Verdict: Home win
Best odds: 11/10
Bookmaker: Unibet
Croatia and Austria are set to face each other in the opening round of their respective campaigns of the UEFA Nations League at the stadium of Gradski vrt in Osijek on Friday evening, and it’s set to be an interesting match. The other match of the group (League A Group 1) will see France play host to Denmark.
Croatia
As Real Madrid triumphed over Liverpool in the Champions League final on Saturday, Croatia became the country to have a winner of UEFA’s elite club competition every year since 2013, when Mario Mandzukic used to play Jupp Heynckess’s Bayern Munich. It may not count for much at international level, but it’s certainly a remarkable achievement, quite apart from the fact that they were the runners-up of the last edition of the World Cup in 2018. It’s a mark of a great football nation.
In this particular competition, Croatia didn’t exactly cover themselves in glory, finishing third in League A Group 3 behind France and Portugal. Only Sweden remained behind, and that only on goal-difference. They weren’t too successful at the Euros last year either, having narrowly gone out in the round of 16 at the hands of Spain. Nonetheless, they’ve booked a place at the World Cup in Qatar this year, winning Group H of the qualifications ahead of the likes of Russia (who are suspended from the play-offs), Slovakia and Slovenia.
Team News
One would expect a player like Luka Modric to start in this match, but coach Zlatko Dalic will surely want to asses the fitness of the 36-year-old midfielder after his notable exploits in the Champions League final less than a week ago. Chelsea’s Mateo Kovacic, a multiple Champions League winner himself, is likely to be at Modric’s side, as is Inter Milan’s Marcelo Brozovic.
Domagoj Vida of Besiktas is likely to be in the heart of defence, but upfront, Hoffenheim’s Andrej Kramaric will probably be joined by Torino forward Josip Brekalo.
Austria
Austria will disappointed with the failure to qualify for the World Cup as they finished fourth in Group F, behind Denmark, Scotland and Israel. On the other hand, they had a fine campaign at the last edition of the Euros, reaching the knockout stages behind Netherlands but ahead of Ukraine and North Macedonia.
But their greatest success in recent years is surely the triumph in League B Group 1 of the Nations League the last time, and it got them a place among the European elite football nations.
Austria have recently appointed Ralf Rangnick as their head coach. The German tactician had agreed everything to take up a consultancy role at Manchester United after Erik ten Hag’s arrival to Old Trafford, but he chose to leave the 20-time English champions at the eleventh hour in order to focus fully on this job.
Team News
Croatian players may made great impact in the Champions League in recent years, but Austria’s David Alaba won it twice in the last three seasons, in 2020 alongside Ivan Perisic at Bayern Munich, and last week alongside Modric at Real.
As is the case with Modric, Alaba’s fitness will have to be checked before the match in Osijek, even more so given that the defender has had injury issues recently.
Controversial striker Marko Arnautovic, currently plying his trade with Bologna in Italy, is set to be named to start upfront. Bayern’s Marcel Sabitzer and Stuttgart’s in-demand attacker Sasa Kalajdzic, will probably be there as well. RB Leipzig’s Konrad Laimer will likely hold the strings in the middle of the park.
Conclusion
There’s no doubt that Austria are a decent team, but with all due respect to Ralf Rangnick and his new team, they aren’t very likely to get anything from this Osijek trip. Croatia are simply too good, and boosted by the support from the stands of the Gradski vrt, they are the favourites to win.
Verdict: Home win
Best odds: 11/10
Bookmaker: Unibet
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