Spain vs Croatia - prediction, team news, lineups

Spain volition play their archetypal location crippled since winning the 2026 World Cup erstwhile they instrumentality connected Croatia successful Tuesday's Nations League contest.

La Roja volition caput into the clash astatine the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan connected the backmost of a 3-2 triumph implicit England, portion Croatia got the amended of the Czech Republic connected matchday one. 

Match preview

Spain are undoubtedly the squad to bushed successful planetary shot aft adding the World Cup to their European crown successful the summer.

La Roja showcased their World Cup-winning prime and mentality successful Saturday's UEFA Nations League opener against England, their archetypal outing since beating Argentina 1-0 successful July's final.

Lamine Yamal scored his eighth planetary extremity wrong the opening 2 minutes of the Wembley encounter, earlier Anthony Gordon and Harry Kane turned the crippled successful England's favour successful the lead-up to the half-time interval.

The thrilling contention crook connected its caput erstwhile Kane lashed a 55th-minute punishment against the crossbar, conscionable moments earlier Luis de la Fuente summoned Alex Baena and Mikel Oyarzabal, who went connected to drawback a extremity apiece to occurrence La Roja to a 3-2 victory, their 4th triumph successful the past six head-to-head meetings.

As a effect of their awesome turnaround, Spain person inactive not mislaid a planetary crippled successful regularisation clip since falling to a 1-0 decision successful a affable against Colombia successful March 2024, portion their past competitory decision took spot against Scotland successful March 2023.

They should fancy their chances of extending their unbeaten run, having won 7 of their 10 authoritative meetings with Croatia, including wins successful each of their past 3 encounters.

Slaven Bilic is backmost successful complaint of his country, 14 years aft the curtain came down connected his six-year stint successful the nationalist squad dugout.

The 58-year-old has taken implicit the reins of Zlatko Dalic, who near his relation aft his declaration expired pursuing Croatia's Round of 32 exit astatine the 2026 World Cup.

Bilic started his 2nd spell with a hard-fought 2-1 distant triumph against the Czech Republic connected matchday 1 of Group A3.

Luka Modric, who turned 41 earlier this month, broke the deadlock wrong the opening 2 minutes of the 2nd period, lone to spot his effort swifly cancelled retired by Adam Karabec.

Orland City's Marco Pasalic yet proved to beryllium Croatia's hero, netting his 2nd planetary goal, implicit 2 years aft his first, to seal a 2-1 triumph successful Prague.

Croatia's hopes of backing up that effect with different triumph whitethorn beryllium tempered by the information they person not beaten Spain since a 3-2 location triumph successful the Nations League successful November 2018, portion their lone triumph connected Spanish ungraded came via a 2-0 scoreline successful a affable successful March 1994. 

Spain Nations League form:

Spain signifier (all competitions):

Croatia Nations League form:

Croatia signifier (all competitions):

Team News

Barcelona goalkeeper Joan Garcia and Tottenham Hotspur defender Pedro Porro withdrew from the squad anterior to the triumph implicit England owed to injury. 

Atletico Madrid's Robin Le Normand has been called up arsenic a replacement for Barcelona defender Eric Garcia, who has near the squad aft pulling retired of Saturday's starting lineup with an wounded issue. 

Baena and Oyarzabal are successful contention to commencement aft coming disconnected the seat to people successful the turnaround triumph against England.

Pedri produced a agleam cameo astatine Wembley and could commencement if De la Fuente decides to freshen up his midfield for Tuesday's fixture. 

As for Croatia, Union Berlin's Josip Juranovic and Midtjylland's Martin Erlic pulled retired from the archetypal squad due to the fact that of injury.

The 2 withdrawals were followed by call-ups for Lovro Majer, Marin Pongracic and Kristijan Jakic.

Marco Pasalic is pushing for a starting spot aft netting the victor successful Saturday's substitute appearance.

Osasuna's Ante Budimir could travel into the lineup if Bilic opts to freshen up his guardant enactment for Tuesday's contest.

Spain imaginable starting lineup:

Simon; Pubill, Cubarsi, Laporte, Cucurella; Rodri, Pedri; Yamal, Olmo, Baena; Oyarzabal 

Croatia imaginable starting lineup:

Livakovic; Stanisic, Vuskovic, Gvardiol, Perisic; Modric, Kovacic; L Sucic, P Sucic, Mario Pasalic; Budimir

We say: Spain 3-1 Croatia

Spain volition beryllium keen to enactment connected a amusement successful their location crippled since winning the World Cup, and with De la Fuente capable to telephone upon an array of attacking talent, we deliberation the hosts volition easiness to each 3 points connected Tuesday.

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