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Croatia vs Albania Prediction & Picks - Euro
by Dan Angell | in Euro Picks
Croatia looks to rebound in its second match in Group B when it faces minnow Albania at the Volksparkstadion in Hamburg, Germany. The Croatians were clearly a step behind Spain in their opening group match with Spain, making it clear that the defensive issues against Egypt and Portugal in friendlies were genuine cause for concern. Croatia had blanked four of its past six opponents during an unbeaten streak, but it wasn't exactly facing stiff opposition. The toughest opponent it saw in that stretch was Tunisia, not exactly a world power.
Albania nearly got its dream tournament when Italy gifted it a goal in the opening minute, but the rest of the match played out like most would expect. The Red and Blacks weren't completely outclassed, but they were also clearly second-best to the Azzurri. It's just hard to mount a strong offensive attack when only one of your strikers (Armando Broja) plies his trade in a top league. Most of Albania's players compete in smaller Eastern European nations, with a few playing in Italy and Broja at Fulham. The Albanians played well enough in qualifying to deserve to be here, but in this group, it was always going to be tough for them to get points.
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Even though Albania's easily the weakest side in the group, it's not a team that gets routed very often. Out of its past nine defeats, only two — a 3-0 loss to Chile and a 3-1 defeat to Italy — came by more than one goal. Albania's managed to keep things tight against Spain and Sweden, even scoring a goal against the Spaniards.
Croatia vs Albania Form
Table
| Teams | Pts | P | W | D | L | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
3
|
2 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | -3 |
|
4
|
1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | -2 |
Croatia and Albania Latest Matches
4/6 (67%)
1/6 (17%)
1/6 (17%)
Average stats (Last 6 matchs)
Jun 15, 2024 - Euro
Jun 8, 2024 - International Friendlies
Jun 3, 2024 - International Friendlies
Mar 26, 2024 - International Friendlies
Mar 23, 2024 - International Friendlies
Nov 21, 2023 - Euro
3/6 (50%)
2/6 (33%)
1/6 (17%)
Average stats (Last 6 matchs)
Jun 3, 2024 - International Friendlies
Nov 21, 2023 - Euro
Oct 12, 2023 - Euro
Sep 8, 2023 - Euro
Jun 18, 2023 - UEFA Nations League
Mar 25, 2023 - Euro
3/6 (50%)
1/6 (17%)
2/6 (33%)
Average stats (Last 6 matchs)
Jun 15, 2024 - Euro
Jun 8, 2024 - International Friendlies
Mar 26, 2024 - International Friendlies
Mar 23, 2024 - International Friendlies
Nov 18, 2023 - Euro
Oct 15, 2023 - Euro
2/6 (33%)
1/6 (17%)
3/6 (50%)
Average stats (Last 6 matchs)
Jun 15, 2024 - Euro
Jun 7, 2024 - International Friendlies
Jun 3, 2024 - International Friendlies
Mar 25, 2024 - International Friendlies
Mar 22, 2024 - International Friendlies
Nov 20, 2023 - Euro
4/6 (67%)
1/6 (17%)
1/6 (17%)
Average stats (Last 6 matchs)
Jun 7, 2024 - International Friendlies
Jun 3, 2024 - International Friendlies
Mar 22, 2024 - International Friendlies
Nov 20, 2023 - Euro
Oct 12, 2023 - Euro
Sep 10, 2023 - Euro
1/6 (17%)
2/6 (33%)
3/6 (50%)
Average stats (Last 6 matchs)
Jun 15, 2024 - Euro
Mar 25, 2024 - International Friendlies
Nov 17, 2023 - Euro
Sep 7, 2023 - Euro
Jun 20, 2023 - Euro
Mar 27, 2023 - Euro
Croatia - Albania: Form Analysis
Five of Croatia's past seven wins have come to nil, but Croatia has conceded in five of its past nine matches overall. Albania has won two of its five matches in 2024, and it has conceded in four of its past five matches.
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Croatia against Albania Lineups: Starting 11
Formation : 4 - 3 - 3
Formation : 4 - 3 - 3
Missing players
N. Vlasic
Croatia & Albania Squad Analysis
Luka Modric came off at the 65th minute, mainly to save his legs for the last two group matches. But it also served as a reminder that at 38, he lacks the endurance he once had. But Croatia doesn't have its next generational talent on its roster yet, which is why expectations were low for this tournament.
Most goals and assists
Croatia
Albania
A. Kramaric
(1 Goals)
,
L. Modric
(1 Goals)
N. Bajrami
(1 Goals)
,
K. Gjasula
(1 Goals)
,
Q. Laci
(1 Goals)
A. Budimir
(1 Assists)
J. Asani
(1 Assists)
Croatia - Albania Key Points
- Albania have scored in eight straight competitive matches.
- Latvia is the only European side Croatia has beaten by more than one goal since March 2023.
- Croatia have conceded in three of its four matches in 2024.
- Ten of Albania’s past 11 matches have seen three goals or less.
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Our Croatia vs Albania Prediction
Croatia's leaky defense is a worry, and Albania has no reason to go into a shell. The Red and Blacks know they need a miracle to secure passage to the next round, as they've got to beat either Croatia or Spain to progress as a third-place team. That's almost certainly not going to happen, but the Albanians can certainly keep this competitive.
They can also find space in the Croatian defense and take advantage of older legs. Albania has absolutely nothing to lose, so it should at least go for a win for the first 45 to 60 minutes. If it does that, it's probably going to notch a goal. Our prediction for Croatia vs. Albania is a Yes on Both teams to Score.
Croatia vs Albania - Other Interesting Picks
Arber Hoxha Anytime Scorer
Arber Hoxha could be a secret weapon in this matchup. He plays for Dinamo Zagreb, so he's got a little bit of knowledge of Croatia's soccer style and how the Croatian midfield likes to play. He's likely to let his teammates know what's going to work, which makes him a highly intriguing prospect to find the net. With these odds, he's worth taking a flier, especially if Albania finds itself in need of a late equalizer.
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All tips are fully researched and given in good faith, but profits cannot be guaranteed.
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