Thursday’s football tips
7:45pm: Ukraine v Belgium
Belgium to win
7:45pm: Croatia v France
France to win
7:45pm: Denmark v Portugal
Portugal to win
7:45pm: Italy v Germany
Both teams to score, yes
7:45pm: Netherlands v Spain
Spain to win
- An accumulator with these bets pays at approximately 32/1 with Paddy Power. CLICK HERE TO ADD IT TO YOUR BETSLIP.
All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.
7:45pm: Ukraine v Belgium – Belgium to win
UEFA Nations League Play-off first leg match at Estadio Enrique Roca de Murcia, Spain
It’s a new era for Belgian football as Rudi Garcia takes over as head coach to replace the departed Domenico Tedesco. The new boss’s first game is a trip to Spain to face Ukraine in the first leg of their UEFA Nations League play-off.
Belgium only won one of Tedesco’s last six games in charge, losing the final three, so they will need a big boost from Garcia to rediscover their winning form.
With the game taking place away from Ukraine and a potential new manager bounce, I’m siding with the Belgians.
7:45pm: Croatia v France – France to win
UEFA Nations League Quarter-final first leg match at Stadion Poljud, Split, Croatia
France boss Didier Deschamps announced that he would step down from his post after the 2026 World Cup, 14 years after he took the job in 2012.
Declining form and disagreements with star players have marred his recent years in charge after leading Les Bleus to World Cup glory in 2018.
However, he is looking to finish on a high in his final tournament cycle and with Kylian Mbappe back in the fold, he is in a great position to do so.
Opponents Croatia have really struggled in the last year. With a group stage exit at Euro 2024 and a rapidly ageing squad, they are a shadow of the team that faced France in the 2018 World Cup final.
The visitors should have enough quality to win this first leg.
7:45pm: Denmark v Portugal – Portugal to win
UEFA Nations League Quarter-final first leg match at Parken Stadium, Copenhagen, Denmark
This is a meeting of two former powerhouses trying to rediscover their previous glory after an underwhelming 2024.
Portugal were disappointing under Roberto Martinez at the Euros, exiting in the quarter-finals, but did have enough quality to win Group A of the Nations League despite some underwhelming performances.
Denmark are in the early days of Kasper Hjulmand’s tenure after he took charge in November and oversaw a defeat to Spain and a goalless draw in Serbia.
Despite their inconsistencies, Portugal still possess an abundance of quality in attack and will have enough to beat a Danish side still finding their feet.
7:45pm: Italy v Germany – Both teams to score, yes
UEFA Nations League Quarter-final first leg match at the San Siro, Milan, Italy
Two of Europe’s most successful footballing nations clash on Thursday for the first time since 2022.
Germany will arrive in Milan unbeaten since their Euro 2024 semi-final exit (four wins, two draws.) With boss Julian Nagelsmann committing his future to die Mannschaft, they could be a real danger heading towards the 2026 World Cup.
Italy come into the game in mixed form, having won four, drawn one, and lost one since their 2-0 exit at Euro 2024 to Switzerland. Luciano Spalletti’s side’s only defeat came in their most recent outing, a 3-1 loss to France in Milan.
With both teams scoring at least once in all six previous games, a both teams to score bet seems like the best option here.
7:45pm: Netherlands v Spain – Spain to win
UEFA Nations League Quarter-final first leg match at Stadion Feijenoord ‘De Kuip’, Rotterdam, Netherlands
After drawing their first game of the Nations League campaign 0-0, Euro 2024 winners Spain won their next five games ahead of Thursday’s trip to Rotterdam, including a dramatic 3-2 win over Switzerland last time out.
Despite a surprising run to the semi-final of Euro 2024, the Netherlands were underwhelming in their Nations League campaign. Ronald Koeman’s side only won two of their six games, and the run included draws against Hungary and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Luis de la Fuente’s Spaniards have shown no signs of slowing down since their return to the top of European football, and I expect them to extend their winning run to six on Thursday.
Thursday’s football tips
7:45pm: Ukraine v Belgium
Belgium to win
7:45pm: Croatia v France
France to win
7:45pm: Denmark v Portugal
Portugal to win
7:45pm: Italy v Germany
Both teams to score, yes
7:45pm: Netherlands v Spain
Spain to win
- An accumulator with these bets pays at approximately 32/1 with Paddy Power. CLICK HERE TO ADD IT TO YOUR BETSLIP.
All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.
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