Netherlands vs Croatia Preview

The Nations League resumes this Wednesday as the Netherlands take on Croatia at the famous Feyenoord stadium, De Kuip, in Rotterdam.

This is the hosts’ second participation in the Nations League (UNL) finals, and, as hosts, they will hope to go one better than last time when they lost 1-0 in the final of the inaugural edition against Portugal in 2018/19.

The Netherlands went through the group stages unbeaten under former manager Louis van Gaal with the Oranje surviving against Wales, Belgium, and Poland.

With Van Gaal gone, Ronald Koeman has the chance to become the first manager since 1988 to lead the Netherlands to cup glory.

Koeman’s men have the advantage of playing on home soil in this semi-final. Home advantage should give them an edge here as they’ve won all but one of their competitive home games since the end of 2020 (W8, D1).

Meanwhile, having failed to lift the World Cup trophy in Qatar despite coming tantalisingly close, Croatia will look to console themselves with a Nations League trophy win as this appears to be the final chance of their famed golden generation to win major silverware.

Unlike their hosts, the 2022 FIFA World Cup third placed side didn’t manage an unbeaten group stage but instead booked their place in the finals by bouncing back from a first day defeat to win four of the last five group games.

Manager Zlatko Dalić will hope that impressive form can provide a springboard for their first-ever major trophy.

However, he has labelled the Dutch as “the toughest opponents in the tournament” ahead of this crunch clash.

Having won their last three away games in the UNL, Croatia will fancy their chances here.