The group stage of UEFA Euro 2024 is coming to an end as we approach the final set of fixtures before reaching the knockouts. There are still plenty of things to iron out in every single group, and given some of the chaos we’ve seen so far, we’re expecting a few more twists and turns along the way. Today, we’ll be taking a look at the intriguing clash between Albania and Spain.
Albania Form GuideAlbania haven’t always been looked upon as a team that’s a constant threat in qualification, and rightly so, given that their only major accomplishment came in 2016 when they made it to the Euros for the first time. However, they’re a fun team to watch, and things finally appear to be clicking into place across the pitch - and that has to be cause for excitement.
After scoring early on against Italy, the Albanians weren’t able to keep the lead and eventually, fell to a disappointing 2-1 defeat. From there, they battled it out with Croatia in a truly memorable affair, with a late goal ensuring they walked away with a solid 2-2 draw from the game.
Spain Form GuideRegardless of what their situation may be at any given moment, Spain should always be seen as a nation that is well and truly in the fight. They had their big run between 2008 and 2012 but now, they’ve got a brand new golden generation coming through. At this stage, it’s just a case of figuring out how they can maximise that, and whether or not they’ve got what it takes to win another major trophy.
While they didn’t have the majority of the possession, Spain really made the most of their opportunities against Croatia as they were able to race out to a 3-0 win. Then, in their big encounter with Italy, they were far superior and managed to secure a big 1-0 victory.
Match PredictionAlbania have surprised many so far in this tournament and it wouldn’t be at all surprising to see them push the Spaniards all the way. Alas, the latter are far stronger in pretty much every area of the pitch, which is why we’re going to go ahead and predict a Spain victory.
