Spain vs Italy LIVE: Euro 2024 team news and updates from Group B blockbuster

Luciano Spalletti has named an unchanged Italy team to face Spain, as the Azzurri line up with the same side that beat Albania 2-1 in their opener.

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

Scenes in Gelsenkirchen as we build up to Spain vs Italy.

Spain have made made one change from the 3-0 win over Croatia, with Aymeric Laporte replacing Nacho in defence. They are unchanged elsewhere.

Spain XI: Simon; Carvajal, Le Normand, Laporte, Cucurella; Pedri, Rodri, Ruiz; Yamal, Morata, Williams.

The reigning champions have endured a mostly torrid time since the last Euros, but looked impressive for large chunks of their 2-1 win over Albania, despite conceding that disastrous early goal. They remain short of an elite goalscorer, but Lorenzo Pellegrini and Federico Chiesa can make up the difference from the wide forward roles.

An exciting new generation of Spanish players is showing itself at these Euros, primarily through the talents of Atletico’s Nico Williams and Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal – the 16-year-old Yamal is already one of Barca’s best players and looked bright in an opening 3-0 win over Croatia. Spain looked open at times and allowed Croatia 16 shots – a better opponent would surely have capitalised – but it was a convincing scoreline nonetheless and their clash with Italy will be fascinating.

Spain vs Italy head-to-head: 2021

Five years and one tournament on, at Euro 2020, Italy earned further revenge against Spain with a semi-final victory on penalties following a thrilling 1-1 draw at Wembley.

Federico Chiesa scored a stunning goal on the counter-attack to give Italy the lead but Spain found a deserved equaliser as Alvaro Morata came off the bench to force extra time.

Italy, though, found a way to win and Gianluigi Donnarumma was the hero in the shoot-out as he saved from Morata and Jorginho rolled in the winner.

Italy would go on to do the same against England in the final as they become European champions for the first time.

Spain vs Italy head-to-head: 2016

Italy’s revenge, and a masterclass from Antonio Conte. Spain lost a knockout game for the first time in 10 years as Italy executed Conte’s gameplan to perfection and the holders were eliminated following a 2-0 defeat in Saint-Denis in the Euro 2016 last-16.

Conte’s wing-back system and tactics saw the Azzurri dominate, with Giorgio Chiellini scrambling in the opener before Italy fell back onto their defence and Graziano Pelle sealed victory in injury time. Italy went on to lost to Germany on penalties in the quarter-finals.

Spain vs Italy head-to-head: 2012

After a 1-1 draw in the group stage of Euro 2012, Spain and Italy met again in the Kyiv final. Spain crowned a golden era with a dominant 4-0 victory, with goals from David Silva, Jordi Alba, Fernando Torres and Juan Mata.

“We had the perfect game,” said Andres Iniesta. We dominated, moved the ball quickly, and created lots of chances. I think it’s one of the national team’s greatest games.”

Spain vs Italy head-to-head: 2008

Spain’s quarter-final victory over Italy proved a seminal moment for their golden generation, leading to European Championship titles in 2008 and 2012 and the 2010 World Cup.

La Roja had lost three penalty shoot-outs in Euro quarter-finals before meeting Italy, then world champions following the 2006 World Cup, in Vienna on 22 June 2008.

After a 0-0 draw in extra time, goalkeeper Iker Casillas saved three penalties in the shoot-out as Spain broke new ground. They didn’t look back.

Spain and Italy are meeting at a fifth European Championship in a row at Euro 2024 as an iconic football rivalry gets another new chapter in Germany.

This is the most-played fixture in European Championship history and will be their eighth clash in the history of the tournament.

Games between Spain and Italy have tended to be tight, low-scoring affairs, with one obvious exception.

While Italy have two wins and four games have finished as a draw or gone to penalties, Spain achieved what was close to perfection with a 4-0 victory against in the Euro 2012 final.