We knew Spain would win Group B at Euro 2024 entering today’s matches, but they’ve now done it with the full nine points while Albania have been eliminated. Check out the best facts and analyse the Opta data with our Albania vs Spain stats page.
We’re used to hearing in recent years that France could send two teams to major tournaments and each could be competitive. Spain went one further on Monday night against Albania and empirically tested that by deploying what was virtually a full B team. It took them 13 minutes to show the starting XI Luis de la Fuente preferred in their first two matches aren’t the only Spanish players capable of a dominant performance.
Having already secured top spot in Group B following their victory over Italy on Matchday 2, de la Fuente made 10 changes, keeping only centre-back Aymeric Laporte. It’s only the third instance of that happening at the European Championship and all three have been by Spain (vs Greece 2008, vs Italy 2008, tonight).
On kick-off, Spain had played 24 different players at Euro 2024, which rose to 25 with Fermín López making his first appearance of the tournament as a second-half sub. Only Italy (25 at Euro 2020) have ever used as many in a European Championship tournament. Despite those changes, the clinic carried on seamlessly from what this group’s teammates displayed against Italy.
The goal came in the 13th minute via a central build up going through the back line combination of Dani Vivian and Laporte to Dani Olmo, whose through ball was finished off at the far post by Ferran Torres for his 20th goal for his country.
Albania were silent and without a shot until just before the break when Kristjan Asllani fired a warning from outside the box and forced a sprawling – if not terribly difficult – save from second-choice Spain goalkeeper David Raya.
The second half started with Spain on the front foot, and the lead nearly extended to 2-0 two minutes in after a Joselu first-time volley narrowly missed the near post and narrowly missed entering the goal of the tournament discussion.
Play began to open up after an hour, and an Armando Broja attempt from the right side of the penalty area gave Albania their best chance of the match in the 64th minute, but Raya again came through as momentum shifted.
But the reality was that was Albania’s only shot from inside the box and remained so until the 83rd minute when Arbër Hoxha wasted a chance from the left. One last chance came in stoppage time off a set piece when Broja was able to turn and attempt a weak shot that forced one last Raya save.
Without a victory, Albania are out of the tournament after taking the lead in each of their first two matches.
Olmo was among the best players on the pitch, particularly early playing as the number 10 in a 4-2-3-1, and his five combined assists at the Euros and World Cup since Euro 2020 are more than any other player (Luke Shaw, Ivan Perišić and Steven Zuber each have four).
The assist to Torres came up the middle in a tournament in which much of the Spanish threat has come from the wingers doing the work on the flanks and putting the ball into the box from both sides. Nico Williams didn’t play in this match and Lamine Yamal only came on in the 71st minute, but Spain lead the tournament in open-play cross success rate (32.5%). Their 13 successful open-play crosses trail only Croatia (14) at the tournament, despite their 40 attempts being well off the tournament lead (Germany’s 55).
If there’s perhaps anything to call out in the Spanish attack, it’s the finishing over the past two matches. They opened the tournament with three goals against Croatia, but since then they’ve been limited to Torres’ finish and an own goal. Nevertheless, five goals have found their way into their opponents’ nets on an expected goals total of 5.40.
Spain now look forward to a matchup with a third-place side on Sunday, and after tonight’s action, their 77.4% chance of reaching the quarter-finals is the highest in the tournament.
Our Opta match centre delivers you all the Albania vs Spain stats from their Euro 2024 Group B clash at Düsseldorf Arena in Germany.
The match centre below includes team and player stats, expected goals data, passing networks, an Opta chalkboard and more. It gives you everything you need to do your own match analysis.
Underneath the match centre you can find the official Opta stats on the game as well.
Albania vs Spain: Post-Match Facts
- Spain faced more shots on target (4) than they recorded (3) against Albania tonight. That’s the first time that’s happened in a UEFA European Championship since Euro 2016 against Italy.
- For the first time, Spain have not conceded a goal during the group stage of a major international tournament (since 1980).
- Spain have won all nine of their previous meetings with Albania – their best 100% record against any single opponent in all competitions.
- Spain have become just the second side to win all three of their group stage games at a UEFA European Championship finals without conceding, after Italy also did so at Euro 2020 (an edition which they went on to win).
- Albania have been knocked out at the group stages of a UEFA European Championship finals for a second time (alongside 2016), while this was the first edition that they failed to win a single game (D1 L2).
- Ferran Torres has been directly involved in seven goals across nine appearances for Spain under Luis de la Fuente (5 goals, 2 assists), with no Spain player being involved in more goals under him (Joselu also 7).
- Dani Olmo provided his fourth assist at the UEFA European Championship finals on what was his seventh appearance, with only Cesc Fàbregas providing more for Spain in the competition since records began in 1964 (5).
- Álex Grimaldo created five chances in this match, the most of any Spanish defender in a single match at a major tournament on record (since 1980).
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