Didier Deschamps' France will go head-to-head with Croatia for a spot in the UEFA Nations League semi-finals. The first leg of this quarter-final clash will take place at Stadion Poljud in Split on Thursday night. The winner of this matchup will advance to face either the Netherlands or Spain in the next round.
Croatia has reached the last eight after finishing second in League A Group 1, just behind Portugal. However, Zlatko Dalic's team struggled for consistency, managing just one victory across their six group-stage matches. Croatia failed to win any of their last three matches, yet they have managed to reach the quarterfinal stage after a lot of struggle.
Croatia Has a Tough Job
Croatia now aims to pull off an upset against France and secure a spot in the semi-finals. Les Bleus, on the other hand, have already improved after their disappointing 2023 Nations League campaign, where they failed to move past the group stage.
This time, they topped League A Group 2 to earn a quarter-final clash with Croatia. Although they finished level on points with Italy, France claimed the top spot due to their superior head-to-head record. Their most recent match saw them register a convincing 3-1 win over the Azzurri on the road, giving them plenty of confidence heading into the first leg of this tie.
Croatia will be without Luka Sucic, Lovro Majer, and Igor Matanovic due to injuries. Although Bruno Petkovic has recovered from a long-term hip issue, he was not included in the squad. However, Petar Sucic returns after serving a suspension.
The hosts are expected to deploy a 4-3-3 setup, with Dominik Livakovic in goal. Josip Sutalo and Duje Caleta-Car will anchor the defense, while Josko Gvardiol and Josip Juranovic cover the flanks. Luka Modric will dictate play from midfield, supported by Mateo Kovacic and Petar Sucic. Ivan Perisic and Martin Baturina will provide width, while Andrej Kramaric leads the attack.
For France, Kylian Mbappe returns to the squad, but Marcus Thuram is absent due to injury. Sticking with a 4-2-3-1 formation, Mike Maignan starts in goal, with Jules Kounde, Theo Hernandez, Ibrahima Konate, and William Saliba in defense. Aurelien Tchouameni and Adrien Rabiot will control midfield, while Ousmane Dembele, Michael Olise, and Mbappe support striker Randal Kolo Muani.
When and Where
The Croatia vs France UEFA Nations League 2024-25 match will be played at Stadion Poljud in Split, Croatia, on Thursday, March 20, at 8:45 PM local time, 7:45 PM BST, 2:45 PM ET and 1:15 AM IST (March 21).
How to Livestream
United States: The Croatia vs France UEFA Nations League match will be aired on Fox Sports 2.
The Croatia vs France UEFA Nations League will be live streamed on Fubo, Sling TV and Fox Sports App.
United Kingdom: The Croatia vs France UEFA Nations League match will eb aired live on Premier Sports. The Croatia vs France UEFA Nations League match will be broadcast for free on ViaPlay International's YouTube channel.
India: The Croatia vs France UEFA Nations League match will be aired live on the Sony Sports Network. The match will also be live-streamed on the SonyLiv app and website.
