| UEFA Nations League | |
| MATCH INFO | |
MATCH :
| Croatia V/s Portugal
|
COMPETITION : | Round 6
|
| DATE: | 19-11-2024
|
TIME:
| 1:15 AM IST (UTC +5:30)
|
STADIUM:
| Poljud
|
| Croatia | Lineup |
Possible XI: Livakovic (GK); Sutalo, Pongracic, Gvardiol; Jakic, Modric, Kovacic, Baturina, Sosa; Pasalic, Kramaric. | |
| Portugal | Lineup |
Possible XI: Costa (GK); Dalot, Silva, Veiga, Mendes; Neves, Silva; Neto, Fernandes, Leao; Ronaldo. | |
Preview: Croatia Vs Portugal
The table toppers eye securing a big victory over the hosts:
The Matchweek 6 group fixtures of the UEFA Nations League take us to the Poljud Stadium in Split where the hosts are scheduled to lock horns against table toppers Portugal.
The Croatian team finds itself navigating a challenging UEFA Nations League campaign, compounded by a narrow defeat to Scotland in their most recent encounter. After failing to progress to the knockout stages of UEFA Euro 2024, Croatia’s current situation is precarious, with only a three-point cushion above the bottom of the table nation.
In their five matches thus far, Croatia have registered two wins, one draw, and two defeats. Their campaign began on a losing note against Portugal, but they rallied with back-to-back victories over Poland and Scotland. A thrilling 3-3 draw with Poland showcased their resilience, yet the subsequent loss to Scotland highlighted lingering inconsistencies. Adding to their woes is a growing discipline issue, with two red cards in consecutive matches raising concerns for head coach Zlatko Dalic.
Portugal currently lead League A Group 1 of the UEFA Nations League, sitting comfortably at the summit as the only unbeaten team in their group. With an impressive record of four wins and one draw, they have established a six-point lead over second-placed Croatia. The Portuguese side will be eager to conclude the group stage with a commanding victory against the 2018 FIFA World Cup finalists, further solidifying their dominance.
Their recent triumph over Poland showcased their firepower, as a scintillating brace from Cristiano Ronaldo contributed to a resounding 5-1 victory. Riding high on momentum, the group will aim to maintain their unbeaten streak and assert themselves as one of the tournament’s strongest contenders.
| Broadcast Lists | |
|
| |
About UEFA Nations League:
History
The UEFA Nations League is a international football competition played by the senior men's national teams of the member associations of UEFA, the sport's European governing body.
The first tournament began in September 2018. The four group winners from League A qualified for the finals, played in Portugal in June 2019. The competition replaces the international friendly matches previously played on the FIFA International Match Calendar, with European national teams engaging in more frequent competitive matches against other European national teams of comparable level.
Since 1999, various UEFA bodies had discussed national associations' needs for more competitive fixtures, including more attractive international friendlies, more competitive matches and increased revenue. In 2001, UEFA proposed three potential formats for a new national team competition, with a first edition tentatively planned for 2004–2007. However, this ultimately did not come to fruition.
In October 2013, Norwegian Football Association President Yngve Hallén confirmed that talks had been held to create a third full national-team international tournament for UEFA members in addition to the FIFA World Cup and UEFA European Championship.
The concept of the UEFA Nations League would see all of UEFA's member associations' national teams divided into a series of groups based upon a ranking formulated using their recent results, where they would be promoted and relegated to other groups according to their results within the group. The proposed tournament would take place on dates on the FIFA International Match Calendar that were previously allocated for international friendlies and would not affect the FIFA World Cup or UEFA European Championship.
In March 2014, UEFA general secretary Gianni Infantino stated that one of the benefits of the proposal would be to help "less glamorous" national associations arrange games.
The Royal Belgian Football Association's general secretary, Steven Martens, said that lower-ranked nations would still benefit financially from the competition, as the television contract with UEFA would be centralised. The UEFA Nations League was unanimously adopted by the 54 UEFA member associations at the XXXVIII Ordinary UEFA Congress in Astana on 27 March 2014.
