Dugout Discussion

Italy v Albania team news: Barella + Frattesi fit to start

After a comprehensive win for Spain over Croatia earlier, the day’s other Group B fixture sees Italy face Albania.

Kick-off in Dortmund is at 20:00 BST.

The bookies’ favourites have all prospered in the three Euro 2024 fixtures so far.

And Italy are red hot favourites this evening, as short as 3/10 with some bookmakers to win tonight.

Many Fantasy managers are heavily invested in the reigning champions as a result, with Federico Dimarco, Jorginho and Gianluigi Donnarumma all owned by 15% or more.

All three start this evening.

Luciano Spalletti looked to have gone with a 4-2-3-1 for the start of Italy’s European Championship defence.

He can call upon midfielders Nicolo Barella and Davide Frattesi, too, following minor injury concerns for the pair ahead of the tournament.

For Albania, Thomas Strakosha gets the nod in the battle of the two €4.0m goalkeepers.

There’s a familiar name in attack, as well, in the form of Chelsea’s Armando Broja.

TEAM NEWS

Italy XI: Donnarumma; Di Lorenzo, Calafiori, Bastoni, Dimarco; Barella, Jorginho; Frattesi, Pellegrini, Chiesa, Scamacca.

Subs: Vicario, Meret, Buongiorno, Gatti, Raspadori, Darmian, Bellanova, Cristiante, Mancini, Retegui, Zaccagni, Fagioli, El Shaarawy, Cambiaso, Folorunsho.

Albania XI: Strakosha; Hysaj, Ajeti, Djimsiti, Mitaj; Asllani, Ramadani, Bajrami; Asani, Broja, Seferi.

Subs: Berisha, Kastrati, Balliu, Manaj, Gjasula, Mihaj, Laci, Berisha, Muci, Ismajli, Daku, Abrashi, Kumbulla, Aliji, Hoxha.



122 Comments Post a Comment
  1. nerd_is_the_werd
    • 5 Years
    9 months, 23 days ago

    Hold the horses back....
    Dimarco (c) assist?!?!?!?!?!?! 🙂

    0
    1. Thanos
      • 3 Years
      9 months, 23 days ago

      Yep!

      0
      1. jacob1989
        • 3 Years
        9 months, 23 days ago

        Not given. It was cleared by albania defender. Didn't think it will be an assist

        0
        1. Thanos
          • 3 Years
          9 months, 23 days ago

          Looked like Marco got the last touch.. hmm

          0
    2. F4L
      • 10 Years
      9 months, 23 days ago

      really looked like it

      0
  2. Alan The Llama
    • 15 Years
    9 months, 23 days ago

    Just the 16 goals so far, less than 300 minutes of football.

    0
    1. jacob1989
      • 3 Years
      9 months, 22 days ago

      Yup good to see no cagey matches

      0
    2. F4L
      • 10 Years
      9 months, 22 days ago

      just wait for england tomorrow to buck the trend

      0
  3. F4L
    • 10 Years
    9 months, 23 days ago

    assist gate, dimarco assist not showing yet

    0
    1. gart888
      • 10 Years
      9 months, 23 days ago

      we're all probably twisting off of him anyway though given that there's no CS.

      0
      1. F4L
        • 10 Years
        9 months, 23 days ago

        still want the assist though, expecting some blanks

        dont understand how he hasnt got it, the way the ball travelled was dimarco hitting it with the underside of his boot and then the Albanian player complaining for a foul as he kicked dimarco.

        0
        1. gart888
          • 10 Years
          9 months, 23 days ago

          Yup. Looked like an assist to me too.

          Sofascore aren't giving it either though...

          0
          1. F4L
            • 10 Years
            9 months, 22 days ago

            hopefully the official stats people take a closer look and the fantasy game is bothered to update if dimarco is awarded the assist

            0
            1. gart888
              • 10 Years
              9 months, 22 days ago

              Here's the best frame we have.

