Prediction: Serbia vs Greece

Serbia and Greece begin their UEFA Nations League journeys on Thursday night when they meet at Stadion Rajko Mitic in Belgrade.

Drawn alongside Germany and the Netherlands in League A Group 2, both nations know that a strong start could prove vital if they are to challenge for a top-two finish and a place in the quarter-finals. The fixture also presents an opportunity for two countries still hurting from their failure to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.

Serbia enter the Nations League looking to move on from a disappointing World Cup qualification campaign.

Having appeared at the last two World Cups, the Eagles were unable to secure a place at the 2026 tournament after finishing third in their qualifying group, narrowly missing out on a playoff spot. Since then, results have done little to ease frustrations, with Serbia winning only one of their four friendly matches in 2026.

Losses to Spain, Cape Verde and Mexico exposed weaknesses throughout the side and briefly placed head coach Veljko Paunovic under significant pressure. The manager even admitted he offered to resign after the defeat to Cape Verde before deciding to continue in the role.

Despite those setbacks, Serbia remain an established League A nation. They successfully retained their place in the division during the previous Nations League cycle and will hope home advantage can help them make a positive start.

The hosts also carry additional motivation given their poor recent record against Greece in Belgrade, where they have not beaten Thursday’s opponents for 16 years.

Team News

Injury problems, however, have weakened the squad. Dusan Vlahovic, Nikola Milenkovic, Predrag Rajkovic and Aleksandar Mitrovic are all unavailable. The absence of Mitrovic is particularly significant given that he is the second-highest scorer in Nations League history.

On a more positive note, veteran playmaker Dusan Tadic has returned to the national setup and could make his 112th appearance. Luka Jovic and Andrija Zivkovic are both expected to play important roles in attack.

Greece arrive in Belgrade also looking to put World Cup disappointment behind them.

The visitors finished behind Scotland and Denmark in their qualifying group and therefore missed out on a third consecutive appearance at football’s biggest tournament. Results since then have been mixed, with Greece failing to win any of their four fixtures in 2026.

Nevertheless, Ivan Jovanovic’s side can point to a generally encouraging record over a longer period. Greece have lost only two of their last 10 internationals and have achieved notable results, including a memorable victory at Wembley against England.

The Nations League has been a particularly successful competition for the Greeks. Consecutive promotions have taken them from League C to League A, and they now have the opportunity to test themselves against some of Europe’s strongest nations.

Jovanovic, who was born in Serbia, will undoubtedly be eager to guide his team to a positive result against his country of birth.

Team News

There are several injury concerns for the visitors. Lazaros Rota, Dimitris Giannoulis and Giannis Konstantelias will all miss out, while veteran midfielder Tasos Bakasetas has not been included in the squad.

However, Greece still possess a number of exciting attacking players. Brighton’s Charalampos Kostoulas arrives in excellent club form, while Christos Tzolis and Georgios Masouras provide additional quality in the final third.

At the back, Konstantinos Mavropanos and Kostas Tsimikas are expected to start, giving Greece valuable experience in key defensive positions.

Key Factors to Consider

• Both nations failed to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
• Serbia have won only one of their four friendly matches this year.
• Greece are making their first appearance in League A after successive promotions.
• The hosts are missing several key players, including Aleksandar Mitrovic and Dusan Vlahovic.
• Dusan Tadic has returned to Serbia’s squad following his international retirement.
• Greece have lost only two of their last 10 international matches.

Conclusion

This has all the ingredients of a tight and tactical contest between two nations desperate to begin their Nations League campaigns positively.

Serbia will be difficult to beat at home and should benefit from the return of Dusan Tadic, but their injury problems significantly weaken their attacking options. Greece, meanwhile, arrive with a younger and increasingly dynamic squad that has shown signs of promise over the past two years.

With little separating the sides on paper, a closely-fought encounter appears likely. However, Greece’s greater attacking freshness could help them edge a narrow victory and make the perfect start to life in League A.

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