Netherlands vs Croatia prediction, odds and betting tips
The UEFA Nations League Finals begin with the hosts Netherlands taking on Croatia in Rotterdam.
Netherlands vs Croatia odds
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Netherlands vs Croatia predictions
A fair amount of scepticism greeted the introduction of the UEFA Nations League in 2018. Confusion abounded too, as the format was not instantly comprehensible.
Five years on, though, and the consensus is that the competition has been a huge success. That holds true for both established European powers and continental minnows.
Indeed, the Nations League has something for everyone. Andorra, San Marino and Gibraltar benefit from regular games against similar sized nations.
Meanwhile the likes of Spain, Germany and France also face teams of a similar calibre in a competitive environment - a clear improvement on the old friendly-filled calendar.
The Netherlands and Croatia are among the four teams gunning for glory at the third edition of the Nations League Finals.
The Dutch qualified for the mini-competition by topping their League A group ahead of Belgium, Poland and Wales. Croatia beat Denmark, France and Austria to first place in their section.
These are two nations which, all things considered, punch above their weight. The Netherlands are one-time European champions and three-time World Cup runners-up. They have long had an outsized influence on the global game.
Croatia are arguably the biggest overachievers in the international game. A country of less than four million people has reached the last four of the World Cup on three occasions since 1998, the latest being in Qatar last year.
This promises to be a close game as the Netherlands and Croatia strive to reach the Nations League final at the expense of the other.
Netherlands vs Croatia betting tips
There is unlikely to be much separating two evenly matched teams, but home advantage should give the Netherlands the edge.
Netherlands to win - 19/20 (bet365)
Each of the four countries in the Netherlands’ group submitted a bid to host the Nations League Finals.
The Dutch’s on-field success saw them win out, and the four games scheduled between Wednesday and Sunday have been divided equally between Rotterdam and Enschede.
That gives the Netherlands an advantage. They will be playing on familiar turf and the crowds for their matches will be heavily in their favour.
Lifting the trophy would be a major boost for Ronald Koeman at the start of his second spell in charge of the Oranje.
The former Southampton and Everton head coach vacated the position in 2020 after being approached by Barcelona, but he is now back at the helm following Louis van Gaal’s retirement at the end of the World Cup.
The Netherlands reached the quarter-finals of that tournament and were only eliminated on penalties by eventual champions Argentina.
There is a mood of optimism around the Dutch camp going into the Finals, which they will hope to use as a springboard for next summer’s European Championship in Germany.
The Netherlands were runners-up in the Nations League three years ago. We fancy their chances of reaching another final on home soil.
Under 2.5 goals - 4/6 (bet365)
This will be only the third fixture these two countries have contested since the World Cup. The Netherlands were humbled 4-0 by France in their first Euro 2024 qualifier in March, before beating Gibraltar 3-0.
As for Croatia, they kicked off their qualification campaign by drawing 1-1 with Wales before defeating Turkey 2-0.
In short, then, neither team has had much in the way of competitive action in recent months.
And with the Nations League Finals taking place at the end of a long, gruelling season, we might not be treated to a festival of football this week.
One of Croatia’s best attributes is their doggedness. We have witnessed this team’s refusal to be beaten on several occasions in recent years.
In Qatar, for instance, they bounced back against Brazil when everyone thought they were dead and buried, eventually triumphing on penalties.
It is notable that seven of Croatia’s last 10 matches in all competitions have featured two goals or fewer. They will look to make life difficult for the Dutch on Wednesday, and the hosts will not find it easy to break them down.
With all that in mind, we should not expect a high-scoring affair at De Kuip.
Cody Gakpo to score any time - 12/5 (bet365)
The Netherlands will be without Memphis Depay for the Nations League Finals, with the Atletico Madrid forward still nursing a calf injury that saw him miss the final few weeks of the La Liga season.
Koeman would no doubt prefer to have Depay at his disposal, but the squad he is working with is not short of talent.
Most teams in Europe would welcome Virgil van Dijk, Nathan Ake and Matthijs de Ligt into their defence, while Frenkie de Jong’s ability to set the tempo in the middle of the park is invaluable.
With Depay out, Cody Gakpo will take centre stage in attack. The Liverpool forward enjoyed an impressive debut half-season at Anfield, scoring seven Premier League goals and setting up two more following his switch from PSV in January.
Gakpo usually plays in a central attacking role at club level and Koeman looks set to deploy him there on Wednesday.
As we have already touched on, Croatia can be a tough nut to crack. But their best defender, Josko Gvardiol, has been ruled out and Gakpo could take advantage.
How to watch Netherlands vs Croatia
- Location: De Kuip, Rotterdam, Netherlands.
- Date and time: Wednesday 14 June 2023, 7.45pm.
- How to watch: Viaplay Sports 1.
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