The final EURO2024 Group B matchday promised to bring some excitement, as all the teams involved had potential to progress. The Leipzig leg lived up to its billing, as Croatia and Italy played out a thrilling 1-1 draw, in which a late Mattia Zaccagni goal – his first for the national team – rescued the Azzurri from the brink of elimination.
Coming in to the match, the group was completely in the balance, with only Spain guaranteed progression. Italy needed just a single point to move on, while Croatia needed a win to have a chance. Despite the must-win situation both teams found themselves in, the match was surprisingly cagey.
Italy spent much of the first half camped deep in their own half, with Croatia seemingly perplexed by the considerable possession they were enjoying, failing to create a concrete chance as the first 45 minutes passed without a goal.
The match opened up considerably after Luka Modrić’s 55th minute goal, which came less than a minute after the Real Madrid legend saw his penalty saved by Gianluigi Donnarumma. Italy seemed to realise the gravity of the situation as the goal doomed the Azzurri to third place in the group, before Zaccagni’s last-kick-of-the-game equaliser reversed the roles.
Here’s five things we learned from Croatia 1-1 Italy.
Italy’s conservatism does not bode well for knockout stages
Italy needed just one point in order to escape the group stage, and that was clear from their approach to the first half. Spalletti’s side sat deep in a five-at-the-back formation, clearly content to let their opponents hold onto the ball and look for the counterattack. Free kicks were passed backwards, few risks were taken, and mistakes were made in defence, such as the handball which led to Modric’s penalty.
It was not until said penalty that Italy came out of their shells, finally pushing forward in attack rather than sitting back. They left it very late, and were lucky to score at all.
Set to face Switzerland in the round-of-16, Italy cannot afford to play such patient football. Faced with a tactically complex side and a winner-takes-all situation, they will be forced to play much more dynamic, attacking football. To start on the front foot will be crucial: Italy cannot afford to play as passively as they did today.
We were treated to one more moment of Modrić magic, but it’s time for Croatia to start scouting for a replacement
Luka Modrić has had a sparkling international career, with 25 goals in 177 appearances, but he has enjoyed his swansong in Germany this summer. Now 38 years old, it is clear that the player is well past his prime.
For long spells against Italy, Modrić struggled to influence the game, offering little off the ball and failing to create in attack, managing to produce a paltry 0.05 expected assists as Croatia looked languid on the ball for long stretches.
While the ‘missed penalty into crucial goal’ sequence was dramatic, cathartic, historic, and everything in-between, it is crushing to see his international career end in such heart-wrenching fashion. Today may not have been his best performance in a checkered shirt, but he brings a Galactico quality to the Croatia camp that will be near impossible to replace.
His imminent departure is representative of Croatian football’s overall decline. Their fall from grace has been dramatic since qualifying for the FIFA World Cup final in 2018. A rebuilding period may be on the horizon.
Donnarumma can only do so much
At times, Italy seem to approach defending with some apathy, and this may be due to the fact that the back line has one of the best goalkeepers in world football behind them.
Donnarumma made eight saves against Spain and three against Croatia, including a saved penalty. He made another crucial stop at close range from Ante Budimir before the rebound was turned in by Modrić.
Donnarumma needs more from his back line – Italy’s reliance on the Paris Saint-Germain star is unsustainable. It very nearly sunk them today, and in a knockout situation, it’s a risky approach. A defensive reworking will be crucial if Italy are to progress beyond the round-of-16.
Croatia’s inability to play in wide spaces kneecaps tactical potential
The 4-3-3 lineup used by Croatia today is a foundational formation, relying heavily on the width provided by wingers and fullbacks to create chances.
Croatia struggled to make the most of those wide spaces against Italy, though, as starting wingers Mario Pasalic and Luka Sucic failed to influence the game, managing just one shot and forty passes between them, despite Croatia’s dominance in possession. The introductions of Ante Budimir and Luka Ivanusec were similarly ineffective.
With a period of rebuilding likely around the corner for Croatia, the wing positions will be one to focus on.
Spalletti’s corner tactic is clever but misused
If Spalletti’s Italy have contributed anything to this tournament outside of the last minutes of today’s match, it is an innovative new corner strategy. The new set-piece technique sees two Italians stand over a corner, similar to how many teams set up for free-kicks. Generally, the ball is played short towards the goal, where the receiving player moves the ball back infield towards the corner of the 18-yard box, where a cross is sent towards the back post.
The setup allows for a more dangerous cross to be played across the box, further from the goalkeeper’s reach but still arriving at the back post. This tactic has worked at times over the tournament, as Italy used it to score against Albania, but in 11 corners today Italy did not use the strategy once.
It poses a genuine threat to any backline, offering a different defensive challenge to squads which may not have faced such a set piece before. To have effect, though, it must be used. To send two players to take a corner and not utilise one of them is a waste of personnel.
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