World champions Spain prepare for a pivotal UEFA Nations League encounter against Croatia on September 29th at the Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan in Sevilla, marking their first home outing since capturing the 2026 FIFA World Cup in July. Manager Luis de la Fuente's squad demonstrated considerable character at Wembley in their opening fixture, orchestrating a comeback victory over England with a commanding 3-2 scoreline. The upcoming battle in Andalucia promises to be similarly competitive, with Croatia arriving after securing their own opening-round success—a hard-fought 2-1 triumph away to Czechia.
De la Fuente possesses an embarrassment of attacking riches and may opt to rotate his lineup following the demanding encounter in London. While the defensive line could remain untouched, Barcelona's influential playmaker Pedri is expected to reclaim his starting berth in the midfield engine room after the marathon fixture. In the attacking third, Mikel Oyarzabal is poised to challenge Ferran Torres for a starting position as Spain look to build momentum in the competition. Meanwhile, Croatia will be captained by veteran Luka Modric, with former LaLiga striker Ante Budimir primed to spearhead their attacking assault.
Spain's predicted lineup features goalkeeper Simon in protection, with Pubill, Cubarsi, Laporte, and Cucurella forming the backline. Pedri's midfield partnership alongside Rodri and Ruiz will orchestrate play, while the forward line boasts the creative talents of Lamine Yamal, Oyarzabal, and Nico Williams. Croatia's setup includes Livakovic between the sticks and a defensive unit of Stanisic, Gvardiol, Vuskovic, and Perisic, with Modric and Kovacic anchoring midfield alongside Vlasic and Sucic's attacking support for Budimir and Kramaric.
The contest kicks off at 8:45pm local time (7:45pm UK time) as Spain pursue another convincing victory. La Roja hold a formidable recent record against this opposition, having won three consecutive matches against Croatia—including back-to-back victories at European Championships—providing considerable confidence heading into this Nations League confrontation.