Spain and Croatia renew their rivalry on Saturday when the teams square off in the Group B opener of Euro 2024 at Olympiastadion in Berlin. In last year's Nations League final, the teams battled with the Spaniards winning a penalty shootout over Croatia to lift the trophy. In the last European Championship held three years ago, Spain knocked Croatia out of the tournament with a 5-3, extra-time victory in the round of 16. The teams have met 10 times previously, with Spain winning six, Croatia winning three and the teams drawing once.
Kickoff is set for noon ET. The Spaniards are the -105 favorites (risk $105 to win $100) in the latest Spain vs. Croatia odds, with the Croatians the +320 underdogs. A draw is priced at +230, and the over/under for total goals scored is 2.5. Before making any Croatia vs. Spain picks or Euro 2024 predictions, you need to see what proven SportsLine soccer expert Martin Green has to say.
After working in the sports betting industry for several years, Green became a professional sports writer and handicapper and has covered the game worldwide. Last year he was profitable in multiple areas on his soccer picks, including Euro qualifying (+6.30 units), the EFL Cup (+4.47), the FA Cup (+3.07), and the Champions League (+3.05) among others.
Now, Green has broken down Spain vs. Croatia from every angle and revealed his picks and Euro 2024 predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see Green's picks. Here are the betting lines and trends for Croatia vs. Spain:
- Spain vs. Croatia money line: Spain -105, Croatia +320, Draw +230
- Spain vs. Croatia over/under: 2.5 goals
- Spain vs. Croatia spread: Spain -0.5 (-110), Croatia +0.5 (-120)
- ESP: Alvaro Morata is tied for fourth all-time in goals (35) for Spain
- CRO: Luka Modric has 175 appearances for Croatia
- Spain vs. Croatia picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why you should back Spain
The Spaniards have one of the best midfielders in the world in Rodri. As a defensive midfielder, Rodri's value cannot be expressed in goals and assists alone, but the 27-year-old did have eight goals and nine assists for Manchester City during Premier League play this past season. More importantly, he has a knack for being in the right position at the right time, winning the ball and then dictating tempo.
In addition, La Roja will face a Croatia back line that struggled at times during Euro 2024 qualifying. Though Croatia conceded just four goals over the eight matches, their non-penalty expected goals conceded was 6.4. Only goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic's standout play kept the goal total from being more. See which team to pick here.
Why you should back Croatia
Luka Modric remains a world-class midfielder, even at age 38. The former Ballon d'Or winner has 46 assists over the last nine LaLiga seasons for Real Madrid. In an international friendly on Saturday against world No. 6 Portugal, Modric scored a goal to help lift the Croatians to a 2-1 victory.
Modric and the rest of Croatia's attack will face a potentially vulnerable Spanish defense. In a friendly against Brazil on March 26, Spain could not close out a 2-0 lead and conceded three goals in a 3-3 draw. La Roja also gave up a soft goal in their last match, against Northern Ireland. See which team to pick here.
How to make Spain vs. Croatia picks
Green has broken down the Euro 2024 match from every possible angle. He is leaning Under on the goal total and has locked in two other best bets. He's sharing his Euro 2024 picks and analysis only at SportsLine.
So who wins Croatia vs. Spain on Saturday, and where does all the betting value lie? Visit SportsLine now to see which wagers in Spain vs. Croatia have all the value, all from the soccer expert who is profitable across multiple leagues, and find out.
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