UEFA Nations League,
League A – 2
Spain
ESP
29/09/2026
19:45
Croatia
CRO
-
Venue
- Estadio Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán
-
Referee
- Serdar Gozubuyuk
Spain v Croatia Nations League preview
Thirty-five years after leaving Sevilla as a participant, Spain boss Luis de la Fuente makes one other journey to the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium on Tuesday, revisiting the place the place the World Cup winner took his first steps as a supervisor.
“Coming to Seville at all times stirs a particular emotion in me,” stated De la Fuente, whose facet host Croatia three days after beating England 3-2 at Wembley Stadium.
“I spent a very long time right here. I’d inform the Luis de la Fuente who coached the Sevilla youth workforce 25 years in the past, ‘Don’t surrender, maintain insisting, keep constant’. That’s what has obtained me to the place I’m now.
“The good power of [our] workforce is that we now have many programs and some ways of taking part in, at all times strengthening our beliefs.
“We’re a stable, sturdy workforce that controls the sport. However after all Croatia can compete with us they usually have an opportunity. We all know them very effectively from our match-ups through the years.”
After 14 years away, Slaven Bilic’s second spell answerable for the guests started with a 2-1 win in Czechia on the identical evening Spain began victoriously.
“That is [Spain’s] first house recreation after profitable the World Cup,” stated Bilic. “I’ve little doubt will probably be particular, however it actually gained’t be an exhibition recreation.
“From our facet, we gained’t make an excessive amount of of their ‘celebration’. There isn’t a better problem than taking part in a aggressive recreation towards the most effective on this planet.”
“If you happen to play on the highest degree, each individually and as a workforce, you’ll be able to compete towards Spain. There are issues you’ll be able to exploit.
“What is definite is that to match them, we now have to play at a high, high degree. We don’t want a miracle; we’d like perception and high quality.”
UEFA Nations League newest desk
League A – Group C
- Place 1, 2 : Play Offs: Quarter-finals
- Place 3 : Relegation Playoffs
- Place 4 : Relegation
Spain v Croatia Nations League workforce information
Eric Garcia has withdrawn from Spain’s squad after struggling a minor harm throughout the warm-up earlier than their win in England.
Marc Pubill deputised for Garcia at right-back and Robin Le Normand has returned to the squad for the primary time since October 2025 because the Barcelona participant’s alternative in La Roja’s squad.
Inter Milan’s Josep Martinez was an earlier squad alternative for Barcelona goalkeeper Joan Garcia, who has a minor knee problem, and Actual Madrid’s Dean Huijsen is in for Marcos Llorent following the defender’s worldwide retirement.
Espanyol ahead Roberto Fernandez has acquired his first call-up however was not a part of the matchday squad towards the Three Lions.
Centre-back Martin Erlic (foot) and wideman Josip Juranovic (hamstring) withdrew from Croatia’s squad by harm.
Winger Martin Baturina is sick and Fiorentina defender Marin Pongracic, PAOK defender Kristijan Jakic and AEK midfielder Lovro Majer have acquired late call-ups.
Ivor Pandur will debut if the Rangers goalkeeper options, whereas Luka Modric, who turned 41 earlier this month and determined to proceed taking part in worldwide soccer, may win his 204th cap.
Milan’s Modric scored the opener within the win in Czechia, the place Orlando Metropolis’s Marco Pasalic netted the decisive objective.
Anticipated line-ups for Spain v Croatia
Spain: Unai Simon, Marc Pubill, Pau Cubarsi, Aymeric Laporte, Marc Cucurella, Rodri, Pedri, Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo, Alex Baena, Mikel Oyarzabal
Croatia: Dominik Livakovic, Josip Stanisic, Luka Vuskovic, Josko Gvardiol, Ivan Perisic, Luka Modric, Mateo Kovacic, Luka Sucic, Petar Sucic, Franjo Ivanovic, Ante Budimir
Spain v Croatia stats and Nations League kind
- The final assembly between these groups resulted in a 3-0 Spain win in Berlin throughout the group stage of EURO 2024, however the earlier two editions completed degree after 90 minutes
- After a 0-0 draw within the Nations League remaining in Rotterdam in 2023, Spain gained 5-4. That got here two years after they gained 5-3 after further time within the final 16 of EURO 2020 in Copenhagen
- Seven of the 11 editions have produced Spain wins, with the final of Croatia’s three triumphs coming with a 3-2 victory in Maksimir in League A in November 2018
- Spain are unbeaten in common time of their final 39 matches (W30 D9) since a 1-0 defeat to Colombia in a pleasant in London on March 22 2024
- That is their longest-ever undefeated sequence and beats the file for a European nation of 37 matches, set by Italy between October 2018 and September 2021
- La Roja are unbeaten of their final eight Nations League group matches away from house (W5 D3), whereas their final eight in all settings have produced 39 objectives
- Bilic began Croatia’s solely win in Spain, coming within the first-ever assembly between the perimeters when his workforce prevailed 2-0 in a pleasant in Valencia in March 1994
- Since then, Spain have crushed Croatia 3-1 in Seville in Might 1999 and 6-0 in Elche within the Nations League in September 2018
- Croatia are on a five-match unbeaten away run (W4) however have misplaced three of their final 5 video games exterior of Croatia (W2), scoring in every of their final seven such fixtures
- Their win in Czechia ended a five-match winless run (L3) exterior of Croatia within the Nations League and produced their first objective in such a recreation in additional than 4 hours and 55 minutes of soccer
The place to look at Spain v Croatia: Nations League TV channel, dwell on-line streams
Kick-off on Tuesday is at 19:45 BST (14:45 ET / 11:45 PT), with dwell protection within the UK on Amazon Prime PPV, which expenses £2.49 for the sport.
For protection all over the world, go to UEFA’s Nations League international broadcaster list.
Spain v Croatia Nations League prediction
Spain
3 – 2
Croatia
Seven of the 9 editions of this fixture throughout this century have been drawn after 90 minutes or determined by a objective. Spain’s efficiency towards England confirmed they will proceed to overpower sturdy opposition, however anticipate Croatia – maybe buoyed by Bilic’s return – to push them shut once more.