              Good luck on your crusade!

              https://imgur.com/a/pJLxcrq

              0
              1. F4L
                • 10 Years
                9 months, 22 days ago

                dont think its happening sadly 🙁

                more dubious on second look, thought the albanian defender was kicking through the ball, but couldve come off his sidefoot

                0
    2. jacob1989
      • 3 Years
      9 months, 23 days ago

      It wasn't

      0
      1. Bobby Digital
        • 7 Years
        9 months, 23 days ago

        Looked line Dimarco poked it back, but no good camera angles yet....

        0
        1. Bobby Digital
          • 7 Years
          9 months, 23 days ago

          *like

          0
    3. Goro Majima
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      9 months, 23 days ago

      The Albanian player cleared it, it wasn't an assist.

      0
      1. F4L
        • 10 Years
        9 months, 22 days ago

        impossible he cleared it and the ball went on that trajectory, the defender had his foot under the ball

        and wouldve been a foul also but var cleared it

        should be an assist imo, annoying they've got this wrong

        +1
        1. Baps hunter
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 7 Years
          9 months, 22 days ago

          Let us see...

          0
          1. gart888
            • 10 Years
            9 months, 22 days ago

            You a UEFA tower?

            0
          2. F4L
            • 10 Years
            9 months, 22 days ago

            just watched it back and its more dubious than i thought, ah well he isnt getting it with the doubt. think i was wrong on that one sadly

            still time for attacking return, fingers crossed

            0
            1. Baps hunter
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 7 Years
              9 months, 22 days ago

              Ouch 🙁

              0
  4. FPL Blow-In
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    9 months, 22 days ago

    Don’t think Frattesi has touched the ball yet

    0
    1. FPL Blow-In
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      9 months, 22 days ago

      Then he hits the post

      0
      1. FPL Blow-In
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        9 months, 22 days ago

        That’s an incredible save actually

        0
  5. F4L
    • 10 Years
    9 months, 22 days ago

    scamacca assist ruined

    0
  6. jacob1989
    • 3 Years
    9 months, 22 days ago

    Missed a trick getting cb. Bastoni has 4 ball recoveries to dimarco 0. Apart from the goal

    0
    1. jacob1989
      • 3 Years
      9 months, 22 days ago

      Or rather not getting a cb

      0
    2. F4L
      • 10 Years
      9 months, 22 days ago

      these ccb in a back 3 are dominating. orban 12 earlier, akanji 10 and bastoni racking them up now

      0
  7. SmasherLagru
    • 5 Years
    9 months, 22 days ago

    Whys that not a dimarco assist

    0
  8. Sterling Archer
    • 8 Years
    9 months, 22 days ago

    Jorginho literally only good for a potential pen then, so deep

    0
    1. panda07
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      9 months, 22 days ago

      Are you sure he's on pens? He's missed the last 4 I hear.

      0
    2. jacob1989
      • 3 Years
      9 months, 22 days ago

      Wasn't he always deep? Wherever he plays?

      +2
    3. gart888
      • 10 Years
      9 months, 22 days ago

      He's an enabler. He was never supposed to actually be in my 11 this MD.

      0
  9. F4L
    • 10 Years
    9 months, 22 days ago

    scamacca getting shouted at for lack of work rate, blank when hes subbed on 65 will be a big fail

    0
  10. Forza Papac
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    9 months, 22 days ago

    This might be a stupid question, but is the backdrop of the bbc studio legit or just a green screen?

    0
    1. Alan The Llama
      • 15 Years
      9 months, 22 days ago

      It's the Brandenburg gate, the real thing.

      0
  11. FPL Blow-In
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    9 months, 22 days ago

    The fact the Albanian defender goes down having kicked Dimarcos foot would imply the Italian got the touch on the ball but it is hard to tell from the replay

    0
    1. F4L
      • 10 Years
      9 months, 22 days ago

      the 2 replays from the side and behind the goal really look like dimarco's foot is infront of the defender

      honestly real shame it hasnt been given

      0
  12. Alan The Llama
    • 15 Years
    9 months, 22 days ago

    Good to see the Italians are adhering to the rule that only the captain can talk to the referee.

