Can Spain and Italy impress?

The second day of football at EURO 2024 has Hungary vs Switzerland, Spain vs Croatia and Italy vs Albania. Let’s unwrap the action!

Hungary vs Switzerland

• When: Saturday, 15 June, 3 p.m.
• Where: Cologne Stadium, Cologne

Hungary can confidently enter its 5th European football tournament, thanks to a solid selection that can sting on the surprise. It hasn’t lost a single game since its defeat at the hands of Italy in the Nations League back in September 2022. Hungary’s strong suit will be the midfield, where Liverpool’s Dominik Szoboszlai reigns supreme, while scoring opportunities will have to come from Barnabás Varga (Ferencváros).

Facing the Hungarian delegation is Switzerland, which had a less impressive run getting into EURO 2024, compared to its upcoming opponent. Still, the Swiss have the more impressive selection on paper, with plenty of household names in European club football on all positions. Winger Xherdan Shaqiri (Chicago Fire) is always a scourge for any defence, too.

Hungary and Switzerland find themselves in one of the most open groups along Germany and Scotland. Group A could really be anyone’s game – why not that of Hungary or Switzerland?

Stats and key info

Recent encounters (last 5 games)

• Switzerland vs Hungary (07/10/2017): 5-2
• Hungary vs Switzerland (07/10/2016): 2-3
• Switzerland vs Hungary (13/02/2002): 2-1
• Hungary vs Switzerland (18/11/1998): 2-0
• Hungary vs Switzerland (20/08/1997): 1-1

Goals for/against (last 10 games)

• Hungary: 19/10
• Switzerland: 14/7

Key players

• Hungary: Dominik Szoboszlai (midfielder, Liverpool), Péter Gulácsi (goalkeeper, RB Leipzig), Roland Sallai (forward, Freiburg).
• Switzerland: Yann Sommer (goalkeeper, Inter Milan), Manuel Akanji (defender, Manchester City), Granit Xhaka (midfielder, Bayer Leverkusen).

Conclusion and betting tips

With both teams more or less equal, a draw could be worth it, at odds of 3.25. ‘First Goal: Hungary’ is going at odds of 2.28.

Spain vs Croatia

• When: Saturday, 15 June, 6 p.m.
• Where: Olympia Stadium, Berlin

Spain and Croatia have a bit of a history with each other at this level: both nations have met at the previous 4 tournaments, too, and each encounter has been an entertaining affair. That’s what you get when you put two nations that can impose their football on their opponents against each other.

With a squad that is relatively inexperienced at this level, Spain seems to gamble on a youthful bravado over sober experience. With rising talents like Lamine Yamal, it just might work. Croatia, meanwhile, still revolves around midfield maestro Luka Modrić, who’s aching to give his nation one last shot at the title.

The last time these titans squared off, was in the Nations League final on 18 June, playing a goalless draw after 120 minutes. In the penalty shootout series that followed, Spain finally won, in no small part thanks to goalie Unai Simón (Athletic Bilbao).

Stats and key info

Recent encounters (last 5 games)

• Croatia vs Spain (18/06/2023): 0-0 (4-5)
• Croatia vs Spain (28/06/2021): 3-5
• Croatia vs Spain (15/11/2018): 3-2
• Spain vs Croatia (11/09/2018): 6-0
• Croatia vs Spain (21/06/2016): 2-1

Goals for/against (last 10 games)

• Spain: 35/7
• Croatia: 19/6

Key players

• Spain: Dani Carvajal (defender, Real Madrid), Pedri (midfielder, Barcelona), Lamine Yamal (forward, Barcelona).
• Croatia: Luka Modrić (midfielder, Real Madrid), Joško Gvardiol (defender, Manchester City), Andrej Kramarić (forward, Hoffenheim).

Conclusion and betting tips

Except for the Nations League final, this encounter was a practical guarantee to see more than a few goals. You can get odds of 3.80 for ‘Total goals: Over 3.5’.

Italy vs Albania

• When: Saturday, 15 June, 9 p.m.
• Where: BVB Stadium, Dortmund

Italy is the reigning European champion, and after 3 years, it’s still a force to be reckoned with. The Italians will be keen to show from the start that their final victory last time around wasn’t a fluke. To prove as much, the Italian selection includes players that were present back then, but it’s remains to be seen how the reimagined line of defence holds up at Europe’s biggest football stage.

For Albania, this will be more a game of wits: how can you stay focused on a victory against the reigning European champion, when it’s only your second time on this stage? If the Albanians can play with mental freedom, they might have a few tricks up their sleeves that can make Italy sigh in exasperation.

There should be little doubt as to who will win in the end, though. Damage control might be Albania’s priority here, while Italy can use this game to test the waters.

Stats and key info

Recent encounters (last 4 games)

• Albania vs Italy (16/11/2022): 1-3
• Albania vs Italy (09/10/2017): 0-1
• Italy vs Albania (24/03/2017): 2-0
• Italy vs Albania (18/11/2014): 1-0

Goals for/against (last 10 games)

• Italy: 18/8
• Albania: 16/7

Key players

• Italy: Gianluigi Donnarumma (goalkeeper, Paris Saint-Germain), Nicolò Barella (midfielder, Inter Milan), Gianluca Scamacca (forward, Atalanta).
• Albania: Etrit Berisha (goalkeeper, Empoli), Elseid Hysaj (defender, Lazio), Kristjan Asllani (midfielder, Inter Milan).

Conclusion and betting tips

‘First goal: Albania’ could be worth a shot, with odds of 3.75. If you’re more modest, you can simply put your money on Italy to win at odds of 1.41.