UEFA Nations League: Big Names and Great Expectations
The UEFA Nations League makes its fourth outing this week as part of the first international break of the new season.
The bi-annual tournament, designed to bring an end to meaningless friendlies, the scourge of the fans, was launched in 2018 and has successfully brought internationals to life, in between the big summer tournaments. There have been three winners of the European Nations League, France, Spain and Portugal and the early UEFA Nations League 2024 betting odds say the 2025 award will land in one of those countries again, with Germany also in the mix.
No mention of England you notice…well that’s because the Three Lions were relegated in the last competition and now interim manager Lee Carsley will lead them into Group B battle, facing the likes of Finland, Greece and the Republic of Ireland.
Euro 2024 champions Spain start with a trip to Serbia and there’s another eye-catching clash on Thursday when Portugal host Croatia. The match of the day on Friday pits together old rivals France and Italy and then, on Saturday, Germany host Hungary while England take a short trip across the Irish Sea to meet the Republic.
There will be a galaxy of stars on show over the next week, so let’s take a look at five who we’re really keen to see how they fare. Five players who have had mixed fortunes over the past 12 months but each will be hopeful of making some special UEFA Nations League 2024 highlights over the next few days.
Bruno Fernandes – Portugal
Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has been a constant figure in the Selecao’s first 11 since making his debut in 2017, and the attacking midfielder has scored 23 goals in 71 internationals. He has a one in three scoring record for his club side too, but he has had a frustrating time in four years at Old Trafford, playing for a team in transition and in the shadow of their city neighbours Manchester City. To make matters worse the Red Devils have just been slapped by fierce rivals Liverpool and have settled in the lower reaches of mid table in the Premier League. Of course these are early days and the ever ebullient Fernandes will do all he can to spark a revival at his club…and a week away in the sunshine will do him a world of good.
Pedri – Spain
With wingers Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal in the Spain squad there is no shortage of youthful star quality, but the player I’m keen to see this week is midfield ace Pedri who made an electric start to his career at Barcelona and with La Roja. He was blighted by injury last season and the Blaugrana have welcomed Pedri back with open arms. Still only 21 he has already made over 100 appearances for Barca and has 24 international caps and, if he is back to his best he will be a standout performer once again this year.
Sandro Tonali – Italy
Italy’s midfielder Sandro Tonali during the training session of Italy’s national football team
The SBOTOP match of the week comes on Friday when Italy face France at the Parc des Princes and Kylian Mbappe and co will welcome some of Serie A’s finest players. One star who will be desperate to make a positive impact is Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali who has just completed a ten month worldwide ban. After winning the Scudetto with AC Milan, Tonali had only just signed for the Magpies, the £70m fee making him the most expensive Italian of all time, when he was banned for betting irregularities. A cultured deep-lying midfielder who is still only 24, Tonali can get his career back on track right now.
Michael Olise – France
22 year old Olise made a name for himself at Crystal Palace as a tricky, pacey and dangerous winger, one to rival the likes of Williams and Yamal, and he has impressed in his two games in the Bundesliga, having switched to Bayern Munich in a 60m Euros deal. He has yet to play for Les Bleus but Olise had a highly successful Olympics, scoring five goals in nine appearances, and he has all the attributes to take the step up to Didier Deschamps team.
Cole Palmer – England
A player who was on the fringe of Gareth Southgate’s starting 11, Palmer never failed to get the fans off their seats when he came on, memorably scoring a brilliant equaliser in the Euro 2024 final but, of course, Spain went on to win. Following his £40m move from Manchester City to Chelsea, Palmer scored 22 goals and made 17 assists last season and, while England have a host of riches in attacking midfield, including Phil Foden and Bukayo Saka, Palmer is not a player you can ignore for long.
European champions Spain open up their 2024-25 UEFA Nations League campaign on Thursday with a testing trip to Serbia.
And as defending champions of the Nations League too, La Roja are the team to beat in European football.
This match promises to be a fascinating encounter to kick off Group A4, and the Serbs will put up a fierce resistance. But at 32nd place in the FIFA World Rankings, the hosts are 29 places below Spain.
Can the Serbs stop the Spaniard march? Well, if they do, they will be the first team in two years to avoid defeat in a competitive match against the mighty Roja.
Talking Points
A new Golden Era dawns for Spain
The UEFA Nations League 2024 betting odds make Spain one of the pre-tournament favourites of course, and at a price of 1.52 to beat Serbia, they should get off to a winning start.
And few would argue with those odds as head coach Luis de la Fuente has inherited and then moulded an incredibly gifted squad with UEFA Nations League 2024 highlights likely to come from any number of glittering stars.
Spain’s class of 2010 World Champions, and with European Championships in 2008 and 2012, those have long been held up as the best side in the nation’s history, but the current crop has a great chance to emulate them.
For a number of years, La Roja have been a functional team, competitive but not explosive, but now de la Fuente’s group has just about everything.
With Arsenal’s David Raya as the last line of defence in front of a centre-back pairing of Robin Le Normand and Aymeric Laporte, with Aston Villa’s Pau Torres in the mix too, this is a tough team to break down, but the headline grabbers tend to be further forward.