    0
    1. gart888
      • 10 Years
      9 months, 22 days ago

      They must be, otherwise there would be a lot of cards handed out already.

      0
  13. F4L
    • 10 Years
    9 months, 22 days ago

    Di marco quite literally threw away the easiest 4 points. muppet

    0
    1. lespaul
      • 15 Years
      9 months, 22 days ago

      I think you might need to recheck what literally means.

      0
  14. PartyTime
    • 3 Years
    9 months, 22 days ago

    Fantasy Copa America is the way forward. Euro fantasy over for my team.

    0
    1. Goro Majima
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      9 months, 22 days ago

      This sounds like a plan, my euro team is garbage.

      0
  15. bso
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    9 months, 22 days ago

    Dimarco and Jorginho out next round. Maybe players from Netherlands and England?

    0
    1. nerd_is_the_werd
      • 5 Years
      9 months, 22 days ago

      Maybe Jorginho imo.
      I don't think he's on penalties and doesn't even take the set pieces.

      0
      1. bso
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 10 Years
        9 months, 22 days ago

        If I get Guehi for Dimarco (Spain + Croatia next) then can get Eze or Mainoo for Jorginho.

        +2
        1. jacob1989
          • 3 Years
          9 months, 22 days ago

          Neither eze or mainoo gonna start

          0
  16. F4L
    • 10 Years
    9 months, 22 days ago

    slow second half

    0
  17. nerd_is_the_werd
    • 5 Years
    9 months, 22 days ago

    Dimarco (c) subbed off

    0
    1. jacob1989
      • 3 Years
      9 months, 22 days ago

      Dont twist. Keep as c

      +2
  18. F4L
    • 10 Years
    9 months, 22 days ago

    dimarco and scamacca subbed, double fail

    0
    1. jacob1989
      • 3 Years
      9 months, 22 days ago

      Cant wait to sub off these clowns!

      0
      1. F4L
        • 10 Years
        9 months, 22 days ago

        sub off and change captain 😀

        0
        1. jacob1989
          • 3 Years
          9 months, 22 days ago

          That i kept on wirtz

          0
          1. F4L
            • 10 Years
            9 months, 22 days ago

            will likely turn out to be the shrewd move come the end of the matchday

            0
  19. jacob1989
    • 3 Years
    9 months, 22 days ago

    What was i thinking scamacca?? Such a crucial fwd spot wasted!

    +1
  20. Roshen
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 3 Years
    9 months, 22 days ago

    Larry Pane, the (c)

    0
  21. nerd_is_the_werd
    • 5 Years
    9 months, 22 days ago

    I am sorry, but if you cannot see that the goalkeeper saved that, then these guys shouldn't be in the job refereeing.

    0
  22. El Presidente
    • 5 Years
    9 months, 22 days ago

    This Italian team is dreadful what was I thinking...

    +1
    1. dirtmcgirt
      • 8 Years
      9 months, 22 days ago

      Dimarco looked pretty good at least, he just didn't get the rub of the green tonight, I'll be tempted to get him for MD2 if there aren't a few more obvious replacements.

      0
  23. Alan The Llama
    • 15 Years
    9 months, 22 days ago

    Federico Chiesa player of the match

    0
    1. F4L
      • 10 Years
      9 months, 22 days ago

      random. ball recoveries and this, just feels too much randomness to the game

      0
  24. dirtmcgirt
    • 8 Years
    9 months, 22 days ago

    like a third of my team plays tomorrow. who to captain

    Kane Dumfries Maehle Trent Hojlund

    knew I should have stuck with Wirtz as my captain, I just want to do enough to win my friend league but I always delude myself into thinking I'll compete on ffs/worldwide

    0
    1. dirtmcgirt
      • 8 Years
      9 months, 22 days ago

      Kane is the obvious one of course but a Trent goal and a cleansheet would be golden

      0
    2. F4L
      • 10 Years
      9 months, 22 days ago

      Kane for sure, good chance Serbia score imo

      0