With Spain already through as group winners, both teams are fighting for a spot in the round of 16.
Italy, the reigning European champions, find themselves in a precarious position after a mixed start to the tournament. Despite an opening win against Albania, they were outclassed by Spain in their second match.
Head coach Luciano Spalletti acknowledges the challenge ahead, stating, “Croatia are not only a great team, but they are also very experienced. We’ll have to be switched on to gauge when to speed up the tempo of the game, and when to calm down and control possession.”
Meanwhile, Croatia have struggled to find their rhythm, securing only one point from their first two matches. Coach Zlatko Dalić expressed concern over his team’s defensive performance.
“We haven’t started the tournament well. We have not been at our true level. We are conceding goals too easily. In Qatar, we conceded one goal in the group stage, and now we’ve conceded five in two matches,” he said.
The match implications reveal that Italy will advance as runners-up if they avoid defeat, while a win for Croatia could eliminate the Azzurri. In that scenario, Italy’s fate would depend on results elsewhere and the performances of other third-place finishers.
Potential line ups
Both coaches are contemplating changes to their lineups. Dalić hinted at potential alterations, possibly moving Luka Modrić and Mateo Kovačić back and introducing talented youngster Luka Sučić.
Spalletti, reflecting on his team’s performance against Spain, admitted, “I made a mistake in not making some changes between the first and second games. So this time, I think I need to make some changes.”
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Croatia: DLWWWD
Italy: LWWDWW
Historical context
The historical head-to-head record between these teams is tight, with Croatia winning two, Italy none, and three draws in their last five encounters. Their most recent meeting ended in a 1-1 draw during the Euro 2016 qualifiers.
As the tension builds in Leipzig, both teams will be acutely aware of the stakes. Croatia, known for their resilience in tough situations, will be looking to live up to their slogan, “Best when it’s hardest.”
Italy, on the other hand, must shake off their disappointing performance against Spain and recapture the form that made them European champions.
Kick-off is scheduled for 20:00 Nigerian time, with Dutch referee Danny Makkelie officiating and Rob Dieperink as VAR.
