The toughest group of the 2024 European Championship should keep all its promises, with the risk of seeing a contender for victory eliminated in the group stage.
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Sometimes the cliché is unavoidable. Pool B of Euro 2024 is undoubtedly the “group of death” of the competition, with Italy (reigning champion), Spain (3rd in Euro 2021), Croatia (3rd in the Cup of the world 2022) and Albania. Since the move to 24 nations, the four best third-placed teams in the group stage have qualified for the round of 16: the three favorites could therefore advance, provided they do not drop a point against the surprising Albanians, who dominated their group stage. qualifying ahead of the Czech Republic and Poland.
Italy advances with a rejuvenated team and few certainties to defend its title. She came out of her qualifying group with difficulty, behind England and ahead of Ukraine. Spain is an outsider of the tournament, with some young offensive players of great talent (Pedri, Lamine Yamal, Fermin Lopez, Nico Williams) and a group dominated without a hitch in qualifying, ahead of Scotland and Norway. Croatia had to battle through a difficult group, finishing behind Turkey but ahead of Wales.
The player: Gianluca Scamacca
The Squadra Azzurra has been looking for a major center forward for more than a decade. Once heralded as one of the greatest hopes in his position, Gianluca Scamacca (25) had a difficult season at West Ham last year but seems to have finally found his place at Atalanta Bergamo.
He participated in the Lombard club’s first European title by scoring six goals during the Europa League campaign. Powerful (1.95 m), mobile and far from being selfish (eight assists this season), the “Italian Zlatan” has everything to be the master pyrotechnician of the Azzurri for his first major competition in the Italian jersey.
The number: 0
A symptom of the weakness of the Albanian championship, no player selected for Euro 2024 is playing there. Italy, a country located on the other side of the Adriatic, is the favorite exile of the Eagles, who are ten to play there: Kristjan Asllani (Inter Milan), Berat Djimsiti (Atalanta Bergamo) and Nedim Bajrami (Sassuolo) are the selection frames. Led by the Brazilian Sylvinho, former coach of Olympique Lyonnais, Albania is the underdog in Group B and even in the Euro, for its third participation.
The surprise: Croatia
Of the finalists of the 2018 World Cup, there are eight remaining as we approach Euro 2024, including the midfield trio Marcelo Brozovic, Mateo Kovacic and the Golden Ball, Luka Modric, who should experience his last international competition under the Croatian jersey.
In addition to these executives, young shoots are confirming themselves at the highest level, like Josko Gvardiol (Manchester City) or Josip Stanisic (Bayer Leverkusen), while waiting for the emergence of prodigy Martin Baturina (Dinamo Zagreb) in the eyes of the world. Used to being forgotten when naming the favorites, the third places in the 2022 World Cup could surprise again.
The anecdote to shine: the French hinge of Spain
The Spanish central defense has a strong French accent. Aymeric Laporte and Robin Le Normand will certainly form the hinge of La Roja at Euro 2024. Aymeric Laporte (28 caps), of Basque origin and trained at Athletic Club de Bilbao, was selected twice by Didier Deschamps, without ever coming into play, before representing Spain from the preparation matches for Euro 2020. Robin Le Normand (10 caps) for his part was naturalized Spanish last year, he who plays in Spain (Real Sociedad) for almost eight years.