Watch the match between Italy and Croatia in the European Championship

Today marks the conclusion of the third and final round of group stage matches in the UEFA Euro 2024 Championship being held in Germany, where 24 teams compete for qualification to the Round of 16.

In this context, the Italian national team will face their Croatian counterparts today, Monday, in the context of Group B matches, which also includes Spain and Albania.

Before the match, scheduled for 10:00 PM Cairo time, the Italian team occupies second place in the group with 3 points, having won against Albania in the first round and lost to Spain in the second round.

On the other hand, the Croatian national team sits at the bottom of the group with 1 point, after losing to Spain and drawing with Albania.

Exciting atmospheres and intense competition are expected between the two teams, each striving for victory and securing qualification to the knockout stages of the tournament.

To clarify Italy's qualification scenarios for the Euro 2024 Round of 16:

1. If Italy wins:

   - A win against Croatia will directly qualify Italy to the Round of 16, regardless of the result of the Spain vs. Albania match.

2. If Italy draws:

   - A draw against Croatia will bring Italy's total points to 4.

   - Italy's qualification with a draw depends on the result of the Albania vs. Spain match.

   - If Albania loses to Spain, Italy will qualify automatically due to their direct win against Albania in the group stage.

3. If Italy loses:

   - If Italy loses to Croatia, Albania will qualify for the Round of 16 if they defeat Spain.

   - This means if Italy loses and Albania wins, Albania and Spain will be the teams qualifying from the group, and Italy will exit the tournament in the group stage.

Thus, Italy's fate is determined based on today's match results, with a focus on winning to secure direct qualification without depending on other teams' outcomes.

The expected line-ups for Italy vs. Croatia highlight both teams' attacking strengths and suitable defensive tactics. Here are the expected line-ups:

Italy:

- Goalkeeper: Donnarumma

- Defense: Di Lorenzo, Calabria, Bastoni, Darmian

- Midfield: Camavinga, Barella, Jorginho, Cristante

- Forward: Raspadori, Chiesa

Croatia:

- Goalkeeper: Livaković

- Defense: Štanjoković, Ćaleta-Car, Sutalo, Javorić

- Midfield: Modrić, Kovačić, Pašalić, Majer, Kramarić

- Forward: Budimir

These line-ups reflect the technical ability and experience of each team, with players like Donnarumma and Modrić expected to play key roles in their respective teams' performances today.