Group H is quickly becoming one of the more intriguing groups in this cycle of European Championships qualifying. Through three rounds, Bulgaria have intrigued despite winning just one match, and Norway have played very well, even in their loss to Italy. Croatia and Italy, though, have been perfect in their first three matches, with each side registering three wins.
Italy vs. Croatia live stream: Time, TV schedule and how to watch Euro 2016 qualifying online
Italy and Croatia are both perfect after three rounds in Group H of the Euro 2016 qualifying stage. Who will take the glory today and take the top spot in the group for themselves?
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Now the two titans of the group are getting set to slug it out (though Mother Nature may have something to say about that), with first place on the line. On paper, Croatia have a slight edge, with nine goals scored in the group and none surrendered, as well as a squad of players more used to playing with one another. Italy, however, have yet to lose under Antonio Conte, who took over as Italy's manager after their bitter World Cup exit. With the match taking place at one of Europe's most iconic stadiums in the San Siro, this could be an affair that will entertain, amaze, and be well worth remembering.
Key player - Luka Modrić (Croatia)
While other Croatians have more caps or have scored more goals for their country than Modrić, no one in this squad is more important to the side than the pocket-sized midfielder. Modrić‘s top-shelf passing and creativity coupled with his under-rated defensive work has lead Croatia to some impressive performances over the last few years, and he played a huge role in getting his side to the World Cup this summer. If Italy want to win this match, Claudio Marchisio and Daniele De Rossi are going to have to figure out how to keep Modrić under wraps, or it’s going to be a long day at the office for Italy’s midfield.
Key Question - What does Antonio Conte have up his sleeve?
Between injuries and sheer experimentation, Conte made a lot of changes to his Italy squad for this match. Without Andrea Pirlo, Leodardo Bonucci, or Marco Veratti, and with additional injuries to Mario Balotelli and Angelo Ogbonna in training this week, it’s going to be interesting to see who plays where for Italy in this match. Does Conte stick with his 3-5-2 and just utilize a different set of tactics to better fit the players in the squad? Does he play more of a 4-3-3 to protect his thin defense and exploit his deeper attack? Will he maybe do something else entirely? No matter what, it’s going to be hard for Croatia to prepare for any one approach, because Conte simply has too many options available for this match.
Match Date/Time: Sunday, 8:45 P.M. local, 2:45 P.M. ET
Venue: San Siro, Milan, Italy
TV: Fox Sports 1 (U.S. - English), Fox Deportes (U.S. - Spanish), RAI Uno (Italy), HRT 2 (Croatia)
Online: Fox Soccer 2GO (U.S.)
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