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The first round in Group C did not bring any surprises. In this round's matches, there are clear favorites, and we will see the outcome already tonight. Let's review the prospects of the future opponents and present the odds set by the bookmakers "TonyBet".
Italy - 2.30; Draw - 3.15; Croatia - 3.30
At first glance, the match seems promising. Italian footballers must win this meeting, but the last three times they were defeated by Croatia, and this match will definitely not be a walk in the park.
The Italians played really well against the Spanish team, but beating three defenders is much easier than overcoming the focused defense of the Croatian national team. The team's coach emphasized that changes in the line-up are not planned - in order for the team to gain stability. It will be interesting to see how the blue team will look in the role of an attacking team - we have already seen that they know how to break the opponents.
The Croatian footballers have truly prepared well for these European football championships, and the match with Ireland was just the first step. They understand well that they can defeat any opponent because they have confidence in their abilities. Undoubtedly, Luka Modric is the conductor of the team on the field and a true leader of the Croatians.
From the defensive line to the attack, the Croatians look excellent, but if they want to advance from Group C, they must overcome the Italians, as the World and European champions, Spain, are not the team that is preparing to give away even one point.
Spain - 1.24; Draw - 5.80; Ireland - 13.50
Once again, a match where both teams will seek victory, but the names of the Spanish players allow them to hope for an easy three points.
Spain - the dominant force in world football must win against the Irish national team. No other place apart from the first one in the group satisfies them, and losing two points against the Italian team has diminished their chances of triumph in Group C. This team is certainly not lacking in creativity, but with the main striker D.Villa out of the lineup, they lack a reliable goal scorer.
Giovanni Trapattoni noted that his team's game in the match against Croatia was very poor, which means that the coach expects a better performance from them in the future. The team's core consists of veterans who will not panic during crucial matches. The painful loss in the first round shattered the Irish's chances of progressing to the next stage.
The Irish have nothing left to lose, because losing this match would secure them an early ticket home, so we can expect an open attacking football from both national teams.
