France will host Croatia at the Stade de France in the second leg of their Nations League quarter-final on Sunday. The hosts will have it all to do after losing the first leg 2-0 in Split.
France vs Croatia best bets
- Kylian Mbappe to score anytime – 1/1 with bet365
- France to win and over 2.5 goals – 6/5 with SBK
- France to score over 1.5 goals – 8/15 with Tote
France vs Croatia odds
Find the latest match odds for France vs Croatia. All odds are provided by our best football betting sites. Odds are subject to change.
France vs Croatia predictions
The return of captain Kylian Mbappe wasn’t enough to inspire France to victory in the first leg of their Nations League quarter-final against Croatia.
Going into the tie as the favourites to qualify, France went down 2-0 to the gritty Croatians.
Goals from Ante Budimir and former Spurs winger Ivan Persic sealed a 2-0 win for the nation France defeated to win the 2018 World Cup final.
It could have been worse for Les Bleus. The visitors had Mike Maignan to thank for keeping the scores level early on, with the AC Milan keeper saving Andrej Kramaric’s eighth-minute penalty.
Maignan was also required to keep out a long range piledriver from Manchester City’s Josko Gvardiol, also before Budimir headed his team into the lead after 26 minutes.
The win for Croatia was sealed in first half stoppage time when Ivan Persic fired home from just inside the box to double his team’s lead.
The French boasted a front three of Mbappe, Randal Kolo Muani and Ousmane Dembele. In the cases of Mbappe and Dembele, they are two of the most in-form strikers in Europe.
Despite having such superior fire power, Didier Deschamps’ team couldn’t break down a stubborn Croatia defence.
And don’t forget, this is a backline that was protected by 39-year-old Luka Modric, 30-year-old Mateo Kovacic (who has looked lost for Man City this season) and 36-year-old Ivan Perisic (who not only scored, also provided an assist for the opening goal).
The result has heaped pressure onto the shoulders of France manager Didier Dechamps, who has defiantly claimed his team lost the first set, but will win the second in Paris.
France vs Croatia betting tips
After winning the first leg 2-0, Croatia are 4/9 to qualify for the semifinals of the Nations League. France are 13/8 to overturn the deficit and take their place in the last four. Our France vs Croatia match betting tips are below:
Kylian Mbappe to score anytime
After misfiring on his return to the national team, Kylian Mbappe will be keen to make amends in front of his home crowd in Paris.
Mbappe has 20 goals in 26 La Liga matches for Real Madrid this season. After a quiet start in the Spanish capital, he has come alive in recent weeks with ten goals in ten matches since the turn of year.
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Furthermore, Mbappe will be determined to get one over his Real Madrid teammate Luka Modric. The Croatian captain may have had the better of the first leg, but Mbappe has the chance to put the record straight in the second.
Back Mbappe to score anytime at even money with bet365
France to win and over 2.5 goals
France have to win this match and we think that unless there is something seriously wrong within this squad they will.
The Croatians might have found a way to stifle Les Bleus in Split. But it’s hard to see their experienced old legs being a match for France’s athleticism and power in front of a partisan crowd at the Stade de France.
A 2-0 win for France takes the tie into extra time. But the hosts aren’t watertight at the back and there is a good chance their defence will be breached.
Alternatively, if France get their tails up, they may well score three on their own.
Back the French to win and the match to have three or more goals at 6/5 with SBK
France to score over 1.5 goals
Kylian Mbappe, Randal Kolo Muani and Ousmane Dembele started the first leg in Croatia. After drawing a blank, there is the possibility that France manager Didier Deschamps will make changes for Paris.
Afterall, it’s not like the French boss doesn’t have an embarrassment of riches to choose from.
Bradley Barcola and Michael Olise were two of the stars who came off the bench on Thursday, with new PSG superstar Desire Doue not even making it onto the pitch.
The French are 7/4 to score three goals or more. It is really tempting to go for that.
But with them only needing two to take the tie to extra time we are playing safe and going with over 1.5 goals, which looks nailed on.
Back France to score two or more goals at 8/15 with Tote
How to watch France vs Croatia
- Location: Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France.
- Date and time: Sunday 23rd March, 7.45pm GMT.
- How to watch: Viaplay International YouTube.
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About the author
Dean Etheridge
Dean Etheridge is an experienced freelance sports betting writer who specialises in football, cricket, and darts, with a keen focus on the Premier League and Champions League, as well as in-depth coverage of Premier League Darts and major tournaments. He can turn his hand to all aspects of the beautiful game and beyond, delivering expert analysis across a range of sports. He predominantly covers the Premier League and Champions League but can turn his hand to all aspects of the beautiful game. You can follow Dean on LinkedIn (@deanetheridge)
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