England vs Spain
We’ve been told by UEFA chiefs that it will offer an improvement on the often-seen drudgery of international friendlies.
That it will enliven matches more than so many of the meaningless encounters we have witnessed between qualifying and tournaments.
Yet what is the UEFA Nations League? Will it really catch on with SBOBET’s intelligent followers and football fans generally?
Or will it just add to the brain ache of yet another tournament, the concept of which has even failed to inspire some of the players?
Talking Points
What we do know is that it is a 55-nation, four-league competition (determined by each country’s UEFA ranking last November) that, we are reliably informed, will add excitement to the qualification for Euro 2020.
If you are not totally sure, don’t take my word for it – look at my colleague’s succinct explanation instead.
The brainchild of disgraced former UEFA head Michel Platini, it certainly has created the potential for more games between established nations as this fixture – and the fact England have also been paired with Croatia – tends to support.
Oh yes, Croatia – their bete noire at Russia 2018 – the nation which dashed their World Cup final hopes in extra time back in the heady days of summer.
Personally, I am in the camp that yet another tournament will simply add to the strain on top players, making it more difficult to rest senior professionals and blood youngsters.
Yet there will be those in the opposite camp who feel matches of this nature can only improve many of those players and nations competitively, testing themselves against more equally matched sides than the ‘David and Goliath’ mismatches often thrown up in qualifying groups (and, since the tournament was expanded, the odd World Cup and European Championships.)
Traditional qualifiers between March and November next year, incidentally, will still determine 20 of the 24 countries for Euro 2020.
So the homecoming of England at Wembley arrives at a time when the national side’s stock is at its highest for 20 years.
Yet, this, coupled with a friendly against Leicester next week, is in many ways the start of a new chapter and manager Gareth Southgate will only be too well aware: if there is a major dip, the summer goodwill will be quickly forgotten.
At least, England have some goodwill left in the tank.
Spain’s World Cup in Russia was little more than a disaster with the fall-out from the departure of coach Julen Lopetegui – just two days before their World Cup opener – setting the scene for a tournament which ended with a penalty shootout defeat at the hands of the hosts in the Last 16.
Former Barcelona favourite Luis Enrique is now the man in charge.
He is already without Diego Costa – one of the few Spain players to emerge with credit from Russia – for this one, citing ‘personal reasons’.
And Enrique’s omission of Jordi Alba – who said he was happier under Enrique’s successor at club level Ernesto Valverde – suggests a decision made on a personal rather than a professional basis.
Remember this is a nation which is also starting a new era of its own with Andres Iniesta, Gerard Pique and David Silva all retiring from international duty since the summer.
And so a new chapter begins for two football-mad nations.
Can they produce some of the inaugural UEFA Nations League 2018 highlights?
History
The sides last met in November 2016. It was an exciting contest at Wembley in which England led 2-0 through Adam Lallana (penalty) and Jamie Vardy goals only for substitutes Iago Aspas – called up to this squad in place of Costa – and Isco to score twice in the final two minutes.
Spain had triumphed 2-0 on home soil in a friendly 12 months earlier with England’s last victory over the then-reigning world champions in November 2011 when Frank Lampard scored the only goal for a nation then managed by Fabio Capello – a rare Three Lions success against Spain.
Betting Tip
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England vs Spain | Over 2.25 @ 2.08 |
| September 9, 2:45AM (GMT+8) |
The UEFA Nations League 2018 betting odds barely separate the two teams.
England 1X2 @ 2.78 and Spain 1X2 @ 2.60 suggest an evenly matched contest, as does the draw which is offered @ 2.98.
If you are hedging your bets with Asian Handicap betting, how about England 0.00 @ 2.03 or the visitors 0.00 @ 1.89 – you’ve nothing to lose!
Whether too much can be read into the result, however, only time will tell!
A SHORT EXPLANATION ON HOW OUR ( ) BETS ARE WORTH: |
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|---|---|---|---|
 = €20 (Highly confident) |
= €10 (CONFIDENT) |
= €5 (SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT) |
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Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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