Croatia vs Portugal Betting Odds and Predictions – Nations League 2020
Can the Croatians prevent relegation?
⚽️ Competition: Nations League 2020
🔺 Date: 11/17/2020
🔻 Betting Prediction: 1X
🔺 Betting Odds: 1.75
🔻 Stake: 6/10 units
Despite all justified criticism of the ongoing commercialization of football in the form of unnecessarily launched new UEFA competitions, we can look forward to one or the other exciting match in the Nations League on Tuesday evening in which there is indeed a lot at stake. In addition to the match for the group victory between Spain and Germany, the Croats and the Swedes deliver a long-distance duel against the threatened relegation in Division B.
The Scandinavians are challenged by the world champions France; Croatia meets Portugal. According to the quotas, the vice world champion has a better chance than a third to fix relegation in the final account.
If we look at the starting position before the decision in group A3, it becomes clear that the “Vatreni” may not even need a three. Even a draw would only be necessary if the “Tre Kronor” also shared the points in Paris. Because of the direct comparison between Croatia and Sweden does not produce a winner, the goal difference will be decisive at the end. Both teams are at -6 there so far, although the checkered team scored four more goals.
In view of the mutual dependencies of the results, it can therefore make sense to place your tip between Croatia and Portugal only during the course of the game. We recommend our seven tips for live betting. In the end, we can well imagine that the home side will still get at least one point, especially since the guests from Portugal have no chance of winning the group after the recent 1-0 defeat against France.
Croatia – Statistics & current form
The Croatians are without a doubt one of the proudest footballing nations on this continent. While the national team is confronted with a deteriorating image in this country, a whole country will keep their fingers crossed for their “Kockasti” on Tuesday evening that the relegation to Division B can be prevented.
The fact that the vice-world champion of 2018 has to worry about relegation is due to the 1: 2 defeat at the weekend against the Swedes. After a poor performance, the Dalic team had to be happy that Danielson made an own goal in the 81st minute, which at least didn’t lose the direct comparison. In the table of group A3 currently only the four more goals scored to provide a slight advantage over the Scandinavians.
For Croatia, it’s all about staying up
Strictly speaking, even a victory on Tuesday evening might not be enough to avert the move to the second-highest division of the Nations League. Should the Swedes win higher than the Croatians in France, relegation would be sealed. However, since it cannot be assumed that the yellow-blue players will take something countable in Paris, the “Vatreni” will aim for at least one draw.
The fact that they were able to score at least one goal in all seven international matches in 2020 speaks for the home side. Conversely, the defence revealed major weaknesses and allowed 17 goals against. The bottom line, good home record, which has only had two defeats in twelve matches at home since the beginning of 2018, can be used as an argument to dare a prediction for the double chance 1 / X between Croatia and Portugal.
Can the Croatian will move mountains on Tuesday?
In addition, it should not be neglected that the proud Croatians take the Nations League very seriously, want to compete again with the best national teams in Europe for the next edition and therefore perhaps show more motivation and passion than the guests, for whom it is known only is still about the golden pineapple. In terms of personnel, Coach Dalic will make a few changes compared to Sunday’s defeat. He has to do without the suspended central defender Caleta-Car and probably also the injured Uremovic.
The probable lineup of Croatia:
➤ Livakovic; Juranovic, Pongracic, Lovren, Barisic; Modric, Kovacic; Brekalo, Vlasic, Perisic; Budimir
Last matches from Croatia:
UEFA Nations League A Grp. 3
⚽️ 11/14 2020 Sweden 2 – 1 Croatia
Friendly match
⚽️ 11/11 2020 Turkey 3 – 3 Croatia
UEFA Nations League A Grp. 3
⚽️ 10/14 2020 Croatia 1 – 2 France
⚽️ 10/11 2020 Croatia 2 – 1 Sweden
Friendly match
⚽️ 10/07 2020 Switzerland 1 – 2 Croatia
Portugal – Statistics & current form
Since Saturday it has been clear that the Portuguese national team will not defend their title in the UEFA Nations League. Due to the 1-0 defeat against world champions France, the reigning European champions fell significantly behind the Equipe Tricolore with three points. Decisive because the protégés of coach Fernando Santos lost the direct comparison (first leg: 0-0) and can therefore no longer overtake in the ranking.
The away game next Tuesday at the Poljud stadium in Split is no longer of any sporting importance. Given this alone, it would be too risky in our eyes to tip the potential guest three-pointers before the duel between Croatia and Portugal.
How seriously is Portugal taking the group final?
On the one hand, it must be seen whether coach Santos actually sends his best formation into the race without exception and does not spare any top performers. On the other hand, it may not be assumed that all players will focus fully on the “unimportant” international match with their club teams in view of the upcoming matches. Subconsciously, it could therefore happen that a few percentage points are missing here and there in order to achieve top performance.
From a purely statistical point of view, it should also be considered that the current European champion missed three out of seven international matches in 2020 and had difficulties in the past against national teams located a little further to the east, which is often “accused” of being aggressive. Looking back over the past two years, this is evidenced by the loss of points against Ukraine, Poland and Serbia.
Probable lineup of Portugal:
➤ Lopes; N. Semedo, Dias, Duarte, Guerreiro; Pereira, Neves, Fernandes; Trincao, Ronaldo, Iota
Last games from Portugal:
UEFA Nations League A Grp. 3
⚽️ 11/14 2020 Portugal 0 – 1 France
Friendly match
⚽️ 11/11 2020 Portugal 7 – 0 Andorra
UEFA Nations League A Grp. 3
⚽️ 10/14 2020 Portugal 3 – 0 Sweden
⚽️ 10/11 2020 France 0 – 0 Portugal
Friendly match
⚽️ 10/07 2020 Portugal 0 – 0 Spain
Croatia vs Portugal – Direct comparison / H2H balance
It is only the seventh time that the two recently very successful national teams meet. So far, the Portuguese have not proven to be a particularly comfortable opponent for the Croatians. With one draw and five defeats, the “Kockasti” is clearly behind in the head-to-head balance.
The first leg in the Nations League was also a clear matter for the European champions. Without superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal won 4-1 at home and thus got off to an optimal start in the competition. Before that, Croatia had won a 1-1 draw against the southern Europeans in a friendly match after the 2018 World Cup.
Croatia vs Portugal betting odds compared
🔻 Betting Prediction: Croatia
🔺 Betting Odds: 3.6
🔻 Betting Prediction: Draw
🔺 Betting Odds: 3.5
🔻 Betting Prediction: Portugal
🔺 Betting Odds: 2
Croatia vs Portugal Betting Odds and Predictions
At least one of the two teams is at stake on Tuesday evening in Split. While the Santos team is only playing for the Golden Pineapple and cannot be displaced from second place in Group A3, the “Vatreni” has set itself the clear goal of preventing relegation to Division B. The vice-world champion is dependent on the parallel game between France and Sweden.
The team of coach Zlatko Dalic has to get at least as many points as the Scandinavian competitor in Paris, as a huge success of the northern Europeans at the world champions can be excluded. We, therefore, expect motivated Croatians who have so far been able to score at least one goal in all seven international matches in the current calendar year.
Key facts – Croatia vs Portugal tips
🔺 Croatia fights in the long-distance duel against Sweden to stay in the league
🔺 For the Portuguese, there is nothing left on Tuesday
🔺 The Croatians scored at least one goal of their own in all seven games in 2020
The functioning offensive paired with the decent home record (two defeats in the last twelve games) as well as the advantages we predicted in terms of motivation over Cristiano Ronaldo and Co. are enough in our eyes to try it between Croatia and Portugal with a tip that the supposed underdog gets at least a draw.
