With one half of the 2018 World Cup final revenge mission complete, Croatia seek to finish the job against France in the second leg of their UEFA Nations League quarter-final on Sunday evening at the Stade de France.
Zlatko Dalic's side have one foot firmly in the last four of the competition courtesy of a richly-deserved 2-0 win on Thursday evening, where Les Bleus looked a shadow of the team that stormed to global glory in Russia.
Match preview
© Imago
Thursday's opening quarter-final encounter featured two star wingers at opposite ends of their careers, as while Real Madrid hotshot Kylian Mbappe is about to enter his prime years, Ivan Perisic - a man 10 years his senior - is enjoying the last knockings of his illustrious journey.
However, it was the 36-year-old veteran who stole the spotlight at Stadion Pojlud, providing a delicate delivery for Ante Budimir to nod home the opening goal before finding the bottom corner with an exquisite half-volley on the stroke of half time.
France could have found themselves facing a 3-0 deficit for Sunday's second leg had Mike Maignan not kept out a tame Andrej Kramaric penalty just eight minutes in, but the mountain for Les Bleus to climb this weekend is an incredibly steep one nonetheless.
A deserved defeat on the road brought an end to a five-game unbeaten run for Didier Deschamps's team, who will wave goodbye to their long-serving head coach following the 2026 World Cup, and marked just their second loss from their last 12 Nations League games outside of France.
The less said about Les Bleus' Nations League exploits on home turf the better too, as they have only managed to win two of their last six matches in the competition in front of their own fans, having previously gone unbeaten in each of their first five, winning four of them.
© Imago
As France conducted their first-leg post-mortem, Croatia revelled in a merited success as they took a giant step towards the final four, where either Spain or the Netherlands will await in June if they can hold their own at the Stade de France.
The form book did not favour the 2018 World Cup runners-up before Thursday's opening tie, which they came into on the back of a three-game winless run in the Nations League, taking just two points from nine versus Portugal, Scotland and Poland in late 2024.
However, the Chequered Ones prolonged their praiseworthy home record in the competition, where they are unbeaten in their last six games in front of their own fans, but a pitiful string of away performances could spell trouble for Dalic's side on Sunday.
Indeed, Croatia failed to win any of their three road games in their 2024-25 Nations League group, and number one goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic was not bereft of things to do in the first leg, so the Chequered Ones are likely readying themselves for another Bleus onslaught.
Then again, Croatia's most recent trip to French soil saw Dalic's side prevail 1-0 in the 2022-23 Nations League, where a Luka Modric penalty made the difference, and Sunday's visitors now boast back-to-back wins against Deschamps's side after failing to win any of their first nine encounters.
Team News
© Imago
France and Liverpool centre-back Ibrahima Konate endured arguably the worst 45 minutes of his season so far on Thursday, as after giving away the penalty that Kramaric fluffed due to a bizarre handball, the 25-year-old was forced off with what Les Bleus' official X account claimed was an injury.
However, Deschamps has now stated that Konate was simply substituted due to his underwhelming performance, meaning that he should be fine to make an appearance on Sunday, although Dayot Upamecano will now be expected to take his place in the first XI.
Further forward, Paris Saint-Germain hotshot Ousmane Dembele may have done enough to reprise his central role, but Deschamps will surely consider promoting either - or both - of Michael Olise and Bradley Barcola to the XI for the second leg.
Meanwhile, Croatia came out of the first leg with no fresh concerns to report, although they did lose Real Sociedad midfielder Luka Sucic to injury before Thursday's triumph.
With an otherwise fully-fit squad to pick from, Dalic will surely be tempted to drop an attacker for an additional defender given the circumstances - potentially Borna Sosa if he goes for a wing-back system.
Martin Baturina should be sacrificed if that is the case, but Modric and Mateo Kovacic should reprise their long-running partnership in the Croatia engine room.
France possible starting lineup:
Maignan; Kounde, Upamecano, Saliba, T. Hernandez; Camavinga, Tchouameni; Olise, Dembele, Barcola; Mbappe
Croatia possible starting lineup:
Livakovic; Caleta-Car, Sutalo, Gvardiol; Stanisic, Modric, Kovacic, Sosa; Perisic, Kramaric; Budimir
We say: France 2-0 Croatia (a.e.t, France win on penalties)
Back on home soil and with an embarrassment of riches to pick from in attack, France have our backing to at least level the tie in 90 minutes against a Croatia side who could be forgiven for sitting deep in the second leg.
Not even 120 minutes may be enough to decide both teams' destiny, but if spot kicks are needed to settle the score, Les Bleus' significant firepower should be enough to complete a sterling comeback job and book their ticket to the semis.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Ben Knapton
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