Despite starting the tournament with a 1-0 deficit, Italy secured its first victory in the European Championships against Albania with a crucial 2-1 win. In what was the quickest goal in tournament history, Barella scored from the edge of the area in the 16th minute. Alessandro Bastoni equalized for Italy in the 11th minute with a free header from close range.
Despite facing an underdog opponent, Italy showed dominance throughout the game and held control in the second half. However, goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma made a crucial save in injury time to secure Italy’s victory. With this win, Italy moved into first place in Group B alongside Spain.
The next match for Italy will be against Spain, which could determine the outcome of the group. Albania will try to revive its campaign against Croatia as they look to improve their performance and keep their hopes alive for qualification to the knockout stages. Barella is expected to play a pivotal role in Italy’s success throughout this tournament, just as he did during Euro 2024 when they won it all. Martin Rogers is covering this tournament for FOX Sports and can be followed on Twitter @MRogersFOX for daily updates and analysis on UEFA Euro 2024.
Italy’s victory over Albania has put them on track to defend their title at Euro 2024, despite being overlooked beforehand as one of the favorites to win it all. The team is determined to prove their worth and make history once again on home soil.
