Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Nations League match.
France finished top of their group, surpassing Italy in the final matchday even without Kylian Mbappé. Now, as they travel to Croatia, the Real Madrid superstar returns to the squad, though Ousmane Dembélé’s outstanding form raises questions about who will be the main attacking force for France.
Croatia
During the autumn fixtures, Croatia experimented with different squad combinations but showed glimpses of top quality football. They barely scraped into the Nations League play-offs, edging out Scotland thanks only to a draw in the final match against an unmotivated Portugal side (1:1), who played their reserves. Croatia still heavily rely on veterans like Luka Modrić, Mateo Kovačić, Ivan Perišić, and Andrej Kramarić, the last remaining players from their 'golden generation'.
France
After losing their opening match to Italy (1:3), France responded with four wins and a draw (11:3 on aggregate). In the reverse fixture against Italy (3:1), they scored three goals from just 0.39 xG and four shots on target, with Lucas Digne delivering three assists. France arguably boasts the strongest attack among all quarter-finalists, and their squad looks set to prove it again on Thursday.
Croatia vs France Prediction
Since Croatia’s heartbreaking 2:4 defeat to France in the 2018 World Cup final, these teams have met four times in the Nations League, with France scoring a total of seven goals. The visitors have the clear edge in squad depth and quality, so we’re backing France with a zero handicap for a safer bet.
