Group B looks as though it will be one of the toughest sections at Euro 2024 but there could be one-way traffic when Italy take on Albania in Dortmund.
With games against Spain and Croatia to come for Italy, the importance of winning this game, which is live on BBC1 at 8pm on Saturday, will not be lost on them.
The Azzurri are out to prove a point after failing to qualify for the Qatar World Cup two years ago, while Albania will be hoping to improve on their only previous appearance at the Euros, when they exited in the group stage in 2016.
In qualifying Italy were sandwiched between England and Ukraine in their group, while Albania defied expectations to finish top of the pile in their group.
Italy to win to nil – 1/1
Make no mistake, there are plenty of question marks surrounding this Italy team.
The Azzurri are not the team they were when they beat England at Wembley three years ago with the majority of their stars from that tournament having departed.
Luciano Spalletti took charge in September last year following the surprise departure of Roberto Mancini and it is fair to say he is still trying to impose his methods on the team.
But Italy still finished second in a qualifying group featuring England and Ukraine and they have won three of their four matches this year.
Their deficiencies are likely to be exposed by bigger teams later in the tournament, or even in the group stage, but they should have few problems against Albania, who lack bite going forwards.
Albania deserve credit for winning their Euro 2024 qualifying group, having finished above Czech Republic and Poland, but going forward they possess little firepower with Armando Broja and Rey Manaj their most notable attacking options.
They scored only 12 goals during their qualification campaign – the lowest of any of the qualifying group winners – and they drew blanks in matches with Sweden, Chile and Faroe Islands earlier this year.
Italy have recorded clean sheets in three of their four friendlies this year and a win to nil for Spalletti’s men could be the way to play it in the betting.
Federico Chiesa to score at anytime – 2/1
The biggest problem facing Italy at Euro 2024 is the absence of a prolific out-and-out goalscorer.
They will therefore be looking to wide players and midfielders to step up to the plate with goals and Federico Chiesa could be key to any chances they have of going deep.
Chiesa scored twice at Euro 2020 for Italy and back in November he got on the scoresheet twice in a 5-2 hammering of North Macedonia.
His pace on the flank could fluster a weak Albania backline and he is worth a bet to find the net.
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