Captained by fourth top scorer of all time, Alvaro Morata and with wing sensations Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal writing the headlines at Euro 2024, this is a team which can tear apart any defence.
Spain’s Dani Olmo celebrates after scoring a goal in their Euro 2024 semi-final match against France back in July
Barcelona’s summer signing Dani Olmo also had a superb European campaign, and his guile on the ball and ruthlessness in front of goal provide a constant threat.
And with a midfield anchored by Manchester City’s Rodri with Barcelona’s midfield ace Pedri back in the frame, this is a team designed and fully capable to dominate.
Jovic gets the nod for Serbia
Dragan Stojkovic has been at the helm of the Serbian national team for three years now, and despite an underwhelming showing at Euro 2024, exiting without a win, he has been given the task of leading the Serbs through the Nations League campaign.
He came under some criticism at the end of the Euros, as fans expected a better effort at negotiating a relatively tame group, but his team was hard to break down, conceding only twice. But then, they only scored once.
With a seemingly potent strike pair of all time top scorer Aleksandar Mitrovic and the gifted Dusan Vlahovic, this was a huge disappointment, as the pair showed a lack of understanding and, as a consequence, fired a sequence of blanks.
The head coach hopes to provide more cheer for the Serbian fans in the Nations League, and he has put his faith in AC Milan striker Luka Jovic. The 26-year-old had his best return at Eintracht Frankfurt where he scored 25 goals in 54 games, but he has since struggled to match that rate at Real Madrid and now Milan.
With 11 goals for Serbia, he is the main striker in Stojkovic’s team for this week, and the responsibility for goals rests on Jovic’s shoulders.
History
Spain won the only previous meeting between these two sides, a 2-0 victory in a friendly back in 2012. In terms of recent form, La Roja are much stronger, on a run of nine consecutive wins while Serbia have won two, drawn two, and lost two of the last six games.
At SBOTOP odds of 5.32 to win this opener, Serbia have a tough task, and a draw at 3.61 would be a good result for the hosts.
A 1-0 away win is the most likely outcome at odds of 5.41, while a 2-0 Spain victory is 6.28. But if you think the hosts can frustrate the European champions, a 1-1 draw is at 6.95, while a 0-0 stalemate is out at a price of 9.25.
Yet they still have the other veteran talisman in their ranks and, unless we hear otherwise, Cristiano Ronaldo is hoping for one final international tournament swansong.
Talking Points
Two years Pepe’s junior, he will lead his side against a nation which is looking to bounce back from a massively disappointing summer and is led by another ‘golden oldie’ in the shape of his former Real Madrid team mate Luka Modric.
Pepe waving to fans after his last match for Portugal
As respected journalist Henry Winter wrote this week, this truly is a meeting of two greats of the modern era.
Players who have starred in tournament after tournament and a clash which offers more than opportunity for a stroll down memory lane, but also a reflection of when is it time to step down and leave the stage to others.
As Winter eloquently states: ‘It must be a painful decision and process, almost admitting a sense of mortality after two decades of superhuman effort. It’s what each has known for more than half their lives, that adrenalin, patriotism and physical, tactical and technical challenge of the international stage. The supremely competitive nature of both Ronaldo and Modric means they will not listen to the critics, only to their bodies on when it’s time to go.’
As for Modric’s Croatia, they had their chances to shine in a tough group in Germany but a last gasp goal conceded to Italy meant they were eliminated at the group stage after three performances which were largely a shadow of those from recent World Cups – where they finished runners-up and third respectively. If they are to create Nations League highlights this week, they will have to do it the hard way as they are missing a number of players through injury.
The hosts have no such issues and while manager Roberto Martinez has refreshed his squad, selecting youngsters Geovany Quenda, Renato Veiga and Tiago Santos for the first time, their experienced core remains and they will start as favourites.
History
Given the impressive form of these two nations over the 21st century, especially as they are smaller than many of their footballing counterparts, it may surprise you to learn that Croatia had never beaten Portugal until three months ago.
That was a friendly in June just before Euro 2024 which saw Croatia win 2-1 on Portuguese soil with Modric (penalty) and Ante Budimir on target. Diogo Jota replied for the home side.
In fact, Croatia have only drawn once in their eight meetings with six Portuguese victories.
The most important of those have come in the European Championships, including their very first meeting at the group stages in 1996 when Luis Figo, Joao Pinto and Domingos scored the goals in a 3-0 win in Nottingham.
They also met at Euro 2016 in the last 16 when two teams packed with outstanding talent failed to live up to their pedigree.
It is thought to have been the first game in the tournament’s history when neither side managed to muster a shot on target in the 90 minutes.
However, on the night that Nani made his 100th appearance for his country, Portugal reached the quarter-finals of a tournament they would go onto triumph in, courtesy of a Ricardo Quaresma goal in the 117th minute.
The most recent competitive meeting was in the UEFA Nations League in Split in November 2020 when players who have all plied their trade in the Premier League traded goals.
Ruben Dias’ second half double, including a last-minute winner, sealed a 3-2 victory for Portugal with Joao Felix getting the other.
Mateo Kovacic, now a teammate of Dias at Manchester City, netted both for Croatia.
