Italy, outclassed by Spain, and aging Croatia, face each other on Monday in Leipzig (9 p.m.) in a decisive match for qualification for the round of 16 of the Euro.
This shock could leave the title holder or the brilliant Modric generation behind.
After its difficult victory against Albania in its first match (2-1), Italy was not at all reassured against Spain, against whom it received a lesson and did not exist (1- 0), except Gianluigi Donnarumma. The Italian goalkeeper, voted best player during the last European Championship, remains on the same bases as three years ago, standing out from the rest of his team.
But the title won in the summer of 2021, against all expectations, now seems complicated to keep for the Italians, who will have to do without Inter Milan defender Federico Dimarco, injured in the right calf. Unless this match against Croatia, even more worrying, wakes up and relaunches the Nazionale before the round of 16, which it can join if it achieves at least a draw.
‘I wouldn’t talk about redemption but just about doing better than what we did against Spain. We did not deliver a match that matched Italy’, midfielder Lorenzo Pellegrini said on Saturday.
Aging Modric
For this meeting, the Italian coach Luciano Spalletti has already announced his intention to make three changes compared to the team which was dominated by the Spaniards, notably with Mateo Retegui at the forefront in place of Gianluca Scamacca, scorer who remained silent during the first two matches.
Led by their veteran and 38-year-old captain Luka Modric, who no longer seems so indestructible, the Croats disappointed even more in the first two matches: aging, slow and without much inspiration. Even the midfield three of the red and white checkered team, with Marcelo Brozovic and Mateo Kovacic alongside Modric, usually the Croats’ main weapon, did not blaze.
Also non-existent against Spain (3-0), Zlatko Dalic’s players conceded a draw against the Albanians (2-2), play-offs and opponents theoretically the weakest in Group B. With just one point on the clock, the Croats, 2018 world vice-champions and third in the 2022 World Cup, must therefore win against Italy to hope to see the eighth place.
The end of an era?
The ‘Vatreni’ (the ‘Ardents’ in Croatian) did not shine during the last editions of the Euro with two eliminations in the round of 16 in 2016 and 2021. But in the event of elimination, Croatia would probably turn out badly. definitive page of his golden generation. And if this is his last national team competition, Modric’s international career would end sadly.
In the other group match, the Albanians will also have to beat Spain to advance to the first round. But La Roja will certainly want to continue their flawless performance to approach their round of 16 with full confidence.
/ATS
