France vs Croatia predictions: Les Bleus to complete remarkable comeback
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- Croatia have lost seven of their 12 away games in the Nations League
- Il Vatreni have kept only two clean sheets across their last 11 internationals
- Recommended bet: France to qualify
France have their work cut out if they are to make the final four of the Nations League after enduring a 2-0 defeat at Croatia in the opening leg of their quarter-final on Thursday, but write off Les Bleus at your peril.
On the whole, it was a disappointing first-leg display from Didier Deschamps’s men, who found themselves two down at half-time following goals from Ante Budimir and Ivan Persic.
That was despite having talisman Kylian Mbappe returning to the French set-up after six months out, although they won the final shot count 16-8 in Split and will feel that they created enough opportunities to warrant a better result.
But on home soil at the Stade de France, Les Bleus should believe that they can eat into the two-goal deficit of Croatia and the attacking quality at their disposal means this tie is very much still in the balance.
Team news
Real Madrid star Mbappe is back in the squad after being omitted from the past two international breaks, but Inter Milan forward Marcus Thuram was forced to withdraw due to an ankle injury.
Liverpool centre-back Ibrahima Konate was subbed off at half-time in the first leg having picked up a knock and is an injury doubt, so Dayot Upemecano may deputise.
Lucas Digne got the nod over Theo Hernandez at left-back in the opening leg, but Deschamps may be tempted for a switch there, while Bradley Barcola and Michael Olise are pushing for starts.
Croatia will be without midfield duo Luka Sucic and Lovro Majer as well as striker Igor Matanovic due to injury, while Bruno Petkovic did not receive a call-up.
Luka Modric and Mateo Kovacic are again expected to anchor the Croatian midfield, just as they did in the first-leg success.
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The stats
France have lost only three of their 11 home matches in the Nations League.
Croatia have lost seven of their 12 previous away games in the Nations League, failing to win any of their three matches on the road in this season’s competition.
Both teams have scored in four of the last six meetings between these two nations.
Croatia have kept only two clean sheets across their last 11 internationals, while both teams have scored in five of France’s last eight games.
Prediction
It would be dangerous to assume that this quarter-final tie is a foregone conclusion following Croatia’s 2-0 win in the first leg, especially given the array of attacking talent available to France.
Mbappe will be keen to make amends having failed to score on his comeback despite registering six shots in Split and he is ably supported by Paris St-Germain duo Ousmane Dembele and Barcola, while Bayern hotshot Olise and Juventus loanee Randal Kolo Muani further bolster their firepower.
An early French goal could soon turn the tide and Croatia have struggled on their travels in the Nations League this season, suffering defeats in Portugal and Scotland either side of a thrilling 3-3 draw at Poland.
So France, having twice beaten Belgium and won 3-1 at Italy in Group A2, will be confident that they can still progress to the semi-final and they look a good bet to do so against what is a very ageing Croatian line-up.
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