For Albania, life isn’t particularly rosy. Led by Brazilian legend Sylvinho, Albania have built a decent squad that embodies the typical underdog story. The Albanians have already shown the world they were worthy opponents. Italy had to fight for their victory (2-1), while Croatia was stunned by Albania’s dominance in the first half.
To qualify, Albania needs to win against Spain – a difficult task, but they are the typical dark horses. The major concern lies in their defense, as Albania has yet to keep a clean sheet in this tournament.
However, even if they don’t qualify, nobody would blame them. They will be remembered as a worthy opponent. The draw wasn’t favourable, and there is no shame in acknowledging that.
Furthermore, Albania’s European Championship has been full of controversy and distraction due to the political tension with Serbia over Kosovo. Albania has been fined by UEFA for carrying out “provocative actions”, as fans displayed a map of Albania that included Kosovo.
Additionally, when Albania faced Croatia, both countries were fined over their chants in the stadium, as they screamed “ubi, ubi, ubi Srbina”, which translates to “kill, kill, kill Serbs”. Albania is still under investigation as Mirlind Daku was caught joining the chants of “f*** Macedonia”. The aftermath of all of this should be known by next week.
Spain comes as the leader of the so-called ‘Group Of Death’, having torn apart Croatia (3-0) and secured a high-note victory against Italy (1-0). With six points, Spain’s qualification is assured, so rotations are expected. They have many names to rotate, and Spain can be proud of its path.
Spain has shown only a few weaknesses (such as the center-back pairing vs Croatia) but has demonstrated it is not a one-dimensional team lost against defensive barriers. Spain was one of the tournament favourites, and their performance so far justifies that status.
Bet hereWhile it is uncertain to what extent Spain will rotate, it is expected that players like Lamine Yamal and Pedri will be rested, with Dani Olmo and Fermin Lopez stepping in. It is unclear whether Alex Baena, who came on for 20 minutes against Italy, will feature.
Regardless of who starts for Spain, the quality difference is too vast to significantly change Albania’s odds. Albania’s eventual qualification also fully depends on the other fixture in Group B. Albania needs a win, having only collected a single point so far (in the 2-2 draw against Croatia). Key players like Asllani, Asani, and Hysaj will be crucial in challenging Spain’s defense.
Albania is expected to sit back and rely on counter-attacks as their most effective weapon. Depending on whether Marc Cucurella starts for Spain, the wings could be the magic zone for Albania to exploit.
Spain is unlikely to rest Alvaro Morata, who can single-handedly threaten the penalty box. He has been one of the most important players in the tournament for Spain and will be on Albania’s watch list.
Spain has so far dominated all their matches in the group stage (despite a less impressive second half against Croatia), while Albania has proven to be a formidable opponent. Spain should not take Albania lightly, but Albania’s lack of quality in the center-back area makes them prone to conceding first.
However, Albania scored the fastest goal of the tournament against Italy, with Nedim Bajrami opening the score in under fifty seconds. Spain has been warned.
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Albania might not win this encounter, but they are expected to put up a fight. While they have conceded in all their games so far, they have also remained active in the attack. The wide variety of forwards is a golden mine for Sylvinho. Between Rey Manaj, Bajmani or Broja, there are quite a few players to choose from.
Considering that Spain doesn’t have a rock-solid defense, this could pose a problem for their center-backs. Spain struggled against Croatia’s counter-attacks, failing to organize effectively in possession. It would not be surprising to see Albania using that weakness to their advantage. Therefore, our EURO 2024 betting tip is for Albania to score first.
Disclaimer: The content provided on this page, including all UEFA EURO 2024 predictions, odds, and related information, is for entertainment and informational purposes only. While we strive to ensure accuracy and timeliness, we do not guarantee the correctness or reliability of any predictions, data, or information presented here.
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