UEFA Nations League: Denmark Aim to End Their Rut Against the Swiss
Denmark vs Switzerland
Denmark will kick off their UEFA Nations League campaign against Switzerland on Thursday, and they will look to give their home fans something to cheer about at Parken Stadium.
Before this tournament, the Danes were frustrated in Euro 2024 since they never won a single game in the group stage, scoring just two goals, thus getting eliminated earlier than expected.
Denmark and Switzerland are in one of the toughest groups in the tournament, as they’re bunched with Spain and Serbia in League A Group 4. Spain are expected to take the top spot, so this game feels like a battle for second.
Continue reading on below for the SBOTOP preview of this contest.
Talking Points
Denmark in a state of flux
Following their Round of 16 exit from the Euros, Denmark have changed their coach, and they will also miss certain key players in this international break.
With an overall record of 33 victories from 55 games, including a semi-finals run in Euro 2020 and qualifying for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Kasper Hjulmand is going to be a tough act to follow for either Knudsen or Wieghorst.
Moreover, according to the UEFA Nations League 2024 updates, the Danes won’t have Andreas Christensen, Matt O’Riley, and Rasmus Hojlund due to injuries. Knudsen will heavily rely on the experience of veterans Kasper Schmeichel and Christian Eriksen, who combine for 239 caps.
Some of the team’s newcomers include Gustav Isaksen, Patrick Dorgu, and Morten Frendrup. These three youngsters are currently plying their trade in Serie A, and they will be eager to compete for minutes.
Switzerland wave goodbye to key veterans
Murat Yakin giving instruction from the touchline during Switzerland’s match against England in Euro 2024
After more than a decade as Switzerland’s No. 1 goalie, Yann Sommer officially announced his retirement from the national team. The Inter Milan star finishes his international football career as the eighth-most-capped player with 94 appearances.
As a result, Switzerland will likely appoint Gregor Kobel to start between the sticks, starting on Thursday.
Xherdan Shaqiri is also leaving the Rossocrociati with 32 goals in 125 appearances, while Newcastle United defender Fabian Schar has also pulled out in this week’s international break.
Otherwise, head coach Murat Yakin will essentially have the same core of players when they travel to Copenhagen, with Granit Xhaka serving as their skipper.
Manuel Akanji, Nico Elvedi, and Ricardo Rodriguez will likely make up for their backline, while Remo Freuler, Michel Aebischer, and Dan Ndoye join Xhaka in the middle of the park.
Ruben Vargas, Noah Okafor, and Breel Embolo will be the attacking trio for the Swiss to complete their 3-4-2-1 formation.
History
Denmark and Switzerland will meet for the 14th time in all competitions this week. The Danes have the slight advantage in the overall head-to-heads with four wins, while the Rossocrociati have won twice and drawn seven times.
The Danes have yet to lose against the Rossocrociati since a 1-0 result during the 1986 World Cup qualifiers back in October 1984.
As far as the UEFA Nations League is concerned, Denmark never made it past the finals bracket, while Switzerland did so in 2019, when they finished fourth in the inaugural edition of the competition.
The UEFA Nations League 2024 odds predict a tight contest between Denmark and Switzerland, despite their contrasting forms. Denmark were given the slight edge at 2.38, whereas Switzerland are not far behind at 2.87, and a draw is at 2.99 in the 1X2 market.
Playing at home could give the Danes a boost, and they can be the wild cards, but the Swiss should take this game because they have a more stable and stronger team on paper.
Other than our recommended bet above, don’t expect too many goals from these two teams, making options like Under 2.50 at 1.70, Total Goal 2-3 at 1.97, or even Total Goal 0-1 at 2.67 worth considering.
Furthermore, a Correct Score of 0-0 – the result of their most recent encounter – is on offer at 8.40.
UEFA Nations League: Denmark Aim to End Their Rut Against the Swiss
Denmark vs Switzerland
Denmark will kick off their UEFA Nations League campaign against Switzerland on Thursday, and they will look to give their home fans something to cheer about at Parken Stadium.
Before this tournament, the Danes were frustrated in Euro 2024 since they never won a single game in the group stage, scoring just two goals, thus getting eliminated earlier than expected.
Denmark and Switzerland are in one of the toughest groups in the tournament, as they’re bunched with Spain and Serbia in League A Group 4. Spain are expected to take the top spot, so this game feels like a battle for second.
Continue reading on below for the SBOTOP preview of this contest.
Talking Points
Denmark in a state of flux
Following their Round of 16 exit from the Euros, Denmark have changed their coach, and they will also miss certain key players in this international break.
With an overall record of 33 victories from 55 games, including a semi-finals run in Euro 2020 and qualifying for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Kasper Hjulmand is going to be a tough act to follow for either Knudsen or Wieghorst.
Moreover, according to the UEFA Nations League 2024 updates, the Danes won’t have Andreas Christensen, Matt O’Riley, and Rasmus Hojlund due to injuries. Knudsen will heavily rely on the experience of veterans Kasper Schmeichel and Christian Eriksen, who combine for 239 caps.
