8.00 to win the tournament, coming in behind England, France, and Germany.
Italy on the other hand, further down the pecking order, at around a 16.00 chance of winning. However, they will not mind being the underdog, as they were in Euro 2020, and when they won the World Cup in 2006.
We would expect Spain to edge the fixture, with a draw being the most likely outcome, and one both teams would probably take. Fans of the tournament will just be hoping for a good game, and might even catch a glimpse of these two storied sides later in the competition.
