Croatia’s national football team faces England at London’s Wembley Stadium tonight in a 5th round Nations League Group 3 match, with kickoff set for 8:45 p.m. local time (20:45 CET).
Manager Slaven Bilić has named Luka Modrić among the substitutes for the fixture.
The match comes as Croatia attempts to recover from a 7-0 loss to England at Rujevica, a result that Bilić described to Glas Istre as a collective “blackout.” The manager expressed a desire to move past that performance, stating, “We want to show that Rujevica was a bad day, a collective ‘blackout’ that can happen to anyone.”
The starting lineup reflects defensive changes, with Ivan Smolčić entering the side. With Duje Ćaleta-Car absent from the backline, Josip Gvardiol is expected to anchor the defense, potentially alongside Smolčić and Josip Stanišić in a three-man formation. The midfield will feature Josip Mišić, while the attack is led by a group including Mateo Kovačić, Nikola Vlašić, Luka Sučić, Martin Baturina, and Petar Matanović.
Croatia opened the group stage with a 2-1 victory over the Czech Republic in Prague but subsequently recorded three consecutive losses. These include two defeats against Spain (1-4 and 1-2) and the heavy loss to England on home soil. A draw or win at Wembley tonight would improve Croatia’s chances of securing third place in the group, granting them seeded status for the upcoming EURO 2028 draw.
If Croatia avoids defeat tonight and Spain defeats the Czech Republic in Prague, the final standings in the group will be determined. Such a result would meet the minimum expectations set for Bilić at the beginning of his second tenure as head coach.
Following tonight’s match in London, the team is scheduled to return home for a fixture against the Czech Republic in Osijek. The match at Wembley will be officiated by referee Morten Krogh from Denmark.
England’s starting side includes Jordan Pickford, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Jarell Quansah, Lewis Hall, Declan Rice, Dan Burn, Elliot Anderson, Morgan Rogers, Jude Bellingham, Anthony Gordon, and Harry Kane. Croatia’s starting XI consists of Dominik Livaković, Josip Stanišić, Stipe Vušković, Josip Gvardiol, Ivan Smolčić, Josip Mišić, Mateo Kovačić, Nikola Vlašić, Luka Sučić, Martin Baturina, and Petar Matanović.
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