Free European Cup Pick: England vs Croatia Preview
Looking for England vs Croatia free picks and a matchup preview? (2021) 2020 European Cup football betting sees England taking on Croatia on Saturday, June 12th, at Wembley Stadium in England. Cappers Picks provides complimentary expert handicapping picks on all European Cup football matchups all tournament long so stay tuned. Keep checking back for more European Cup tips like this England Croatia predictions blog post!
2020 European Cup Football Handicapping
England vs Croatia Preview
Date: Sunday, June 13th
Time: 9:00 AM ET
Venue: Wembley Stadium, London, England
EURO Moneyline Odds: -143/+270/+440
EURO Spread Betting Odds: England -0.75
EURO Betting Total: 2.25 Goals
Two teams that met in the 2018 World Cup semi-finals will clash against one another in the opening match of Group D, when England will play host to Croatia.
Back in 2018 it was Croatia who prevailed, but things are slightly different this time around. England have brought a very young squad, while Croatia have a mix of experience and talent.
England
England are coming into this EURO after finishing at the top of their Qualifiers group with 7 wins and 1 loss. Their only loss came to an impressive Czech Republic side, but England were really good overall, scoring 37 goals and conceding just 6 in the process.
Key man Harry Kane led the scoring with 12 goals (top in the Qualifiers) and 5 assists.
England have only lost 2 of their 13 matches ever since the Qualifiers (10 wins, 2 losses, 1 draw), losing only to Belgium and Denmark. They have won 6 in a row (including their two latest friendlies against Austria and Romania), while conceding just a single goal in that span.
England are one of the top favorites to win the EURO, but things could get complicated really fast, especially if they finish at the top of their group. Yes, they have a ton of talent in their squad, but most of them are players that will take a couple of years before they make a major impact. Don’t get me wrong, this is a really great selection, but it will be simply scary in a couple of years from now.
Croatia
Croatia did not have the easiest of tasks in the Qualifiers, in a group with Wales, Slovakia, Hungary and Azerbaijan.
However, they beat Slovakia in the final matchday and eventually finished at the top of their group with 5 wins, 1 loss and 2 draws, scoring 17 goals and conceding just 7 in the process.
Most of Croatia’s old guard have retired from the national team, but there are still some remnants of that great team. Real Madrid’s Modric, Chelsea’s Kovacic and Inter Milan’s Brozovic make a very sturdy midfield, while AC Milan’s Rebic, Inter Milan’s Perisic and Hoffenheim’s Kramaric are pretty solid options up front.
However, Croatia have been on somewhat of a free-fall lately, beating only Sweden, Switzerland, Malta and Cyprus in their last 13 matches in all competitions (including friendlies).
While they do tend to score a lot, it’s their defense that is rather weak, keeping just 2 clean sheets in their last 16 matches in all competitions.
England vs Croatia Prediction:
The two teams last met in the UEFA Nations League back in 2018, just a few months after Croatia’s win over England in the 2018 World Cup semi-finals. After a goal-less draw in Croatia, England won by 2-1 at home.
Croatia’s aged defense might have more experience than England’s squad, but England have a lot of dangerous players that can destroy the Croatian defense. Croatia will try to make use of their very sturdy midfield and destroy England’s attacking efforts before they reach their backline.
England’s defense has looked pretty solid in recent matches, but it will also be put to the test by Croatia’s offense. This match can really go either way, with England having the best of chances to win this one, especially with the match taking place at Wembley stadium.
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