The finalists from the 2018 World Cup are once again battling for a spot in the UEFA Nations League Final Four. Croatia and France face off this Wednesday in the first leg at Split, a stadium known for creating a fiery atmosphere during the “Vatreni’s” matches.
Croatia will meet France in UEFA Nations League Playoffs Quarterfinals
The Last Encounter: Croatia’s Sole Victory
The two teams have met ten times in total, with the first clash coming in 1998 during the World Cup semifinals in France, where the hosts triumphed 2-1. In 2018, the French came out on top again, winning 4-2 in the final in Russia.
Out of the ten meetings between the two sides, France leads with 6 wins to Croatia’s 1. However, Croatia broke their losing streak against “Les Bleus” in their last encounter, securing a 1-0 victory in Paris on June 13, 2022, during the Nations League.
Notably, the last three encounters between these teams have been decided by narrow margins.
Croatia’s Recent Struggles: Just Two Wins in the Last Nine
Zlatko Dalić’s team finished second in their group with 8 points, drawing 1-1 at home with Portugal in their final match in Split.
Looking at Croatia’s recent form, they haven’t been in great shape, with only two wins in their last nine matches. Both victories came at home in the Nations League: a 1-0 win over Poland and a 2-1 win against Scotland.
We can expect a close encounter here, as every one of Croatia’s last eight games has been decided by a slim margin. The last home defeat for Croatia was a 0-1 loss to Turkey on October 12, 2023.
Injuries and Absences for Croatia:
Croatia will be missing several key players: midfielder Sucic (Real Sociedad), influential midfielder Majer (Wolfsburg), and forward Petkovic (Dinamo Zagreb).
France’s Strong Away Form: Undefeated Since September 2022
France ended their group-stage campaign strongly, securing a 3-1 away win against Italy to top the group.
In the past year, Didier Deschamps’ men have only lost twice: a 1-2 defeat against Spain in the semifinals of the tournament in Germany and a 1-3 loss to Italy at home in the opening match of their Nations League campaign in the fall.
It’s worth noting that France’s last official away loss (excluding final tournaments) was on September 25, 2022, when they fell 0-2 in Denmark in the Nations League.
Injuries and Absences for France:
France will be without their key forward, Thuram (Inter Milan), for this clash.
Croatia will meet France – Betting Suggestions:
- France to Win – Despite Croatia’s home advantage, France’s strong away form and superior head-to-head record suggest they are likely to secure a win.
- Under 2.5 Goals – With both teams often producing tight encounters, and considering Croatia’s recent matches, betting on under 2.5 goals could be a strong option.
- Anytime Goalscorer: Kylian Mbappé – Mbappé has been a constant threat for France, and betting on him to score anytime is a solid choice based on his form.
- Correct Score 1-0 to France – Given the history of close encounters between the two, a 1-0 victory for France is a plausible prediction.