Some of the team’s newcomers include Gustav Isaksen, Patrick Dorgu, and Morten Frendrup. These three youngsters are currently plying their trade in Serie A, and they will be eager to compete for minutes.
Switzerland wave goodbye to key veterans
Murat Yakin giving instruction from the touchline during Switzerland’s match against England in Euro 2024
After more than a decade as Switzerland’s No. 1 goalie, Yann Sommer officially announced his retirement from the national team. The Inter Milan star finishes his international football career as the eighth-most-capped player with 94 appearances.
As a result, Switzerland will likely appoint Gregor Kobel to start between the sticks, starting on Thursday.
Xherdan Shaqiri is also leaving the Rossocrociati with 32 goals in 125 appearances, while Newcastle United defender Fabian Schar has also pulled out in this week’s international break.
Otherwise, head coach Murat Yakin will essentially have the same core of players when they travel to Copenhagen, with Granit Xhaka serving as their skipper.
Manuel Akanji, Nico Elvedi, and Ricardo Rodriguez will likely make up for their backline, while Remo Freuler, Michel Aebischer, and Dan Ndoye join Xhaka in the middle of the park.
Ruben Vargas, Noah Okafor, and Breel Embolo will be the attacking trio for the Swiss to complete their 3-4-2-1 formation.
History
Denmark and Switzerland will meet for the 14th time in all competitions this week. The Danes have the slight advantage in the overall head-to-heads with four wins, while the Rossocrociati have won twice and drawn seven times.
The Danes have yet to lose against the Rossocrociati since a 1-0 result during the 1986 World Cup qualifiers back in October 1984.
As far as the UEFA Nations League is concerned, Denmark never made it past the finals bracket, while Switzerland did so in 2019, when they finished fourth in the inaugural edition of the competition.
The UEFA Nations League 2024 odds predict a tight contest between Denmark and Switzerland, despite their contrasting forms. Denmark were given the slight edge at 2.38, whereas Switzerland are not far behind at 2.87, and a draw is at 2.99 in the 1X2 market.
Playing at home could give the Danes a boost, and they can be the wild cards, but the Swiss should take this game because they have a more stable and stronger team on paper.
Other than our recommended bet above, don’t expect too many goals from these two teams, making options like Under 2.50 at 1.70, Total Goal 2-3 at 1.97, or even Total Goal 0-1 at 2.67 worth considering.
Furthermore, a Correct Score of 0-0 – the result of their most recent encounter – is on offer at 8.40.
UEFA Nations League: France and Italy in the City of Romance
France vs Italy
It’s one of the world’s most glamorous internationals, but when France and Italy meet on Friday in their opening UEFA Nations League clash, we can expect sparks to fly … and there will be little love lost.
Paris may well be the ‘City of Romance’ but there is—at the least—animosity and often pure hatred between these two sets of fans, dating back to the infamous World Cup final of 2006.
On a balmy night in Berlin, the Azzurri won a dramatic penalty shoot-out. Although the match will forever be remembered for the red card handed to France talisman Zinedine Zidane for a headbutt on Marco Materazzi.
What the Italy midfielder was alleged to have said to wind up Zizou can’t be repeated here. Suffice to say he hit a nerve and Zidane saw red, ending his illustrious career in disgrace.
Wouldn’t it be lovely to see the Materazzi and Zidane on the pitch pre-match to kiss and make up? I won’t be holding my breath!
Anyway, back to football, Didier Deschamps has the task of leading Les Bleus to an opening round victory, and the UEFA Nations League 2024 betting odds say he should be successful. But Italy head coach Luciano Spalletti will set up his side to be difficult to break down so it should be a fascinating clash … hopefully with 11 players on each side at the full time whistle!
Talking Points
Deschamps is happy to go again
The France head coach recently announced that he would stay on and lead his country into the 2026 World Cup in America, where he hopes to add to his tally of one title and two finals in his six major tournaments at the helm.
Les Bleus lost the Euro 2024 semi-final to eventual winners Spain but that was only after having stunk the place out for much of the competition. It was hard to fathom just why France were so dull, but it didn’t help that Kylian Mbappe broke his nose in France’s Euro opener against Austria; he was never at his best throughout the three weeks.
But the France skipper has just embarked on a new chapter in his career at Real Madrid, and he will be desperate to show that he is still among the very best in the world.
Inter Milan’s Marcus Thuram celebrates scoring their third goal against Atalanta in Serie A
France misfired for much of the Euros but they do have attacking players bang in form; Ousmane Dembele, still at Paris Saint-Germain, has started the season impressively whilst Marcus Thuram has already bagged two braces in his first three games for Inter Milan.
Add in the guile of Antoine Griezmann, the pace of Randal Kolo Muani and maybe a debut for exciting winger FC Bayern Michael Olise and this is surely a team full of goals.
Spalletti looking for better
Azzurri head coach Spalletti had a difficult watch at the Euros too. Italy had to come from a goal behind to beat neighbour Albania, lost to Spain and only a 98th-minute screamer from Lazio star Mattia Zaccagni earned a draw with Croatia to see them through to the round of 16. The Azzurri saved the worst for Switzerland who strolled to a 2-0 win and the reigning champions were sent packing.
