- Italy U19 have won their last 2 matches in a row, while Croatia U19 have lost their last 2 in a row.
- Italy U19 are unbeaten in their last 5 games, while Croatia U19 have 2 wins, 1 draw and 2 losses across their last 5.
- Croatia U19 have 0 draws and 1 defeat from 1 home match at the UEFA EURO U19 Group B 2026.
Two different systems and styles in a classic battle
Italy U19 arrive top-leaning at 2nd place in UEFA EURO U19 Group B 2026 with 3 points from 1 game after their 2-0 win against Serbia U19, while Croatia U19 sit 3rd in the group with 0 points from 1 match after their 1-3 home loss to Ukraine U19. Both teams will treat this game like a knockout fixture as it's the World Cup pathway for the U19 EURO, so it should be a typical group scrap.
Italy U19 under Alberto Bollini will set up in a narrow 4-3-3 and will look to press in phases before transitioning vertically in the final third. They will need to win the midfield battle in order to control the game's flow and they will look to be the more resolute side on Thursday as they are in all of their current competitions (W4, D1, L0).
Croatia U19 are a more possession-based side that can change the tempo in spells and they'll try to exploit the wide areas against a team that likes to press into the middle third. They are a flexible side that have found a little bit of a rhythm in a 4-3-3 system, but they've been exposed in defence after back-to-back home losses.
It’s hard to separate the teams
Italy U19 are a tough watch and they've got a lot of grit and guts for a youth team, while Croatia U19 have a bit more quality and if they get off to a fast start, they could definitely bite back after 2 home defeats to make it 3. In all honesty, it's really hard to call between these two, as Italy U19 are priced at 17/10 to win, while Croatia U19 are favourites at 8/5 with the draw at 21/10. Under 2.5 goals at 7/10 is our main selection as this could be a cagey affair, but both teams to score at 4/5 keeps the both teams to score angle alive.
