Portugal - Croatia. Predicted line-ups and latest news, – September 5, 2024
Yasmine Green
Dailysports's expert
Translated by the editors
The fourth round of the UEFA Nations League kicks off on 5 September and, thanks to the new format, promises to be as intriguing as possible. In Ligue A, Portugal and Croatia will meet on the first match day.
It is noteworthy that these teams have already met each other in the UEFA Nations League, but in the 2020/2021 season. Then Portugal won both matches: 4:1 at home and 3:2 away. But in the last meeting, which fell on 8 June 2024 in a friendly, Croatia won 2-1.
Also for the national teams this match will be the first after the end of the European Championship. The ‘chequered’ failed to make it out of the group, while the Portuguese were knocked out in the quarter-finals by France.
Of course, after Euro 2024, the teams' bids have undergone changes. Thus, Portugal head coach Roberto Martinez was left without Pepe, who finished his career, and João Cancelo, Danilo Pereira and Francisco Conceição were not included in the application according to his decision.
They have been replaced by Geovani Quenda, Renato Veiga and Thiago Santos, who will be debutants for the Portugal national team. All of them have chances to wear the national emblem shirt for the first time this autumn.
Team star Cristiano Ronaldo, who flew past the Ballon d'Or nomination, is also in the squad and is expected to lead the Portuguese out on the pitch with the captain's armband.
Croatia's losses include Domagoj Vida and Marcelo Brozovic. The latter finished his international career at the mark of 99 matches. But, the veterans of the team will still be present in the squad, such as Ivan Perišić or Luka Modrić.
And who will not help Zlatko Dalić are Lovro Maier, Josip Stanisic and Martin Erlik. They are injured and will not help their team both in the match against Portugal and in the upcoming match against Poland on Sunday.
Dalic suggested that Marin Pongračić, Kristijan Jakic or even winger Marko Pjaca could take the right-back spot.
Putting all the factors together, the Dailysports team has put together predicted line-ups for the Portugal vs Croatia match.
Portugal predicted line-ups
Costa - Dalot, Dias, A. Silva, Mendes - Palinha, Vitinha, B. Silva, Fernandes, Leão - Ronaldo.
Croatia predicted line-ups
Livakovic - Pogrančić, Sutalo, Guardiol, Sosa - Modrić, L. Sučić, Kovacic - Pogrančić, Pasalic, Kramaric, Ivanušec.
The Portugal vs Croatia match will take place on 5 September at 20:45 CET at the Estadio da Luz in Lisbon.
