Euro 2024: Familiar foes Spain and Croatia clash again in group opener

Berlin: Spain s bid for a fourth European Championship title begins against Croatia in Berlin s Olympiastadion where the final will be played next m...

Berlin: Spain’s bid for a fourth European Championship title begins against Croatia in Berlin’s Olympiastadion - where the final will be played next month. The other teams in the group are defending champion Italy and Albania. Kickoff is at 7pm Qatar Time (1600 GMT) on Saturday. Here’s what to know about the match:

Match facts - Spain and Croatia are meeting for the fourth successive time at the European Championship. Spain knocked out Croatia after a 5-3 extra-time win in the round of 16 at Euro 2020. Spain also defeated Croatia on penalties to win the UEFA Nations League last year.

- Zlatko Dalić’s Croatia team is again led by the evergreen Luka Modrić, who at 38 will be playing at the tournament for the fifth time. Modrić joins his national teammates after winning a Spanish league and Champions League double with Real Madrid.

- Spain warmed up with big wins over Andorra and Northern Ireland, with Real Sociedad forward Mikel Oyarzabal bagging four goals over the two games.