Preview: Portugal vs Croatia – prediction, team news, lineups

Favourites to fill the top two spots in League A Group 1, Portugal And Croatia give their latest kick-off UEFA Nations League campaigns on Thursday.

The teams play each other at Estadio da Luz. The last time they met in this competition, four years ago, the difference in goals in two games was equal.

Match Preview

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After an eventful – but ultimately fruitless – participation in the 2024 European Championship, Portugal must pick up the thread again after a disappointing quarter-final. In Qatar, the country was also eliminated in the round of 16.

A penalty shootout defeat to France saw the Selecao bid farewell this summer, which will be remembered mainly for Pepe‘s last stand and the uncontrollable tears of Cristiano Ronaldo.

While the 41-year-old defender has decided to retire from football, Ronaldo wants to continue representing his country and head coach. Roberto Martinez has recalled the Al-Nassr star for this month’s Nations League matches.

Portugal will ultimately be looking to reach the tournament they won in 2019, after missing out on the final last time out after finishing second to group rivals Spain.

Their Iberian neighbours first claimed the trophy, but then followed up with more success at the European Championships, so Martinez will be under even more pressure to compete for the silverware, especially given the wealth of talent at his disposal.

The former Belgium coach will undoubtedly be aiming for maximum points in a home game – Scotland arrive in Lisbon on Sunday – but even a second-place finish in Group 1 would be enough to reach the quarter-finals.

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Now that UEFA has seen fit to expand the Nations League with an extra knockout round, a top two finish will be enough for Croatia to advance. Poland and Scotland start as outsiders to advance.

However, after their European Championship defeat last summer, Thursday’s visitors do not want to rest on their laurels. They want to go a step further than in 2023, when they were beaten in the final by Spain.

The Croatians have suffered several close defeats in recent times, but in Germany they faced their first hurdle when they conceded a late goal to Italy in their third match, which meant they could no longer win in the ‘Group of Death’ and thus confirmed their elimination.

However, there was no panic and confidence in the long-serving head coach has been maintained Zlatko Dalic; further, Luka Modric follows his former Real Madrid teammate Ronaldo in further expanding his international career.

Reaching the 2026 World Cup will be Croatia’s main medium-term goal, but the prospect of finally winning some silverware should provide enough motivation to go all out in the Nations League this season.

Form Portugal (all competitions):

Form Croatia (all competitions):

Team News

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Roberto Martinez has revamped his Portugal squad and selected young players Geovany Questions, Renato Veiga And Tiago Santos for the first time and falling Joao Cancel, Danilo Pereira And Francisco Conceicao.

Seventeen-year-old Sporting winger Quenda has only made four appearances for the club’s first team, while Veiga recently moved to Chelsea. Lille defender Santos is also in contention to make his debut for the Seleção.

Elsewhere, Pedro Gonçalves, Francisco Trincao and goalkeeper Rui Silva are all recalled to a team led by Cristiano Ronaldo, who is expected to start in attack.

While the hosts have lost Pepe, Croatia will now be without regulars Family Life And Marcelo Brozovicthe latter of whom retired from international duty after 99 caps. Another experienced campaigner, Ivan Perisicis still selected despite being without a club after leaving Hajduk Split.

Love Majer, Josip Stanisic And Martin Erlic have been ruled out of both Thursday’s match and Sunday’s clash with Poland through injury, while the Lyon defender Duje Caleta car is also a doubtful case after he received a blow last week.

Head coach Zlatko Dalic has suggested that there are too few men in defence. Marin Pongracic, Kristijan Jakic or even winger Marko Pjaca may have to become right back.

Possible Portugal line-up:
Coast; Dalot, Dias, A. Silva, Mendes; Palhinha, Vitinha; B. Silva, Fernandes, Leao; Ronaldo

Possible Croatia line-up:
Livaković; Pongracic, Sutalo, Gvardiol, Sosa; Modric, L. Sucic, Kovacic; Pasalic, Kramaric, Ivanusec

We say: Portugal 2-1 Croatia

Home advantage should help Portugal overcome their first visitors in the Nations League, as long as Roberto Martinez makes full use of the wealth of attacking talent at his disposal.

Croatia’s resources are even more limited, as loss of play and injuries have depleted an already limited squad, which could take its toll at Estadio da Luz.

For a data analysis of the most likely outcomes, scorelines and more for this match, click here.

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