CRO Vs POR Fantasy Team, Probable Playing 11 And Match Report: An emphatic win for Portugal sees them keep their slender aspirations of topping the group alive.
Unbeaten in Group 3 of the 2020-21 edition of the UEFA Nations League, Portugal’s showdown against France was set to determine which country would end up moving through from the group in first place. Unfortunately for Portugal, things failed to move in their way for the first time this season with the 1-0 defeat in the clash seeing them slip into second place in the group.
It opened up a three point gap between them and France, a deficit which is increasingly looking unlikely for the Portuguese to erase. However, despite that narrative, today’s culminating group stage fixture for Portugal is far from an inconsequential affair.
The reigning champions will step out one last time in Group 3 of League A looking to remind everyone of their flair and calibre come today. Up against Croatia who has languishing in third place with the solitary win in the group, this should be a fixture where Portugal salvage themselves for their defeat at the hands of the French.
Probable Winner
Where Portugal have been one of the most consistent and flawless sides in the fraternity across the last couple of years, Croatia have lost all semblance about them. Long gone is the side which found itself in the summit clash of the World Cup with Croatia’s current setup and tame and meek image of that side.
They were schooled 4-1 by Portugal the last time these two met and will be routed once again today.
Probable Playing 11
Team News
- Andrej and Bruno are both on the injury bed for Croatia, Vida and Marcelo have contracted COVID while Duje is red carded for the encounter.
Croatia
Livakovic, Juranovic, Pongracic, Lovren, Barisic, Modric, Kovacic, Brekalo, Vlasic, Perisic, Budimir
Portugal
Lopes, N Semedo, Dias, Duarte, Guerreiro, Pereira, Neves, Fernandes, Trincao, Ronaldo, Jota
Match Details
UEFA Nations League 2020-21
Match: Croatia Vs Portugal Group 3
Date And Time: 18th November, Wednesday- 1:15am IST
Venue: Stadion Poljud, Split
Telecast: Sony Ten 2/HD
Top Scorer
Croatia
- Nikola: 2 Goals
Portugal
- Jota: 3 Goals
Bygone Encounter
Portugal Vs Croatia: 4-1
CRO Vs POR Fantasy Team Picks
Goal-Keeper
Dominik Livakovic could have opted for the easy way out, much like his backline has this season. However, Croatia’s goal-keeper has refused to down tools, the only saving grace for a defence which has seen its gameplan vanish up in smoke.
Defenders
Despite conceding in their previous encounter, Portugal continue to remain the most effective and stringent defensive setup in the group. The side has conceded a frugal two goals, a backline which has pulled off three cleansheets in five matches.
Well disciplined, compact and maintaining their shape and positioning at all times, another cleansheet is on the cards for the visitors come this contest. We’ll be opting for the side’s entire backline for the affair with all of Jose Fonte, Ruben Dias, Joao Cancelo with the one goal and Raphael Guerreiro with the one assist being opted by us.
Midfielders
Diogo Jota wasn’t a part of Portugal’s playing 11 against France but he’s all set to get a recall for this clash. The country’s top scorer with three goals, he can easily pile on the goals against Croatia side which has shipped in a torrid 13 goals.
Bruno Fernandes looked good against the French to see him complete the duo of picks from the visiting side. Croatia’s top scorer with two goals and top creator with two assists, Nikola Vlasic and Josip Brekalo will respectively form the duo of attacking picks from the side.
The trio is completed by Chelsea’s Matteo Kovacic, a player who has been in vibrant vivid touch across the course of the last year.
Strikers
Cristiano Ronaldo’s two strikes will see him wrap up our framework for the upcoming tie.
Captain And Vice-Captain
Ronaldo can easily batter this Croatia defence to see us make him our side’s captain while Bruno is the vice-captain.
Fantasy Team
Livakovic, Raphael, Dias, Cancelo, Fonte Bruno, Jota, Kovacic, Brekalo, Vlasic, Ronaldo
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Fantasy Team Disclaimer
All our selections are based on in-depth and astute analysis of the players partaking in the match and a perusal of other reasoning. Please incorporate a slew of factors while crafting your own side with this article serving as a guide to the match and players.
