Can Spain extend their perfect run without Yamal? Czechia vs Spain prediction – 12.11.2026
On Thursday, November 12, 2026, Czechia will host Spain at Prague's Letná Stadium in the fifth round of the UEFA Nations League. The visitors have already secured qualification for the quarter-finals and are looking to maintain their perfect record. Meanwhile, the hosts have lost all four of their matches and desperately need points to improve their chances of avoiding relegation from League A.
Czechia: Four defeats and mounting pressure on Santi Denia
Czechia's Nations League campaign has been a major disappointment. After four rounds, the team sit bottom of Group A3 without a single point, having scored just two goals and conceded ten. They opened with a 1-2 defeat against Croatia, followed by a 0-2 home loss to England. The October fixtures brought no improvement, as the Czechs suffered a 1-3 defeat against Spain and were subsequently beaten 0-3 by England at Wembley.
Santi Denia, who replaced Miroslav Koubek as head coach, has yet to earn his first point in charge. His team have struggled particularly against technically superior opponents, often finding themselves unable to maintain possession or create sustained attacking pressure.
There is some encouraging news ahead of the Spanish challenge. Experienced midfielder Tomáš Souček returns to the national squad after recovering from injury. His physical presence, leadership and ability to threaten from set pieces could prove important against opponents who dominate possession.
Denia has also included newcomers Idris Hopi and David Kozel, while Adam Gabriel and Kryštof Daněk return to the squad. Nevertheless, the hosts face several personnel problems. Pavel Šulc, Adam Karabec, Ondřej Lingr, Robin Hranáč and Matěj Ryneš are among those unavailable through injury. Adam Hložek has also recently experienced fitness problems, while Patrik Schick remains outside the squad.
Czechia will probably adopt a compact defensive structure, focusing on limiting space between the lines and creating opportunities through counterattacks and set pieces. However, their defensive record suggests that containing Spain for an entire match will be extremely difficult.
Spain: Four victories and a powerful attack despite important absences
Spain have made an outstanding start to the 2026/27 Nations League. Luis de la Fuente's side lead Group A3 with 12 points from four matches, scoring 12 goals and conceding five.
Their campaign began with an impressive 3-2 away victory against England. They followed that result with a convincing 4-1 win over Croatia before defeating Czechia 3-1. In their most recent Nations League encounter, the Spaniards secured another three points with a 2-1 victory away to Croatia.
The reigning world and European champions have already guaranteed themselves a place in the quarter-finals. Nevertheless, finishing first remains an important objective, particularly with England just three points behind.
Spain will travel to Prague without several influential players. Rodri, Dani Olmo and Eric García are sidelined by injuries, while Lamine Yamal is expected to miss the match after experiencing discomfort in his right knee following Barcelona's victory over Atlético Madrid on November 8.
Despite these absences, De la Fuente has plenty of quality available. Pedri, Martín Zubimendi, Fabián Ruiz and Mikel Merino offer excellent options in midfield, while Nico Williams, Mikel Oyarzabal, Yeremy Pino and Ferran Torres provide different attacking solutions.
Spain's greatest strength remains their collective structure. They control possession, move the ball quickly and exploit spaces created by their opponents' defensive movements. The absence of Yamal removes an important source of individual creativity, but it should not fundamentally change their approach.
Probable lineups
- Czechia (3-4-2-1): Kovář – Zima, Krejčí, Chaloupek – Coufal, Souček, Červ, Jurásek – Daněk, Provod – Naderi.
- Spain (4-3-3): Unai Simón – Pedro Porro, Cubarsí, Huijsen, Cucurella – Zubimendi, Pedri, Fabián Ruiz – Yeremy Pino, Oyarzabal, Nico Williams.
Match facts and head-to-head record
- Spain have won all four Nations League matches, scoring 12 goals.
- Czechia have lost four consecutive matches in the competition, conceding ten goals.
- The Czech national team have failed to score in two of their four group-stage fixtures.
- Spain defeated Czechia 3-1 in their previous meeting on October 3, 2026.
- Spain have scored at least two goals in each of their four Nations League matches.
- Czechia have yet to earn a point under Santi Denia.
Can Czechia withstand Spain's attacking pressure? Czechia vs Spain prediction
The difference between these teams has been evident throughout the Nations League campaign. Spain are considerably stronger in possession, possess greater attacking depth and have demonstrated their ability to score consistently against high-level opposition.
Czechia will have home support and the return of Souček could provide greater stability in midfield. Nevertheless, the hosts have struggled to handle sustained pressure, while their attacking productivity has been extremely limited.
Yamal's absence is an obvious setback for Spain, but De la Fuente still has enough attacking quality to dominate this encounter. With Czechia likely to defend deep, the visitors should control territory and generate opportunities through patient combinations and movement on the flanks.
The hosts may remain competitive for stretches of the match, but Spain's superior technical ability and squad depth should eventually make the difference. The visitors have already defeated Czechia by two goals in this campaign, and a similarly convincing result looks realistic in Prague.
Prediction: Spain Asian handicap (-1.75).
