Read our prediction for Croatia vs Azerbaijan below. This preview was written by a sport journalist who is specialised in betting tips and predictions. Use our betting tips for the match between Croatia vs Azerbaijan and you can increase your winnings!
Croatia vs Azerbaijan Prediction & Betting tips
In the first round of the European Championship qualification, Croatia will take on football dwarf Azerbaijan in its own Maksimir Stadium in Zagreb. With less than a resounding victory, fans of the home country are not satisfied.
Croatia:
Last year, of course, Croatia was the revelation of the World Cup, in which the Balkan country even managed to advance to the final. National coach Zlatko Dalic, however, failed to build on that success, because of the six international matches after the World Cup, the Croats only managed to win two. The low point was the painful 6-0 defeat against Spain in the League A of the UEFA Nations League, which helped to ensure that the red and white relegated to League B.
It is now time for Croatia to restore self-confidence and to deal with her post-World Cup depression through a convincing victory. In midfield and in the attack with Ivan Rakitic, Luka Modric, Mateo Kovacic, Andrej Kramaric and Ivan Perisic all the usual suspects are back, but in the defense Dalic has to miss quite a few famous names. Sime Vrsaljko and Josip Pivaric are injured, while Ivan Strinic was passed. The result is a relatively inexperienced rear guard, because of all the defenders, only Domagoj Vida, Dejan Lovren and Tin Jedvaj have more than four caps behind their name.
Azerbaijan:
We probably do not expect much fireworks from Azerbaijan during this European Championship qualification. The country is in 108th place in the FIFA world ranking, just behind Madagascar, but just before Niger. Then you know what time it is. The blue shirts have been officially accepted by FIFA and UEFA since 1994, but have never come close to participating in a European or World Cup.
Yet Azerbaijan has been in good shape lately, as the country only lost one of its last seven international matches. However, this is mainly due to the fact that the country was allowed to compete in League D of the Nations League against fellow low-flyers such as Malta, the Faroe Islands, Kosovo and Malta. Despite this nice series, Azerbaijan was unable to promote to League C, after which the football association decided to trade in the then national coach Gurban Gurbanov for the Croat Nikola Jurcevic. It is therefore extra special for him to make his debut on the bank of Milli precisely against his home country. The upcoming opponent therefore has no secrets for Jurcevic, although his own selection is not exactly about quality. Almost all players are still active in their own country, with the local top club Qarabag as their main supplier. Names like Maksim Medvedev, Badavi Huseynov and Gara Garayev are unlikely to inspire Luka Modric and associates.
Croatia vs Azerbaijan head to head matches
03.09.15 EUR Azerbaijan Croatia 0 : 0
13.10.14 EUR Croatia Azerbaijan 6 : 0