Centre-back Riccardo Calafiori impressed in Germany, with his all-action displays which earned him a move to Arsenal. Calafiori will probably line up in a back three alongside Alessandro Buongiorno and Alessandro Bastoni to make a formidable defensive unit.
And in other Euro 2024 news, there could be a return for Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali who has just returned to action from a ten-month ban for betting offences.
History
Italy are four-time World Cup champions—most recently on that infamous night in 2006—and they are twice Kings of Europe, beating England in the Euro 2020 final at Wembley.
Meanwhile, Les Bleus have won both major tournaments twice, most recently as World Champions in 2018, when Mbappe burst onto the scene.
France have registered 11 wins to Italy’s 18 in the head-to-head meetings, including winning the last three games, all friendlies.
Recent form is pretty even with France clocking up four wins, four draws and two defeats in 2024, whilst Italy have earned four wins, two draws and two defeats this year.
Les Bleus are strong favourites at SBOTOP odds of 1.65 to see off the Azzurri with the draw at 3.38 and an Italy victory at 4.43.
A 2-0 home win is priced at 7.04, with the most likely score line a 1-0 home win at 5.89.
Although Italy will be a tough nut to crack, I think France’s attacking unit has a point to prove, and when better to make that point than when an old enemy comes to town?
UEFA Nations League: Turkey Have to Watch Out for Vengeful Wales
Wales vs Turkey
Wales will kick off their UEFA Nations League campaign with a home game against Turkey at the Cardiff City Stadium on Friday, with getting a measure of revenge being the one thing on their minds.
The last time these two nations were in the same group was in the Euro 2024 qualifiers, where Turkey and Croatia made it to Germany for taking the top two spots in Group D, with Wales having to go through a gauntlet since they finished third.
Wales subsequently lost their play-off match against Poland in heartbreaking fashion (via penalties), dashing their Euro 2024 hopes. On the other hand, Turkey went as far as the quarter-finals, eventually losing to the Netherlands.
This reason alone makes this contest compelling, and SBOTOP is here to bring you the action.
Talking Points
Johnson has to take over for Wales
Wales midfielder Brennan Johnson celebrates with teammates after scoring their third goal during the Euro 2024 playoff semi-final against Finland
Wales have been finding their new talisman since Gareth Bale announced his retirement from football last year. The former Real Madrid winger is a tough act to follow since he is the Cymru’s all-time leading scorer and caps leader (41 goals in 111 appearances).
With Craig Bellamy, who replaced Rob Page in July, at the helm, the former national team captain faces the task of finding one from within.
A quick look at their roster would tell you that Brennan Johnson is likely to take over the offencive cudgels for the Cymru. The Tottenham forward emerged as one of the Premier League’s rising stars last season.
Brennan Johnson started 2023-24 on the bench under manager Ange Postecoglou, but he worked his way into the starting XI. He finished the campaign with five league goals and a team-leading 10 assists.
The 23-year-old will hope to return to the scoring column for Wales on Friday, and he’ll likely be joined by Kieffer Moore, Harry Wilson, Aaron Ramsey, Ethan Ampadu, Chris Mepham, Joe Rodon, Neco Williams, Connor Roberts, Ben Davies, and goalkeeper Danny Ward in the starting XI.
Turkey’s youngsters can take the spotlight
Turkey proved to be a force to be reckoned with in Euro 2024 when they made it to the quarter-finals. Head coach Vincenzo Montella deserves praise for getting the best out of his players.
The Crescent Stars have a balanced squad with a unique mix of youngsters and grizzled veterans. Hakan Calhanoglu is currently the most established member in the national team roster with 19 goals in 90 caps, and he’ll have his pick of the litter between his young forwards.
Arda Guler and Kenan Yildiz have just turned 19, but they have already combined for three goals in 24 caps. Eintracht Frankfurt’s Can Uzun and SC Freiburg’s Eren Dinkci are also intriguing talents, and they’ll fight for their minutes this international break.
Defending is also a strong suit for Turkey because of their solid backline. The evergreen Mert Gunok will likely man between the sticks, and he’ll be covered by Caglar Soyuncu, Merih Demiral, Samet Akaydin, and Kaan Ayhan.
History
Friday marks the 10th meeting between Wales and Turkey across all competitions. The Cymru have the slight edge in the overall head-to-heads with four wins, whereas the Crescent Stars have won three times and drawn twice.
The hosts are winless in their last two matches against Turkey, losing 2-0 in their first group stage match in June 2023 and drawing 1-1 in the reverse fixture in November 2023, causing them to crash out.
Wales will aim to qualify for the World Cup for the second consecutive time and third overall. In the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the Cymru finished at the bottom of Group B with two defeats and one draw.
Turkey will also aim to qualify for the third time ever in the World Cup. Their last appearance in the quadrennial meet was in 2002, when they finished third.
Betting Tip
Wales VS Turkey
September 7, 2:45 (GMT+8)
Turkey Asian Handicap -0.00 @2.03
The UEFA Nations League 2024 odds predict a close fight on Friday. Because they’re playing at home, Wales were given the slight edge at 2.49, but Turkey aren’t far behind at 2.70, and a draw is at 3.03 in the 1X2 market.
