Sports

Spain vs Croatia – Match preview and team news

Nairavoice · Sep 29, 2026 · 3 min read

Spain is set to host Croatia on Tuesday in the second game of their UEFA Nations League campaign at the Estadio Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán in Sevilla.

Spain vs Croatia – Match preview and team news

Date: Tuesday, 29th September.
Kick-off: 7:45pm BST.
Venue: Estadio Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán, Sevilla

Spain team news

Spain enter their matchday two UEFA Nations League clash with a few forced changes to their squad. Goalkeeper Joan García has withdrawn due to a minor knee injury, prompting the call-up of Josep Martínez.

Additionally, Eric García and Pedro Porro have both pulled out due to fitness concerns, while Robin Le Normand returns as a squad replacement.

Tactically, manager Luis de la Fuente faces selection dilemmas following an impressive victory over England at Wembley.

Alex Baena and Mikel Oyarzabal both delivered highly impactful, game-changing performances off the bench, and they are now strongly pushing to replace Nico Williams and Ferran Torres in the starting lineup.

Meanwhile, young sensation Lamine Yamal is expected to retain his starting position on the right wing. Spain are projected to field a 4-2-3-1 formation, anchoring their midfield with Rodri and Pedri to dictate the tempo against a technically gifted opposition.

Croatia team news

Croatia head into the fixture under manager Slaven Bilić dealing with multiple squad adjustments of their own.

Reliable defensive assets Martin Erlić and Josip Juranović have been ruled out due to foot and hamstring injuries, respectively, while winger Martin Baturina is sidelined because of illness.

To compensate for these absences, Marin Pongračić, Kristijan Jakić, and Lovro Majer received late call-ups to reinforce the squad depth.

On the pitch, forty-one-year-old maestro Luka Modrić continues to serve as the team’s absolute focal point in midfield, especially after scoring the opening goal in their recent 2-1 win over Czechia.

He will likely partner Mateo Kovačić to provide veteran leadership. Following his match-winning heroics over the weekend, Marco Pašalić is heavily pushing for a spot in the attacking trio, supporting either Igor Matanović or Ante Budimir, who are competing to lead the line in their 4-2-3-1 setup.

Form

Spain

Spain are in sensational form as the newly crowned world champions. They secured the title by defeating Argentina and are currently on an eight-game international winning streak. La Roja carried that momentum into their UEFA Nations League opener, pulling off a thrilling 3-2 victory against England at Wembley. Defensively solid and attackingly fluid, Luis de la Fuente’s squad has conceded very few goals recently while maintaining absolute control over their matches.

Croatia

Croatia enter this fixture with mixed momentum but a resilient mindset. Following a round-of-32 exit at the 2026 World Cup against Portugal, the team has successfully bounced back by winning three of their last four fixtures across all competitions. They kicked off their new Nations League campaign with a hard-fought 2-1 away victory against Czechia. Despite handling defensive squad transitions, they continue to display strong attacking resolve under Slaven Bilić.