With the Germany-Scotland opener behind us, Euro 2024 has its first full day of matches on Saturday. Three group matches kick off on Saturday, including a showcase match between Spain and Croatia.
Hungary and Switzerland start things off with a match in Group A before the loaded Group B gets underway. Spain is favored against Croatia in Group B action, but these are two of the most successful European nations in the last decade or so. Italy has the final match in Group B against Albania, which is taking part in its second European Championship.
All odds from BetMGM.
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Hungary vs. Switzerland
Kickoff time: 9 a.m. ET/2 p.m. BST/3 p.m. CEST
Venue: RheinEnergieStadion — Cologne
Compared to the matches later in the day, this does feel like a bit of an undercard match.
Hungary has been a beneficiary of the expanded 24-team field, having qualified for the last three tournaments after a 44-year absence. The Magyars even got out of the group stage in 2016. They have a decent shot to replicate that feat this year, opening the tournament with -150 odds to advance.
Switzerland is more experienced at major tournaments, having qualified for the last five World Cups and the last three Euros. The Swiss made a quarterfinal three years ago, knocking out France in penalties before losing to Spain in penalties.
This year, we’ve got a lot of the same names leading Switzerland. Bayer Leverkusen’s Granit Xhaka has 125 caps and Chicago Fire midfielder Xherdan Shaqiri has 123.
The Swiss are favored in this match, but not by a wide margin.
Spain vs. Croatia
Kickoff time: Noon ET/5 p.m. BST/6 p.m. CEST
Venue: Olympiastadion — Berlin
This could be a semifinal and no one would think twice. Heck, these two teams met in the final of the 2022-23 UEFA Nations League (which Spain won in penalties after a goalless match).
Spain has dropped off since its dominant run from 2008-2012, which included two European trophies and a World Cup title, but it is still among the best European teams. The Spaniards made the semifinals at the last Euro, and that Nations League victory was a solid step for a younger, less-proven squad.
Manchester City’s Rodri and Barcelona’s Pedri lead what should be another dominant Spain midfield. Barcelona’s 16-year-old winger Lamine Yamal could become the youngest player to ever take part in a European Championships.
Meanwhile, Croatia is hoping to make a run at a Euro after doing well in every other competition in recent years. Croatia made the 2018 World Cup final and was third in Qatar in 2022, in addition to the aforementioned UEFA Nations League final last year. Croatia has never made a deep run in the Euros, though. The nation’s best showing is two quarterfinals in 1996 and 2008.
This could also be the beginning of the end of the Croatia career for 38-year-old Luka Modrić, who has been central to all of Croatia’s success for the last several years.
Italy vs. Albania
Kickoff time: 3 p.m. ET/8 p.m. BST/9 p.m. CEST
Venue: BVB Stadion Dortmund — Dortmund
Italy is the defending champion, but the Azzurri have plenty to prove at this tournament. When the Italians won the last Euro three years ago, Italy was coming off a shocking failure to qualify for the 2018 World Cup. That championship restored pride in the national team and reinserted Italy as a world power.
Then Italy failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup, and we’re back in the same place. Italy is being overlooked and hoping for a return to its previous form. In the betting odds to win the tournament, Italy opened as the sixth favorite, with a solid gap from the top tier of contenders.
This tournament represents a chance for Italy to prove it is back among the continent’s elite, but Group B is far from easy. This game against Albania feels like an immediate must-win for the Italians, given Spain and Croatia await in the next two matches.
Italy is unsurprisingly a big favorite in this match. Albania is +300 (3-to-1) to advance out of Group B. The Albanians’ only other Euro appearance was in 2016, when they were knocked out in the group stage but beat Romania in the final match.
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(Photo of Rodri: Rafa Babot / Getty Images)