We have Spain v Croatia tips for you plus a prediction as we breakdown the betting odds, team news and matchups ahead of this opening round Euro 2024 game.
Spain head into their opening game of the tournament on the back of two rampant victories; 5-0 against Andorra and 5-1 against Northern Ireland.
Croatia are in a similar vein of form following a 3-0 win against North Macedonia and a 1-2 win against Portugal in their June warm-up matches.
How To Watch Spain v Croatia
When is Spain v Croatia?
Spain v Croatia will take place on Saturday at 5.00 pm
TV Channel
RTÉ 2
Stream
RTE Player
Where is Spain v Croatia Being Played?
Olympiastadion, Berlin
Spain v Croatia Odds
Team | Odds | Chance |
|---|---|---|
Spain | 5/6 | 54.5% |
Croatia | 16/5 | 23.8% |
Draw | 12/5 | 29.4% |
Spain are favourites to kick their tournament off with a win at 5/6. Croatia can be gotten at 16/5 while the draw is 12/5.
Handicap Betting
Spain -1 @ 12/5
Croatia +1 @ 10/11
Handicap Draw -1 @ 5/2
Bet on Spain v Croatia Odds at BoyleSports
Spain v Croatia Weather Forecast
The weather is expected to be 20 degrees with a 15% chance of rain.
Spain v Croatia Preview
Spain’s Form
Spain qualified for the tournament in close to perfect fashion following a record of 7 victories and 1 defeat from their 8 group games, with their only loss coming 2-0 against Scotland. However, they still finished 4 points ahead of The Scots in second place. They scored 25 goals across those qualification games and had a watertight defence with only 5 goals conceded in 2023.
Their form in 2024 could be considered progressive after initially losing 0-1 against Colombia in March which was followed by a 3-3 draw against Spain. However, their warm-up friendlies went even better (albeit against weaker opponents) with a 5-0 win against Andorra and a 5-1 win against Northern Ireland.
Spain has been managed by de la Fuente since he was appointed on the 8th of December 2022 as head coach of the Spain national football team following the resignation of Luis Enrique when they were knocked out of the 2O22 World Cup Round of 16 on penalties by Morocco.
Since taking the helm for Spain he has guided them to a strong record of 10 wins, 2 draws and 2 defeats for a win rate of 71.43% and a Goal Difference of +29.
Spain's Last Five Results
Spain 5-1 Northern Ireland | June 8th | Win
Spain 5-0 Andorra | June 5th | Win
Spain 3-3 Brazil | March 26th | Draw
Spain 0-1 Colombia | March 22nd | Loss
Spain 3-1 Georgia | November 19th | Win
3 Wins, 1 Draw and 1 Loss
Croatia’s Form
Croatia qualified for Euro 2024 by finishing runner-up qualifying Group D coming 1 point behind Turkey with a record of 5 wins, 1 draw and 2 losses from their games against Turkey, Wales, Armenia and Latvia. They scored a meagre 13 goals conceding although they had a watertight defence conceding just 4.
In 2024 they head into this tournament unbeaten, during the March window they drew 0-0 against Tunisia before beating Egypt 2-4 in their second game of the “FIFA Series” which means they were one of the winners. Ahead of the tournament, they had two good wins 3-0 against North Macedonia and 1-2 against Portugal.
Zlatko Dalić has been in charge of Croatia since 2017 and for his work with the nation, he is widely regarded as the greatest coach in the history of the Croatian national team due to his success achieved at multiple World Cups, consisting of a runner-up and a third-place finish.
His overall record as Croatia’s manager is a respectable win rate of 51.19% after guiding them to 43 wins, 21 draws and just 20 defeats from his 84 matches in charge. Croatia tend to use either a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 formation
Croatia’s Last Five Results
Portugal 1-2 Croatia | June 8th | Win
Croatia 3-0 North Macedonia | June 3rd | Win
Egypt 2-4 Croatia | March 26th | Win
Tunisia 0-0 Croatia (4-5) | March 23rd | Draw
Croatia 1-0 Armenia | November 21st | Win
4 Wins and 1 Draw
Spain v Croatia Predicted Lineups
Spain Predicted Starting XI (4-3-3)
GK: Simon
RB: Naves, CB: Fernandez, CB: Le Normand, LB: Cucurella
RM: Pedri, CM: Rodri LM: Ruiz
RW: Yamal, CF: Morata, LW: Williams
Croatia Predicted Starting XI (4-3-3)
GK: Livakovic
RB: Stanisic, CB: Sutalo, CB: Pongracic, LB: Gvardiol
RM: Modric, CM: Brozovic, LM: Kovacic
RW: Majer, CF: Budimir, LW: Kramaric
Spain v Croatia Head-To-Head Results & Stats
All-Time Head-To-Head Record
Spain wins: 4
Croatia wins: 2
Draws: 0
Head-To-Head Results
Croatia 0-0 (4-5 on penalties) Spain | Nations League Final | June 18th, 2023
Croatia 3-5 Spain (AET) | Euro 2020 | June 28th, 2021
Croatia 3-2 Spain | Nations League | November 15th, 2018
Spain 6-0 Croatia| Nations League | September 11th, 2018
Croatia 2-`1 Spain | Euro 2016 | September 21st, 2016
Key Players To Watch
Nico Williams – Spain
When somebody speaks about the “coincidental” Spanish Footballer, one usually thinks of a midfielder who is comfortable in the Tika-taka style of short passing and movement, working the ball through various channels, and maintaining possession.
However, with Williams (21) who plays his club football with Athletic Club, they have a footballer who offers something quite different to a usual Spanish squad member. Williams is a traditional winger who likes to cut inside with his electric pace and showstopping skill making him very different to the usual Spanish threat while also capable of linking up for the stereotypical Spanish build-up.
Matteo Kovacic – Croatia
While Modric will receive the bulk of the attention I believe Man City midfielder Kovačić will be far more influential in the summer. He’s likely to be the main passing and carrying link for Modric and will allow Modric to play a “free” role with fewer defensive responsibilities.
Spain v Croatia Prediction & Best Bet
Prediction: Spain 1-1 Croatia
The last few games between both sides have been high-scoring competitive affairs and this tie could end up being one of the games of the tournament based on previous results.
The first game of the tournament for teams can often be a nervy affair and with Italy expected to earn three points in their opening game against Albania a defeat here for either side might put their knockout qualification aspirations in serious jeopardy
Spain could potentially overrun the Croatian midfield, but I think they will be able to tactically match the Spaniards so I’m going with a scored draw.
Best Bet: BTTS + Draw @ 15/4
Bet on Spain v Croatia Odds at BoyleSports
*Prices are subject to fluctuation.
Remember, Always Gamble Responsibly.
