SPAIN and Croatia are facing off in a mouthwatering Euro 2024 clash on RIGHT NOW!The Furia Roja and the Croats have been drawn in a gruelling group that also includes fellow favourites Italy and minnows Albania.On the team news front, Spain’s 16-year-old forward Lamine Yamal starts to make history as the youngest player to play at the European Championships.And whoever wins this match could set the tone for the top spot in Group B.
Kick-off: 5pm BST
TV channel/ live stream: ITV 1
Spain XI: Unai Simon; Carvajal, Le Normand, Nacho, Cucurella; Fabian Ruiz, Rodri, Pedri; Lamine Yamal, Morata, Nico Williams
Croatia XI: Livakovic; Stanisic, Sutalo, Pongracic, Gvardiol; Modric, Brozovic, Kovacic; Majer, Kramaric; Budimir
EURO 2024 FREE BETS AND OFFERSSpain 0-0 Croatia
6. Neat football from Spain, as they work the ball around the edge of the box.
Fabian looks to thread a ball into Yamine Lamal, but the pass is just too heavy for the youngster.
Copy linkCopiedSpain 0-0 Croatia
4. Le Normand looks for Alvaro Morata with a ball over the top, but it is well claimed by Livakovic.
Mateo Kovacic picks the ball up in midfield here, and Croatia recycle possession.
Copy linkCopiedSpain 0-0 Croatia
2. This feels like a home match for Croatia, the support they’ve got in the stadium looks like 6-1.
Copy linkCopiedKICK OFF – Spain 0-0 Croatia
0. Here we go!
The referee gets the game underway, and it is Croatia who get us going.
Copy linkCopiedLove is in the air
Are you ready? These two certainly are!
Living all of our dreams, I hope you’re happy Croatia…Credit: AP
Copy linkCopiedFIVE minutes to go
We are ready to get underway here.
The players are walking out of the tunnel, led by Real Madrid’s Dani Carvajal and Luka Modric.
Kick-off is coming to you live, NEXT.
Copy linkCopiedCucurella over Grimaldo
Alejandro Grimaldo was arguably the best and most important player in Bayer Leverkusen’s unbelievable unbeaten domestic season.
So you may be understandably perplexed as to why he’s been displaced in the starting XI for Spain by Chelsea’s Marc Cucurella.
The Blues’ fullback had an underwhelming start to the season, but certainly ended it strongly playing as an inverted left back.
He is probably considered stronger defensively by De La Fuente than Grimaldo, but expect to see the latter make an appearance if things are not looking up for Spain.
Copy linkCopiedJoe Cole full of praise for Luka Modric
Ex-England and Chelsea winger Joe Cole is absolutely full of praise for Croatia’s Luka Modric today:
“I love Luka Modric, I think he is probably this generations best midfielder, I’d put him slightly above Toni Kroos.
“He’s 38, approaching 39, to be doing what he is doing at his age is just sensational.
“I think he’s the best midfielder of our generation.”
“I think he’s the best midfielder of our generation”Joe Coleon beIN Sports
Copy linkCopiedAre you ready? These guys are…
Some absolutely fantastic fan outfits on display today.
Some fantastic outfits on displayCredit: Reuters
Spain are hopeful of another Euro’s heading back to their countryCredit: Getty
Copy linkCopiedFancy seeing you here!
Spain and Croatia are no strangers.
Not only were they involved in *that* Euro 2020 Round of 16 clash, they were also both involved in last year’s Nations League final.
If you don’t remember when they met at Euro 2020, here’s a reminder for you.
The game ended 5-3 (yes, you read that correctly) to Spain, in a thrilling clash that went to extra time before Alvaro Morata and Mikel Oyarzabal put the nail in the Croatian coffin.
As for the Nations League final last year, is was La Furia Roja who lifted the trophy on penalties, with Petkovic missing the all important spot kick.
Spain got the better of Croatia four years agoCredit: Reuters
Copy linkCopiedWhat are the odds?
This is a tough one to call, the first marquee clash of Euro 2024.
We can’t predict it, so let’s take a look at the Betfair odds to help us out.
Accoring to ex-Spain star Gazika Mendieta, it will be a draw:
“How far will Spain get? I’d love to say the final. But from recent tournaments we don’t know which Spain side we will get. I think we are quite unpredictable in that sense.
“I’ll go for a draw here, Croatia are still being run by Luka Modric, let’s say 2-2.”
Spain 4/5
Draw 15/8
Croatia 16/5
These odds are correct as of the time of publication according to Betfair.
Copy linkCopiedLike a fine wine
Who comes to mind?
Thiago Silva? Andrea Pirlo?
For me, it’s Luka Modric.
The Croatian midfielder is an absolute spectacle, and still plays as though he was 23.
He may have lost a yard of pace, but every time he plays he reminds us of the level of technical ability in a midfielder which is largely unparalleled in the modern day.
Still winning Champions League medals in his club career, this is a man who may be getting on but is certainly still a titan in the European game.
There are 22 years between him and Lamine Yamal, wild.
Luka Modric is ageing like a fine wine at 38Credit: Getty
Copy linkCopiedLamine Yamal – record breaker
When you talk about special talents, this man is right up there.
Starting on the right wing for Spain, Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal becomes the youngest player ever to feature at the Euros aged just 16 years and 338 days old.
It happens on special day for the Spanish wonderkid, his father Mounir’s birthday.
He might be young, but boy is he special.
Having watched him a few times for Barcelona this season he is certainly a player to keep an eye on, and will surely cause Croatia a handful of problems.
Copy linkCopiedSpain’s starting XI
This is how Spain line up!
Spain’s starting team to face CroatiaCredit: @SEFutbol – X
Copy linkCopiedCroatia’s starting XI:
This is how Croatia line up as they look to get the better of Spain
Croatia’s starting XICredit: @HNS_CFF
Copy linkCopiedThe key man for Spain
This is a very, very talented Spanish national team.
While the starting lineup is yet to be announced, you can be sure that there will be one man who is nailed on in midfield.
That man is Manchester City’s Rodri.
A defensive midfielder by nature, he is so much more than that.
He has added goals and assists to his name this season, and absolutely loves a rocket from outside the box.
If the national side can put together a similar unbeaten run to what Man City did this season with him in the team, they may well go all the way in this tournament.
Luka Modric and co will need to be quick to try and dispossess him when they can.
Rodri will be the key man for SpainCredit: Getty
Copy linkCopiedHello! Welcome to Spain vs Croatia!
Good afternoon and welcome to what has got to be the best clash of the 2024 European Championships so far, Spain vs Croatia!
The first game in the ‘group of death’ which also includes Italy and Albania who play later on.
You have to imagine the winner of this tie will be the pacesetter in the group, so there is plenty to play for.
Croatia have been a huge success story in recent years, but with an ageing squad this tournament will either reveal a few chinks in their armour, or show that they have aged like fine wines.
As for Spain, they have been far from the side they were in the 2008 and 2012 championships, when they won it back to back, but have got an exciting crop of young players, and an experienced number nine too.
It’s going to be an absolute belter of a game, so stay with us for full coverage of it!
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