Spain vs Croatia Prediction: Expert Analysis and Match Preview
Spain vs Croatia Prediction: A Thrilling Euro 2024 Encounter
Exactly one year ago, Spain triumphed over Croatia on penalties in the UEFA Nations League final. Now, these two formidable teams face off again, this time in the first round of Euro 2024. The Group B match is set to kick off on Saturday afternoon at the Olympiastadion Berlin.
Recent Form and Performance
Spain has secured only one win in their last five matches against Croatia in regular time. On the other hand, Croatia has been in excellent form, winning five of their last six matches across all competitions and drawing once.
Goals Galore in Recent Encounters
In four of the last seven games between Spain and Croatia, both teams have found the net. Spain, under the guidance of Luis de la Fuente, dominated their qualifying group, scoring 25 goals in eight games. Their impressive attacking prowess continued in friendlies, where they netted 13 goals in their last three matches.
Croatia’s Strong Qualifying Campaign
Despite finishing second in the European Championship qualifiers, Croatia’s participation was never in doubt. They aim to replicate their impressive performances from the last two World Cups, where they finished second and third.
Spain vs Croatia: Head-to-Head Record
Spain has managed just one win in regulation time in their last five encounters with Croatia. Notably, in three of these five meetings, both teams scored.
Predicted Line-ups
Spain (4-3-3): Simon – Carvajal, Nacho, Le Normand, Cucurella – Rodri, Ruiz, Pedri – Jamal, Morata, Williams
Croatia (4-3-3): Livakovic – Stanisic, Sutalo, Pongrancic, Gvardiol – Brozovic, Modric, Kovacic – Majer, Budimir, Kramaric
Croatia’s Strategy and Odds
Croatia aims to frustrate Spain and avoid defeat, with odds of 1.90 reflecting their recent head-to-head success. The Croatians have lost just one of their last five regular-time matches against Spain.
High Expectations for a Spectacular Match
Both teams enter the match with high confidence. Spain has been prolific, scoring five goals in their last two games against Andorra and Northern Ireland. They also drew 3-3 with Brazil in a friendly match in March.
Croatia’s Unbeaten Streak
Croatia’s last test before the European Championship saw them eliminate Portugal, with Luka Modric and Ante Budimir scoring in a 2-1 victory. The Croatians are now unbeaten in six consecutive matches, with five wins and one draw.
Spain vs Croatia: Betting on Goals
With both Spain and Croatia boasting strong attacking line-ups, it’s hard to imagine either team keeping a clean sheet. In four of Spain’s last six games, goals have been scored in both halves. Croatia has also scored three or more goals in each of their last three friendlies. Betting on “Both teams to score” is very attractive with odds of 1.83.