Since this match is going to be tightly contested, we might not see many UEFA Nations League 2024 highlights, making alternatives like Under 2.00 at 2.20, Under 2.25 at 1.85, and Total Goal 0-1 at 2.57 worth considering besides our recommended bet.
For correct scorelines, 1-0 for Turkey at 7.20 is a solid choice, while fans at the Cardiff City Stadium might want to go for 1-0 in their favour at 6.80.
UEFA Nations League: Slovenia, Austria Look to Replicate Euro Form
Slovenia vs Austria
Slovenia and Austria, two teams that surprised fans and pundits alike during their Euro stints, are set to face each other at the Stozice Stadium on Saturday as the Nations League action ramps up.
Both sides enjoyed a relatively successful run in the Euros and are hoping that more of the same—if not better—will happen.
A large part of their successes are owed to Ralf Rangnick and Matjaz Kek—coaches who helped pave the way for these countries to be where they are now.
Rangnick led his squad to the top of the table against a tough draw, whilst Kek had his gritty Slovenian lads fight tooth and nail to secure a maiden knockout appearance in the tournament.
Slovenia finished third in their League B group last time around, having earned a promotion after topping their League C group back in 2020/21. Austria, on the other hand, were relegated from League A in 2022/23 as they finished bottom of their League A group.
Talking Points
What could’ve been for Slovenia
A man can dream. For Slovenia, the old adage rung true.
The squad that Matjaz Kek took will forever be known in the annals of Slovenian football as history makers and game changers. Despite failing to register a win in the Euro 2024’s group stages, Slovenia advanced to the knockout round—the first time they have done so in any major competition.
In their opening match, a 77th-minute equaliser for Erik Janza salvaged a draw against Denmark. Then onto their Balkan brothers, where a first-ever win in the Euros—and a first win in a major competition since the 2010 World Cup—was almost within their reach.
Defender Zan Karnicnik scored in the 69th minute, and Slovenia kept Serbia at bay up until the fourth minute of added time. Had the match ended then and there, then Slovenia could’ve finally basked in their sweet and hard-fought victory.
Coulda, woulda, shoulda. A corner was given to Serbia, and Luka Jovic headed it home, two minutes before the final whistle was blown.
They would remain solid, however, and held on against England in a 0-0 draw despite getting dominated in possession.
Against Portugal, Ronaldo and co. peppered Jan Oblak’s goal, but to no avail. The match ended goalless through 30 minutes of extra time, and an entire nation held their breath for a quarter-final berth.
To their dismay, Diogo Costa was immense in goal, saving all three penalties attempted, and Slovenia were knocked out of the tournament.
Rangnick had Austria firing on all cylinders
Despite being grouped with France, Poland, and the Netherlands, Austria were able to come out on top of their Euro 2024 group.
Marcel Sabitzer during their Euro 2024 match against the Netherlands
Sure, they had a talented crew with the likes of Marcel Sabitzer, Marko Arnautovic, Christoph Baumgartner and Konrad Laimer. But a skilled squad can only get you so far. Luckily for them, they had someone like Ralf Rangnick at the helm.
After a close 1-0 defeat against France, Austria would batter Poland (3-1) and edge the Netherlands (3-2) out en route to a second consecutive round of 16 appearance at the Euros.
They were eventually taken out by Turkey, but they can be very proud of what they achieved.
History
Slovenia and Austria have only played each other four times, with Austria winning three times whilst Slovenia won their first encounter back in 1997.
In their last three matches—all dating back to 2018/19—Austria have scored a total of five times, whilst Slovenia were unable to score in any of the games.
The SBOTOP Nations League 2024 odds have Das Team as the favourites, whilst Slovenia are priced at 3.02. If you think the match will end with no winners, then the odds of a draw are at 3.07.
An alternate bet of total goals (0-1) that goes for 2.92 is also one that might entice you. Or maybe you think more goals will be scored, and for that matter, correctly guessing 2-3 goals is at 1.97.
Regardless, I still think Austria will take this one. Their players have more quality, and I expect Rangnick to outcoach Kek.
Anyhow, look out for Nations League 2024 highlights for this one; this match should be fun.
UEFA Nations League: England Post Southgate Begins
Republic of Ireland vs England
After eight years under head coach Gareth Southgate, a new era dawns for the Three Lions, starting with Nations League: Ireland vs England on Saturday.
Defeat to Spain in the Euro 2024 final turned out to be the last straw for Southgate who had so nearly brought success to the trophy starved nation, reaching successive European finals and a World Cup quarter final in 2022. But his reign was not entirely unproblematic as England start life without him in Group B of the Nations League having suffered relegation in the 2023 tournament.
Former Everton midfielder Lee Carsley has been coaching with the England set-up since 2020 and he led the U21s to victory in the 2023 European Championships, beating Spain 1-0 to win a first major title since 1984. And now, just as Southgate did back in 2016, he has stepped up to take care of the senior team on an interim basis.
At SBOTOP odds of 1.46 to win the Three Lions are hot favourites to give Carsley a winning start but he faces a man who will ensure his side is no pushover.
