2024 Euro Group B Odds: Clear Group of Death
Spain, Croatia and Italy in Same Group
La Roja Enter Tournament as Group Favorites
Spain, Croatia, Italy, and Albania were all cursing their luck after the Euro 2024 draw. The four teams are all in Group B for the upcoming UEFA Euro 2024. Granted, three of them can qualify out of the group, but it’ll be draining to have such difficult matches early on in the competition. Spain, 2022-23 UEFA Nations League winners, are currently the favorites to win the group. Three of these teams reached the Nations League Semifinals. For the “Group of Death”, we’ll preview each team and take a closer look at the 2024 Euro Group B odds.
More Balanced Spain Could Make Deep Run
The Spain national football team has arguably the most underappreciated player in the world. Rodri is the undisputed best defensive midfielder in the world but the Manchester City man doesn’t receive much press. He will be the lynchpin for Spain that allows more creative players to combine further up the pitch.
Spain also didn’t lose a 90-minute match at Euro 2024 and were knocked out in penalties by Italy in the Semifinals. Once Luis de la Fuente took over after the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Spain didn’t lose any of their remaining Euro qualifiers. They also triumphed in the UEFA Nations League over Italy and Croatia last Summer.
While Spain sometimes tiki-taka themselves to death, there are more direct players involved now. Barcelona’s 16-year-old star Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams are two prime examples. Striker Alvaro Morata isn’t universally appreciated. However, only four players in Spain’s history have scored more goals for the national team.
Spain seem to have enough balance to make a deep run in this competition but they could also come up against a counterattacking side and fall early on. Currently, the 2024 Euro Group B odds list Spain at a -125 price to be group winners. We highly doubt they’ll finish at the bottom of the group but punters can bet on that potentiality at +2500.
Croatia Shouldn’t Be Written Off
The Croatians fell just short vs. Spain at last Summer’s Euro Nations League. In what looked like Luka Modric’s last opportunity to win international silverware, Croatia lost to Spain on penalties. Modric has another chance to deliver his country a trophy but the odds are certainly stacked against them.
Modric, the legendary Real Madrid midfielder, is now 38. His usual midfield partners Marcelo Brozovic and Mateo Kovacic certainly aren’t getting any younger either. Still, coach Zlatko Dalic seems to get the best out of his players, as Croatia have advanced to the knockout stage of their last four major tournaments.
While there are young players, like Man City’s Josko Gvardiol, in defense, Dalic has gone with a litany of experience further up the pitch. One of Bruno Petkovic, Andre Kramaric, or Ante Budimir will certainly have to step up and score goals if Croatia are to go far. They sit at +450 odds to win the group and +225 odds to finish at the bottom.
Still, Croatia shouldn’t be written off just yet. After all, they did reach the 2018 World Cup Final and won third place four years later.
More Questions than Answers for Defending Champs Italy
Defending champions Italy certainly have a new look heading into Euro 2024. The likes of Ciro Immobile, Leonardo Bonucci, Giorgio Chiellini, and Andrea Belotti are gone as well as manager Roberto Mancini. Alessandro Bastoni is Italy’s new key central defender and new coach Luciano Spalletti, who won the Scudetto with Napoli, has some key decisions to make.
Will Spalletti cater to his Inter Milan clientele and play with a wingback system or employ a 4-3-3? Will in form Atalanta man Gianluca Scamacca lead the line or will he call on Mateo Retegui or Giacomo Raspadori? The fact that there are more questions than answers at this stage for Italy is somewhat concerning.
However, the expectations aren’t exactly high and that’s precisely when Italy have tended to thrive in the past. An experienced midfield can go a long way and Nicolo Barella and Jorginho certainly know what it takes to win the Euros. Gianluigi Donnarumma is also one of the tournament’s best shot stoppers.
In some unfortunate Italy news, left back Destiny Udogie will miss the tournament due to an injury. Still, wing back Federico Dimarco is coming off a superb season with Inter Milan and should have some part in Spalletti’s team. Italy show +200 odds to win Group B and +1600 odds to finish in dead last.
Albania Victims of the Draw
The Kuqezinjtë were shock Group E winners in UEFA Euro 2024 Qualifiers. They went unbeaten in their last seven matches as they beat out both Czechia and Poland to the top spot. This will be coach Sylvinho’s first foray into a major international tournament, along with most of his players. Unfortunately, they’ll be thrown straight into the fire, taking on three of Europe’s elite teams.
Defender Berat Djimsiti just captained Atalanta to the Europa League title. Meanwhile, Kristjan Asllani made a fair few appearances for Scudetto-winners Inter Milan this season. Striker Rey Manaj also scored 18 goals in the Turkish Super Lig this season for Sivasspor and Albania will rely on him for goals.
Albania aren’t outstanding in any one area but they are typically a well-organized group. After all, they conceded just four goals in eight Euro 2024 qualifiers. We could see Albania getting a result or two and sneaking into the knockout stage. Winning the Group of Death with this squad would be one of the footballing achievements of the year. The 2024 Euro Group B odds list Albania as +2500 longshots. They are the odds-on favorite to finish in last place, at -250.
