2021 UEFA European Under-21 Championship – Portugal vs Croatia Preview & Prediction
THE FACTS
When is Portugal vs Croatia taking place? Thursday 25th March, 2021 – 20:00 (UK)
Where is Portugal vs Croatia taking place? Stadion Bonifika, Koper
Where can I get tickets for Portugal vs Croatia? No tickets are available as this match will be played without spectators
What television channel is Portugal vs Croatia on? England matches will be televised live on Sky Sports but all other matches will not be televised in the UK
Where can I stream Portugal vs Croatia? Sky Sports subscribers can stream all England matches live via Sky Go but all other matches cannot be streamed live in the UK
THE KEY STATS
- Portugal have lost only one of their last seven U21 EURO final tournament group stage matches
- Portugal won their opening match in each of their last two appearances at the U21 EURO finals (W 1-0 vs England 2015, W 2-0 vs Serbia 2017)
- Portugal have won 13 of their last 15 U21 EURO matches (includes qualifying). This includes each of their last seven matches in their successful qualifying campaign for the 2021 finals
- Portugal have not drawn any of their last 19 U21 EURO matches (includes qualifying)
- Portugal scored an average of 2.9 goals per game in their successful qualifying campaign for the 2021 finals
- Portugal have not failed to score in their last 28 U21 EURO matches (includes qualifying). The last time was against Israel in September 2016 (D 0-0)
- Croatia have lost only one of their last nine U21 EURO matches (all qualifying)
- Croatia are without a win in their previous nine U21 EURO final tournament group stage matches (D3 L6)
- Croatia have kept only one clean sheet in their previous nine U21 EURO final tournament group stage matches
- Croatia have failed to score in just two of their last seven U21 EURO final tournament group stage matches
- Croatia scored at least one goal in each of their previous three opening fixtures at the U21 EURO finals
THE PREDICTION
This one is one of, if not the, most interesting ties in the group phase. The two sides form half of the ‘group of death’. However, the idea of a ‘group of death’ is just an inevitable cliche for an international tournament rather than a reality. The Portuguese come into the groups with a couple of players on the verge of the first-team and therefore potentially unavailable for the knockouts in the summer; Leao and Trincao being the key man for that. They come against a Croatia side with a similar situation - Petar Musa, Lovro Majer, Luka Ivanusec and Domagoj Bradaric could all only be available for the groups. The Croats could reflect the senior team as being fairly solid but still actually easy to get, similar to Portugal, that should mean both teams to score.
