Today, June 24, in the final group stage match of Euro 2024, Spain will face Albania in Düsseldorf. The match is scheduled to start at 21:00 Central European Time.
Albania
The Albanian national team is having a historic European Championship. This is only the second time Albania has qualified for the Euros, and they find themselves in the “group of death.” Before the tournament, everyone predicted Albania would finish last with zero points. However, Albania currently sits third with one point.
In their opening match, Albania scored the fastest goal in European Championship history, with Nedim Bajrami netting in the 21st second against Italy. However, Italy responded with two goals before halftime to take all three points. In their match against Croatia, Albania almost secured a win. Silvinho’s team led 1-0 at halftime but conceded twice in the 74th and 76th minutes. Just when it seemed defeat was inevitable, Albania equalized in the 90+5 minute.
Theoretically, Albania can still advance to the playoffs, but they need to achieve the near-impossible feat of defeating Spain.
Spain
The Spanish national team has been one of the revelations of Euro 2024. Everyone knew Luis de la Fuente had a strong squad, but few expected them to perform this well. The match against Albania holds no significance for “La Furia Roja” in terms of tournament progression. Spain has six points and has already secured the top spot in the group. Therefore, the coaching staff can afford to rotate the squad.
In their opening match of Euro 2024, Spain steamrolled Croatia with a 3-0 victory, with goals from Álvaro Morata, Fabián Ruiz, and Dani Carvajal in the first half. In the second match, Spain dominated against Italy but only won thanks to an own goal by Riccardo Calafiori.
Interesting facts about the match and head-to-head history
- Albania has yet to win a match in European Championships.
- Spain and Albania have faced each other eight times, with Spain winning all eight matches.