Spain Vs Portugal UEFA Nations League Betting Tips

European heavyweights set for Nations League clash

Spain and Portugal face off as the Nations Lague resumes this summer – with both teams hoping to lay down a marker ahead of the World Cup.

This clash will take place in Group A2 in League A and is a repeat of the stunning group contest at the 2018 World Cup which ended 3-3.

Spain are looking to continue their rebuild after a few barren years on the international circuit and have a plethora of exciting, talented youngsters making an impact.

Meanwhile, the current crop of Portuguese players are perhaps entering the final stages of their “Golden Generation” following their Euro 2016 success.

Spain enjoying unbeaten run

Luis Enrique’s Spain are readying themselves for a busy run of four fixtures this month in the Nations League with further examinations to come against the Czech Republic (twice) and Switzerland.

However, La Roja are getting their toughest fixture out of the way first in the shape of Portugal though Enrique will not be fazed by the challenge.

He has guided his young team to a European Championship semi-final, while they were beaten by France in the final of the previous Nations League.

Currently, they are on a four-match winning streak which includes only one goal being conceded and they haven’t lost on home soil since 2018.

Preserving that unbeaten record is something that the hosts will be targeting and a Spain/draw double chance is priced at 1/4.

Portugal continue to be a tough challenge

Under Fernando Santos, Portugal may not have always been a brilliant watch but they have been very effective.

The Euro 2016 win was built on a sturdy defence and Portugal still retain much of the experience that guided them there.

Cristiano Ronaldo is as irrepressible as ever with 115 international goals, while the likes of Pepe and Joao Moutinho still play their roles.

The Selecao have lost only one of their last nine games and their confidence will have been given a boost after overcoming Turkey and North Macedonia in the World Cup play offs.

In those nine games, five of them have seen Portugal keep a clean sheet and while the level of opposition was rarely of a high calibre, it does show they are excellent at getting themselves organised.

Accordingly, the game to have fewer than 1.5 goals can be backed at 41/20.

Difficult to separate two teams

Recent history suggests that there is nothing to split Spain and Portugal when they face each other. The last two meetings have ended goalless with a couple of friendlies failing to spark into life. Prior to that, there was the 3-3 draw at the World Cup in what is widely regarded to be one of the best games in the competition’s history. Then, the meeting before that in Euro 2012 was also a goalless draw with Spain advancing on penalties. You have to go back to November 2010 for the last time the two sides were separated after 90 minutes, as Portugal thumped the then-World Cup holders Spain 4-0 – Helder Postiga and Hugo Almeida among the goalscorers.

It is easy to envisage another draw between the two sides – Spain have a lot of quality but right now are lacking a consistently brilliant centre-forward while Portugal know how to defend ruggedly.

Neither side will want to lose the opening game of the Nations League with supposedly easier games to follow so both may accept a draw. Priced at 43/20, at this stage.