France vs Croatia Nations League Preview, Prediction, Team News and Confirmed Lineups

Les Bleus must overcome a two-goal deficit when they return to Paris if they are to secure safe passage to the Nations League final four. Below we offer up our France vs Croatia prediction, along with a comprehensive preview complete with the latest teams news and predicted lineups.

France vs Croatia Preview

It was a typically defiant Croatia performance full of tactical and technical execution on Thursday evening. The Vatreni take a commanding two-goal lead to Paris and have a tentative foot in the Nations League semi-finals.

Didier Deschamps’ side enjoyed the lion’s share of possession and chances but failed to translate it to all-important goals, despite fielding a front-three with 63 goals combined this season.

Both of Croatia’s goals came before the break as Ante Budimir and Ivan Perisic capitalised on a pedestrian first-half from the visitors, who won the second inaugural edition of this competition.

After falling to an agonising defeat on penalties to 2023 champions Spain, Croatia will no doubt view this as an opportunity for vindication.

They will be buoyed by the fact they are currently unbeaten against France across their previous three head-to-heads, having never beaten them across nine attempts before the summer of 2022.

France Team News

It would come as no surprise to see Liverpool’s Ibrahima Konate dropped for the second leg after enduring one of his toughest performances to date – club and country included.

He was at fault for Andrej Kramaric’s fluffed penalty after being penalised for handball before being pulled off at half-time, for what France’s X account attributed to an apparent injury.

However, Deschamps later revealed in a brutal post-match presser that Konate was subbed unusually early due to his level of performance, or lack thereof. Although he is fit and ready to face Croatia, it is likely Dayot Upaemecano will be preferred at the heart of defence.

For whatever reason France’s front-three failed to find the net in the first leg despite holding considerable firepower, so it is likely one or both of Bradley Barcola and Michael Olise will step in to freshen up the attack.

Kylian Mbappe – who revealed his desire for Zinedine Zidane to replace the departing Deschamps – should spearhead the attack having provided what little inspiration there was for France on Thursday.

Croatia Team News

You’d be fooled into thinking the ageing duo of Luka Modric and Mateo Kovacic in Croatia’s engine room were in their early twenties, given the breathless determination they displayed in Thursday night’s victory.

They will reprise their roles to try and control the game in what will no doubt be a raucous atmosphere in the French capital.

There are no fresh injury problems to report, although Real Sociedad midfielder Luka Sucic likely misses out again having been ruled out in the final hour before the first leg.

Manager Zlatko Dalic may be tempted to deploy a far more conservative approach to protect their lead, which could lead to a switch in personnel up top to facilitate an extra defender.

France vs Croatia Confirmed Lineups

France Confirmed Lineup

Maignan; Kounde, Upamecano, Saliba, Hernandez; Kone, Tchouameni; Olise, Dembele, Barcola; Mbappe

Croatia Confirmed Lineup

Livakovic; Stanisic, Caleta-Car, Sutalo, Gvardiol; Modric, Kovacic; Perisic, Sucic, Kramaric; Budimir

France vs Croatia Prediction

Croatia went winless in all three of their Nations League group games and will no doubt be readying themselves for what could well be a French barrage.

If Les Bleus managed to take even half of the chances they were afforded in Croatia they would be taking a commanding lead to Paris of their own; chance creation was certainly not lacking, but they must look to take an early lead on Sunday night.

Their home form in this competition leaves a lot to be desired having triumphed in just two of their last six matches in the Nations League.

France’s troubling home form, and Croatia’s tactical nous could be make this a grating watch – and one that could result in very few goals.

UK betting sites have the hosts as short as 2/5 to win on the night, and while we expect there to be far more desire shown than their feeble display in the first leg, it may not be enough to see them through.

Prediction: France 1 – 1 Croatia (Croatia advance 3-1 on aggregate)