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• 'I did my thesis on 3-5-2' – Spalletti rages at talk of formation pact with Italy players

  Luciano Spalletti raged at suggestions a pact with his players resulted in Italy's switch to a 3-5-2 formation for Monday's draw with Croatia, as they scraped into the last 16 at Euro 2024. 

  Following a 2-1 win over Albania and a deserved 1-0 defeat to Spain, the defending champions entered their final match in Group B with their fate in the balance.

  Luka Modric's goal – which made him the oldest goalscorer in Euros history at 38 years and 289 days – put them on the brink of a third-place finish, which would have left them waiting nervously on other results to discover whether they had qualified.

  However, Mattia Zaccagni stepped off the bench to curl home a brilliant equaliser after 97 minutes and 19 seconds, the second-latest goal in Euros history (excluding extra time), after Hungary's Kevin Csoboth versus Scotland one day earlier (99:33).

  Italy will now face Switzerland for a quarter-final spot on Saturday, but their performances have not been universally welcomed at home.

  Reports in the Italian media suggested Spalletti abandoned his favoured 4-3-3 setup for a 3-5-2 shape at his players' behest, and the former Napoli boss was furious when asked about those claims in his post-match press conference.

  "In my opinion, this is what you were told," Spalletti said, before asking the reporter his age.

  "You're 51, you still have 14 years before you get to 65 like me. I speak to the players, I need to hear with their ears and see with their eyes, so I talk to them, what is the problem?"

   

  Spalletti went on to claim someone in the Italy camp had leaked details of his conversations with the squad, saying: "Don't claim this is your poetic licence, this is just a weakness of those who leak things.

  "There is an internal environment and an external one and if in the internal environment there are those who speak of certain things outside, it's someone who harms the national team.

  "I did my thesis at Coverciano on 3-5-2. I'll let you see it later. It's only natural that I speak to the players."

  Though Italy attempted over twice as many shots as Croatia (13 to six), they only hit the target three times and lost the expected goals (xG) battle, 1.49-0.98.

  Asked whether he was afraid of failing at his first major tournament, Spalletti said: "Am I afraid? 

  "What am I afraid of? If I was afraid, I would have just come here like you guys to watch the games. I would have done another job.

  "I know so many people that would have given me free tickets. It's only natural that there's pressure, but we go out there to play."

• Spain 'free to dream' at Euro 2024 but must stay grounded, says De la Fuente

  Spain are "free to dream" of Euro 2024 glory but must ensure they remain humble after maintaining a perfect record through the group stage, says coach Luis de la Fuente.

  La Roja topped Group B – thought by many to be the most difficult group at the tournament – with nine points and no goals conceded, beating Albania 1-0 in their third match on Monday despite resting most of their star players, courtesy of Ferran Torres' goal.

  They have become just the second team to win all three group-stage matches at a Euros tournament to nil, after eventual champions Italy at the delayed 2020 edition.

  It is also the first time La Roja have ever gone through an entire group stage at a major tournament (World Cup or Euros) without conceding. 

  With his team now being tipped as one of the favourites to lift the trophy for a record-breaking fourth time, De la Fuente has warned against complacency. 

  "We are all free to dream, but we have to keep our feet on the ground. Being considered favourites doesn't guarantee you anything," De la Fuente said.

  "We welcome the fact that people value the work we are doing and recognise the talent of this generation. Winning all three games, with clean sheets in all three, it's extremely difficult.

  "But let's not get carried away. We know how things work in Spain. One day you're at the top and the next day you're worthless."

  Spain's last-16 tie will be played at the RheinEnergieStadion in Cologne on Sunday, though they must wait to discover the identity of their opponents.

  They will face a third-place finisher from Group A, D, E or F, meaning their foes will not become clear until the final two groups have concluded on Wednesday.  

  That does not sit well with De la Fuente, who added: "Now we will have to spend a night awake because of the short time we have to study the next opponent. 

  "Of course we have room for improvement, it's a principle that we have established in the dressing room. We are not satisfied and this group is very ambitious.

  "But in any case, we'll be mentally prepared and ready to go all out to overcome this tie. Of course we will."

• Modric bemoans 'cruel' twist as Croatia star concedes he cannot go on forever

  Luka Modric conceded he cannot go on forever as he was left to rue Italy's "cruel" last-gasp equaliser against Croatia, which leaves their hopes of progressing to the Euro 2024 knockout stages hanging by a thread.

  The 2018 World Cup finalists looked set to finish as Group B runners-up behind Spain after Modric's 55th-minute strike - just moments after Gianluigi Donnarumma saved his penalty - put them a goal to the good in Leipzig.

  However, there was to be a late twist when, in the eighth minute of stoppage time, substitute Mattia Zaccagni curled past Dominik Livakovic to snatch a share of the spoils - and second place from under Croatia's nose.

  Amassing just two points, having also conceded a stoppage-time equaliser against Albania, Zlatko Dalic's side failed to win any of their group games at a European Championship for only the second time - also achieving the feat in 2004.

  They can still qualify for the last 16 as one of the four best third-placed teams, but are relying on England beating Slovenia by a three-goal margin in Group C on Tuesday.

  That means Modric could well have played his final match at a European Championship where, aged 38 years and 289 days, he became the oldest scorer, and only the second player after Cristiano Ronaldo (five) to find the net at four editions.

  The Real Madrid midfielder is uncertain about his future.

  "I'd like to keep playing forever, but there probably will come a time when I must hang up my boots," he said. "I'll keep playing on, but I don't know for how much longer.

  "That was very stressful. We kept battling right until the end but, unfortunately, football was merciless with us tonight. It was cruel above all today, but also in our last match. when we also conceded a late goal.

  "But that's part and parcel of football. Often, it gives you plenty of smiles, but on other occasions, it makes you very sad as it did today, losing in the manner we did.

  "It's hard when you lose like this to find the words to describe how you feel. Of course, we need to bounce back. But that's the way it is.

  "And as I said earlier, perhaps it's unfair because we all really fought for Croatia right from the first whistle until the last, and the result is what it is.

  "The footballing gods don't necessarily always smile on us, but we should be proud of the way that we represented our country tonight."

  Team-mate Luka Ivanusec added: "I'm empty, we don't know what to say. Until the last minute, we have everything. We are disappointed."