Talking Points
Hallgrimsson knows how to beat England
The Ireland vs England betting odds strongly back a Three Lions win but the Men in Green have a new boss too and he has succeeded against England in the past. Heimir Hallgrimsson was head coach of Iceland when they dumped Roy Hodgson’s team out of the 2016 European Championships and the Icemen were serious underdogs on that day, they were just superbly organised and played as a team.
More recently he has managed Jamaica, leaving the Reggae Boys after the 2024 Copa America and now Hallgrimsson takes charge of his third international side. He hopes to lift Ireland out of a rut as they come into this high profile clash with just three wins in 13 games, and two of those against the minnows of Gibralter.
Heimir Hallgrimsson during Jamaica’s match against Ecuador in the Copa America
Ireland have some lively young strikers in Brighton and Hove Albion’s Evan Ferguson, recently recovered from injury, Burnley’s Michael Obafemi and Ipswich Town’s Sammie Szmodics, with experienced wingbacks Robbie Brady and Seamus Coleman likely to provide some ammunition. But chances will be few and far between for the Men in Green and they will need to be clinical.
Carsley’s audition starts now
Interim boss Lee Carsley has a good chance of following in Southgate’s footsteps and taking full charge of the senior team, with no other serious candidates currently in the frame. Over the next ten weeks the Three Lions have six very winnable games to play, two each against Ireland, Greece and Finland, the 58th, 54th and 63rd ranked nations. England are FIFA’s fourth ranked team and no matter which eleven Carsley picks on Saturday they will be more than capable of taking on their hosts.
England fans were hoping to see Chelsea’s Cole Palmer in action but the attacking midfielder has been withdrawn with doubts as to the reasons why, and striker Ollie Watkins, who starred at Euro 2024 too has returned to his club, as has Manchester City star Phil Foden. But, with Anthony Gordon, Bukayo Saka and Jarrod Bowen all available there is plenty of creative muscle, while skipper Harry Kane will surely lead the line; and there might be a debut for Palmer’s club-mate Noni Madueke who scored his first Premier League hat-trick in a 6-2 destruction of Wolves last week.
History
England have long been one of the powerhouses of European football and on the world stage but they have only won one more tournament than their Irish cousins, the 1966 World Cup.
The historic Ireland vs England results give some hope to the home fans too. This fixture has seen a draw fest over the past nine meetings with honours even on six occasions, and two wins for England with just one for the Republic. The last meeting, a friendly back in 2020 saw the Three Lions romp to a 3-0 win but before that game the teams played out a goalless draw and the four previous meetings all ended 1-1.
The English have been stronger this year with three wins, two draws and a single defeat while Ireland have won one, drawn two and lost three, but the favourites have not won in Ireland in their last three visits.
With the hosts at 5.80 to win and 3.70 to draw, or even 2.41 for the Double Chance: Ireland or Draw, there is plenty for the home fans to go at, and I expect a tight affair on Saturday. A repeat of the popular 1-1 draw is priced at 7.24, while England to win 1-0 is at 5.12, and that would suit Carsley just fine.
UEFA Nations League: Spain Frustrated by Serbian Grit
Serbia 0-0 Spain
The 2024 European Champions continued their unbeaten run in Serbia on Thursday night but Luis de la Fuente’s team failed to win for the first time in ten outings.
UEFA Nations League Serbia vs Spain was the pick of the opening night’s fixtures and it certainly delivered in terms of competitiveness; but not in terms of goals as the brave hosts kept out the team which won every single match they played at Euro 2024 in Germany.
In other Nations League action tonight Cristiano Ronaldo and Robert Lewandowski were both on target as Portugal beat Croatia and Poland won in Scotland; and Alexander Isak scored twice as Sweden started with a 3-1 win away to Azerbaijan. In the other Group A4 game of the night, Denmark beat Switzerland 2-0 with two late goals from Patrick Dorgu and Pierre Emile Hojbjerg as Nico Elvedi and Granit Xhaka were both sent off for the Swiss.
Highlights of the game
The Serbia vs Spain betting odds predicted a Roja romp while, at 25th in the FIFA World Rankings, Serbia are a force to be reckoned with, though with less resource than their opponents of course. And it was the hosts who came out with clear intent; letting La Roja have the ball and then hitting them on the break, with four shots in the opening 15 minutes before Spain had laid a glove on them. Luka Jovic’s pot shot went just high and wide, and that seemed to wake La Roja up and Robin Le Normand headed narrowly wide from a Dani Olmo corner, before Martin Zubimendi forced a save when he was teed up by Lamine Yamal.
The hosts continued to probe for the opener and Jovic shot just wide when he latched onto a through ball from Andrija Zivkovic. But as the first half wore on Spain looked the more likely to score and Olmo and Fabian Ruiz both came close.
Serbia started the second half as they had the first and, after Ivan Ilic was felled by Aymeric Laporte just outside the penalty area he climbed to his feet and fired the free kick inches wide. Spain hit back again with efforts from Dani Carvajal and Ruiz but the Serbia defence held firm, though Le Normand, always a threat from the air was allowed the space to power another effort just over the bar.
