Croatia were supposed to be a contender in the UEFA Euro 2024 after reaching the semifinals of the Qatar 2022 World Cup in which they were stopped by Lionel Messi and Argentina.
Zlatko Dalic leads a team full of stars such as Modric, Ivan Perisic, Josko Gvardiol, Marcelo Brozovic, Mateo Kovacic and Andrej Kramaric. However, age could be a key factor.
In their long awaited debut against Spain, Croatia were absolutely dominated and lost 3-0 at Berlin. It was a terrible performance that sparked many doubts regarding a veteran generation.
What happens if Croatia win against Albania in UEFA Euro 2024?
If Croatia get a win against Albania, they would reach three points in Group B sitting behind Spain (3 points) and Italy (3 points). Those two former World Champions face tomorrow at Gelsenkirchen.
In this scenario, the Croatian team would only need a tie with Italy in their final match to secure their spot in the Round of 16. It could be as second or their third place.
UEFA Euro 2024: What happens if Croatia lose against Albania today?
If Croatia lose to Albania in Group B of the UEFA Euro 2024, they could be really close of getting eliminated with zero points after two matches. As a consequence, Luka Modric and his teammates will have to beat Italy next Monday at Leipzig and even that might not be enough.
It’s important to remember that the first and second place of each group advance to the Round of 16, but, with only three points (if they manage to get a victory over Italy), Croatia would only aspire to a third place. The four best third places overall get a ticket to the next stage.
So, they will have to wait for the development of things in other groups to know their fate, but, there’s a major disadvantage for Dalic’s squad: goal difference. With no goals scored and four received, it’s going to be un uphill battle against the other third places.
The best scenario for Croatia will be Spain beating Italy in their pending match before the final game of Group B. That way, Spain will have 6 points, while Italy and Albania would have three.
In that case, if Croatia get a win over Italy and Spain defeat Albania, they could produce a three-way tie with three points. Then, the goal difference will determine the second and third place.
What happens if Croatia tie with Albania in UEFA Euro 2024?
If Croatia and Albania tie, that changes things completely for Dalic and his players. With one point in the tournament, they would at least control their destiny to get in as a best third place with a win over Italy the final game of the group (reaching 4 points).
