UEFA Nations League Matchday 6: What to look out for on Monday and Tuesday
Saturday, November 16, 2024
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The final round of fixtures in the league phase of the 2024/25 UEFA Nations League is under way. Here's what to look out for.
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Croatia will be hoping to seal a quarter-final spot against Portugal on Matchday 6 and Germany are eyeing yet more goals.
UEFA.com takes a look at the biggest storylines ahead of the final round of UEFA Nations League league phase fixtures.
League A Matchday 6 fixtures
Sunday 17 November
A2 Israel 1-0 Belgium
A2 Italy 1-3 France
Monday 18 November
A1 Croatia vs Portugal
A1 Poland vs Scotland
A4 Serbia vs Denmark
A4 Spain vs Switzerland
Tuesday 19 November
A3 Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Netherlands
A3 Hungary vs Germany
All kick-off times 20:45 CET
Croatia eyeing quarter-final spot against Portugal
A quarter-final place hangs in the balance for Croatia as they host Portugal after falling to a 1-0 defeat in Glasgow. John McGinn's late strike earned Scotland a win when a stalemate would have ensured progression for Zlatko Dalić's side following Poland's 5-1 loss in Porto.
Vatreni have lost all five of their meetings with Portugal in UEFA competitions, but they can guarantee their final eight spot if they snap that streak, or if Scotland do not beat Poland. That will be no small feat against a visiting side who hit five goals in the second half to breeze past Poland and claim top spot in Group A1. "It will be a big fight for us," admits Dalić, "but we must never give up."
Feel-good factor continues for Germany
Things are looking very positive indeed for Germany under Julian Nagelsmann. Following an impressive showing on home soil at EURO 2024 in which they were only narrowly defeated by eventual champions Spain in the quarter-finals, Die Mannschaft have won four out of five Nations League games, scoring 17 goals – four more than any other team across the tournament going into Matchday 6.
With top spot in A3 already wrapped up, Germany will look to put on a show again against Hungary as the confidence continues to grow. "We have to keep on going," insisted Nagelsmann following the 7-0 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina on Matchday 5. "We're not at the finish line yet; we want to win every game. It's important for the Nations League but also important for our mood in the team, for our energy."
Elsewhere
- Scotland must win against Poland to avoid relegation, but a victory also gives them a chance of reaching the quarter-finals if Croatia lose to Portugal. "The objective was always to go to Poland and win," says coach Steve Clarke.
- Top spot is still up for grabs in Group B4. A win over Montenegro would secure promotion for Türkiye, but Wales lie two points behind and will look to take advantage of any slip-up as they tackle Iceland.
Further dates
Knockout round play-off draw: 22 November 2024
Knockout round play-offs: 20-25 March 2025
League A quarter-finals: 20-25 March 2025
Final tournament: 4-8 June 2025