Two former European Championship winners go toe-to-toe for pole position in Group B in Gelsenkirchen on Thursday night, attempting to build on their opening-day successes at Euro 2024.
A young Spanish team look re-born on the international stage following five premature exits at their previous five major tournaments, but as the holders, Italy will be reluctant to take a hand off the prized trophy.
We’ve looked at some of the best football betting offers, odds and markets from our range of football betting sites to provide you with Spain v Italy betting tips.
Spain v Italy Betting Tips
Spain v Italy Odds
- Spain to win odds - 6/5
- Draw odds - 11/5
- Italy to win odds - 13/5
Odds courtesy of Betfred, correct at the time of publication
Spain v Italy Match Preview
Euro winning credentials
When two footballing behemoths collide at such an early stage of the tournament, conclusions can often be forced post-match as to who has the higher ceiling over the month.
Top spot in Group B will see an easier route through the knockouts – probably avoiding dark horses Switzerland or Hungary in the Last 16 – so there is much more than bragging rights on the line between the combined five-times winners.
They’re hard to split throughout their history. Spain lead 13-11 in the all-time head-to-heads, with 16 draws coming out as the most common result, and a 17th can’t be ignored on Thursday night.
Spain’s newly-found attacking flair will no doubt ask questions of the Italian’s defence, with Alvaro Morata already amongst the goals (now joint-third in the all-time European Championships list) and 16-year-old Lamine Yamal looking dangerous on the right wing, and after Italy’s defence was breached after just 23 seconds against Albania, La Roja will smell blood.
But Alessandro Bastoni and Riccardo Calafiori look accomplished in the post-Bonucci and Chiellini era. The Italian centre-backs wrestled control back from the Albanian’s after going 1-0 down in their opening 2-1 win, and look a solid base to build a competent defence of their trophy from.
As ever with these group stage clashes between two tournament favourites, neither are going to want to commit too heavily in the opposition’s third. This isn’t to say that both Spain and Italy would settle for a draw before kick-off, but the longer these two go without a decisive lead in the game, then the draw really comes into play at 23/10 with Betfair.
Morata’s magic touch
Rate him or not, Alvaro Morata’s record at international level speaks for itself.
The now Spanish captain has bagged 36 in 74 for La Roja, and took just 29 minutes to get up and running on Saturday to notch his 7th European Championship goal across three tournaments.
With players like Fabian Ruiz, Pedri, Rodri, Nico Williams and the aforementioned Lamine Yamal giving him unlimited service, Morata to score the opener, again, at 21/4 with LiveScore Bet looks a good punt, with the anytime market giving you 5/2.
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