Fabian Ruiz twice came close to scoring for Spain
Spain head coach Luis de le Fuente threw on Mikel Oyarzabal and Alex Grimaldo to try to shake things up and with Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal still on the pitch the Spaniards had plenty of firepower. Grimaldo had a shot saved in the bottom corner and Yamal fizzed an effort just wide as La Roja came ever closer to breaking the deadlock. Williams met a cross from Carvajal but his header was tipped over the bar and then another substitute, Joselu, headed just over from another excellent cross from Grimaldo in Spain’s last big push.
Key statistics
In our SBOTOP preview of this match we backed La Roja to continue their hot streak of nine consecutive wins but in a low scoring match. We were right on the second count but not on the first!
After a fast start by Serbia the visitors fought their way back into the game and the Serbia vs Spain highlights for the first were pretty much as expected. La Roja had the lion’s share of possession and ended up with nine shots to six and two to one on target.
By the end of the game La Roja had registered 21 shots to Serbia’s eight and five to one on target. Spain won the only previous meeting between the two teams 2-0 and they had enough chances to repeat that score line, but they met a determined Serbian resistance tonight.
What’s next?
On Friday Belgium face Israel and then, in the match of the week, old rivals France and Italy meet at the Parc des Prices. Didiers Dechamps’ Bleus will be looking for a big performance after a disappointing Euro 2024, but the Azzurri will be a tough nut to crack under Luciano Spalletti. On Saturday Germany host Hungary while England begin life in Group B with a trip to near neighbours Ireland and the Netherlands host Bosnia and Herzegovina. Then tonight’s opponents are back in action on Sunday when Spain visit Switzerland and Serbia head to Scandinavia to take on opening day winners Denmark.
UEFA Nations League: Record Breaker Ronaldo Wins the Day and Sticks Two Fingers Up at Critics
Portugal 2-1 Croatia
A UEFA Nations League reunion of two ‘golden oldies’, two of the greats of the modern game, two of the greats of football history.
It was natural that most eyes would be on Cristiano Ronaldo and Luka Modric, the only difference was the pre-match narrative.
While many pundits were purring over how wonderful it was to see Modric still pulling the strings, others (mainly British based media who have never forgiven him for causing so much damage to the English national team in successive tournaments), were calling on Ronaldo to stand down.
How typical then, of arguably the greatest talent to have played the game, to stick two fingers up at his critics and deliver the telling blow.
Highlights of the game
As the Estadio da Luz anticipated Nations League highlights, the majority inside didn’t have long to wait to smile.
Only seven minutes were on the clock when a familiar combination for club and country paid dividends.
Bruno Fernandes supplied the through ball and Diogo Dalot did with the rest by arrowing a left shot into the bottom left corner.
It was an ideal start for the hosts who were backed strongly with the SBOTOP Nations League betting odds.
By contrast, Croatia’s golden generation appeared to be gently disappearing over the vanishing point and failed to get out of their group, albeit a tough one, in Germany this summer.
The key goal arrived 11 minutes before the break when Nuno Mendes supplied the cross and there was Ronaldo to lash home what proved to be the winner, reacting quicker than anyone else.
Manager Roberto Martínez has shown no inclination to respond to any public opinion urging him to move on CR7, who continues to show a relentless appetite, and here was vindication as he netted a landmark 900th career goal and a record-extending 131st goal for Portugal.
His side were back in the tie just before the break when goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic’s quick thinking sparked a break and Andrej Kramaric timed his run perfectly. He initially held up play and, when Borna Sosa nudged it back into the danger zone, the unfortunate Dalot struck the ball into his own net.
That was how the scoring stayed.
Croatia’s Luka Modric in action against Portugal
Modric will be 39 on Monday and there had been vague talk in Spain that the decision to prolong his international career has not gone down with unanimous acclaim at Real Madrid, who might have assumed when they offered him a one-year contract extension in July that they would finally be getting him to themselves.
Not quite yet it appears.
As for the county he captains with distinction, Croatia pushed Spain all the way in the most recent Nations League Final but, at the time, it seemed the pinnacle for a nation of just 3.8 million people.
It appears unlikely that will change before their talisman calls it a day.
Key statistics
Ronaldo struck twice for Sporting Lisbon in October 2002, at the age of 17, and has not stopped scoring since.
A year later he moved to Manchester United, scoring 118 goals in 293 games for the Red Devils before joining Real Madrid in 2009 for a then world record £94 million.
In nine years at the Spanish giants, he scored 450 times before making the move to Italy to join Juventus.
He added another 101 goals to his tally during his three years with the Italian club before returning to United, where he would score 27 goals in 54 matches.
Since January last year, he has scored 68 times for Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr.
Portugal are unbeaten in six of their last seven matches against Croatia. They also beat Croatia 3-2 in the last Nations League match, the last time they met in a competitive fixture.
Twenty goals have been scored in the last seven match-ups between the sides.
Both teams have scored in each of the five of the last six meetings.
What’s next?
Portugal host Scotland on Sunday evening (September 8) in their next Nations League match, while Croatia entertain Poland.
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04-Sep 2024 Wednesday
5:23 PM (27 days ago)
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