Portugal v Croatia Tips: Back goals in Lisbon | OneFootball

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Cristiano Ronaldo continues to chase international goals

Portugal and Croatia could roll back the years and serve up a few goals in the Nations League tonight, says Tobias Gourlay

Portugal v CroatiaThursday 19:45 (Live on Premier Player)

In Brazil last night, Vila Nova beat CR Brasil 1-0 to give us another winner.

To the Nations League today...

On home turf in the Nations League, Portugal are W7-D1-L2 since 2018. Only the very best (France and Spain) have beaten them. Croatia themselves were beaten 4-1 here in 2020. That year, Portugal also won the reverse fixture 3-2. A Euro 2024 warm-up friendly in June also delivered goals, as Croatia won 2-1 in Oeiras.

Neither side impressed in Germany this summer, however. Coach Zlatko Dalic and captain Luka Modric have stuck around after Croatia went out at the group stage of Euro 2024 following Mattia Zaccagni's last-minute goal for Italy.

The Blazers were more impressive in the previous Nations League. They went all the way to the final last year, losing on penalties to Spain. Along the way they won 3/3 group away games at Denmark, France and Austria, before getting past the Netherlands in Rotterdam after extra time.

Meanwhile, Portugal coach Roberto Martinez continues to let Cristiano Ronaldo pick himself, and continues to look weak because of it. The boss has started to introduce fresh blood elsewhere, but this is still largely the side that failed to score in any of their final three matches at Euro 2024.

They're hard to trust as odds-on favourites for this one. But Croatia don't offer much appeal either. Modric and Ivan Perisic are still there, but Vida and Brozovic have retired. There are injuries in defence too - it's not clear who will start at right-back.

These are two teams with key components who are past their best. While they fall back on old hands, we'll fall back on the fixture's record for producing goals. Portugal have the talent, if not the system, to trouble Croatia's depleted back line. The visitors could end up chasing the game and, one way or another, that could help us get to Over 2.5 Goals.

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