Euro 2024: Familiar foes Spain and Croatia clash again in group opener

Spain's bid for a fourth European Championship title begins on Saturday night against Croatia in Berlin's Olympiastadion – where the final will be played next month. The other teams in the group are defending champions Italy and Albania.

Spain and Croatia are meeting for the fourth successive time at the European Championship. Spain knocked out Croatia with a 5-3 extra-time win in the round of 16 at Euro 2020. Spain also defeated Croatia on penalties to win the UEFA Nations League last year.

Zlatko Dalic's Croatia team is again led by the evergreen Luka Modric, who at 38 will be playing at the tournament for the fifth time. Modric joins his national teammates after winning a Spanish league and Champions League double with Real Madrid.

Spain warmed up with big wins over Andorra and Northern Ireland, with Real Sociedad forward Mikel Oyarzabal bagging four goals over the two games.

Croatia warmed up with an encouraging win over Portugal.

Spain midfielder Dani Olmo played for Croatian powerhouse Dinamo Zagreb between 2014-20. During this time, he played with Croatia players Dominik Livakovic, Bruno Petkovic, Lovro Majer, Josip Sutalo, Josko Gvardiol, Luka Ivanusec, Marko Pjaca and Borna Sosa. Dalic acknowledged he would have liked the 26-year-old Olmo to play for Croatia, instead.

Italy vs. Albania

Italy will begin the defense of its European Championship title against Albania on Saturday night in their first Group B game. They are back at a major tournament after failing to qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. That was a second straight World Cup that the Azzurri missed, though they won Euro 2020 in between.

Italy first played at Borussia Dortmund's stadium in 2006 – and it was a classic game in the World Cup. A semifinal match against Germany that went to extra time at 0-0 before goals by Fabio Grosso and Alessandro Del Piero sealed a 2-0 win.

Albania is playing in the Euros for the second time. The first occasion was in 2016 and the team failed to get out of its group.

Attacking midfielder Davide Frattesi should be available for Italy after returning to training following a minor groin injury. Nicolo Barella and Nicoo Fagioli have both been training separately this week as they recover from muscle issues. Barella is a sure starter if fit, and coach Luciano Spalletti said Friday the midfielder should be ready.

After finishing the season well with Europa League champion Atalanta, Gianluca Scamacca seems to have won the tussle with Mateo Retegui – born in Argentina but eligible to play for Italy through his maternal grandmother – to be Italy's starting striker. Still to be determined is whether Spalletti goes with a four-man defense or three at the back with wing backs. It'll likely be the latter, with Italy having somewhat of a defensive crisis following the withdrawals of Giorgio Scalvini and Francesco Acerbi because of injuries.

Albania coach Sylvinho, the former Barcelona, Arsenal and Brazil left back who was sworn in as an Albanian citizen last month, has no reported injuries to worry about ahead of the match. Armando Broja is expected to start up front despite barely featuring for Fulham in a loan spell from Chelsea in the second half of the season.

Poland vs. Netherlands

Stripped of their leading lights, the Netherlands and Poland will limp to the start line at the European Championship on Sunday when they begin their Group D campaign in Hamburg.

The Dutch must do without playmaker Frenkie de Jong due to an ankle injury and Poland talisman Robert Lewandowski will also miss the opening game.

Poland were already without right-back Matty Cash and striker Arkadiusz Milik when forward Karol Swiderski hurt his ankle while celebrating the opening goal in Monday's friendly against Turkey. He and Lewandowski should, however, be fit for the second group game against Austria.

The Dutch injury list also includes Europa League winners Marten de Roon and Teun Koopmeiners as well as defender Sven Botman.

"In principle we still have a strong squad now. I think that we have been a little unlucky with quite a few injuries during the past year and also for sure a lot of injuries to players who were more than valuable for the national team," Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman said.

Poland are likely to suffer more of a morale blow with the absence of 35-year-old Lewandowski who has scored a national record 82 goals in 150 internationals.

"He's an outstanding player, who has given much to the team in how he helped in every way," Poland coach Michal Probierz said.