The final countdown to UEFA Euro 2024 has officially begun as we approach a string of highly anticipated international friendlies. Some of the nations that are playing this week are heading for the big tournament and others aren’t, but either way, it’s important for all of them to try and build some momentum. Today, we’ll be taking a look at the impending clash between Croatia and North Macedonia.
Croatia Form GuideThey may have only made it to the round of 16 at Euro 2021, but on the biggest stage of them all, Croatia have proven themselves to be the ultimate dark horse. They have finished in 2nd place and 3rd place at the last two World Cups and although it must be said that they have an ageing squad, we still think they’ve got enough gas left in the tank for one more big run.
Croatia didn’t have things all their own way in the qualifiers as they finished in 2nd place in Group D behind Turkey. They needed to dig deep in order to fend off the challenge of Wales but in the end, they managed it, and they’ve done really well to earn their spot here.
North Macedonia Form GuideThey may have lost all three group stage games, but North Macedonia still managed to give a great account of themselves when they qualified for Euro 2020. Their hope is that they can return to the big dance at some point but for the time being, they just need to work on some of their fundamentals. It’ll be tough, but there’s some serious potential in this squad.
North Macedonia knew that they were part of a difficult group alongside England, Italy and Ukraine, but that didn’t deter them. They managed to avoid defeat in four of their eight qualifying games, but unfortunately, that was still only good enough for 4th place in Group C.
Match PredictionIn a game like this, the whole point is to do everything in your power to make an impact - but at the same time, there are far more important matches that lie ahead. Therefore, while we do think there will be some big moments here and there, our official prediction is under 2.5 goals scored.
