Nations League: what's at stake in the last two rounds
by Cydias Aujard | by Cydias Aujard
League B, group 2: Can England return to the top?
A last-minute defeat to Greece (1-2) in October saw the Greeks top Group 2 ahead of the Three Lions. Fortunately, they managed to get a positive result against Finland, allowing them to take second place in the group with 9 points, just 3 points behind their next opponents.
As for the Greeks, their victory over the English has given them enough confidence to record 4 wins in as many games, making them a solid leader with 12 points. A draw against England is enough to win the group and secure a ticket to League A, even if they lose their final match.
League B - Group 2 standings
- Greece - 12 points (+8)
- Croatia - 7 points (+5)
- Republic of Ireland - 3 points (-5)
- Finland - 0 point (-8)
Matchday 5
- Greece - England I 14/11 - 19:45
- Republic of Ireland - Finland I 14/11 - 19:45
Matchday 6
- England - Republic of Ireland I 17/11 - 17:00
- Finland - Greecd I 17/11 - 17:00
Group 1: Croatia with Portugal?
Let's start with Group 1 of the Nation's League A, made up of Scotland, Poland, Croatia and Portugal! It's the last two nations that look set to reach the quarter-finals of the competition!
Cristiano Ronaldo's team-mates are alone at the top with a 6-point lead over the third-placed team, and need just one point to confirm their presence in the top two places.
As a reminder, previously only the top team reached the semi-finals, but now a new format has been introduced with the quarter-finals, meaning that the top two teams can continue their adventure. And who will take the second ticket?
It's Croatia, who seem to have a slight advantage over Poland, with a 3-point lead. A win in the Vatreni's next match, combined with a Polish defeat by the Seleçao, and we'd have our two qualifiers even before the final matchday!
Group 1 standings
- Portugal - 10 points (+4)
- Croatia - 7 points (+1)
- Poland - 3 points (-2)
- Scotland - 1 point (-3)
Matchday 5
- Scotland - Croatia I 15/11 - 19:45
- Portugal - Poland I 15/11 - 19:45
Matchday 6
- Poland - Scotland I 18/11 - 19:45
- Croatia - Portugal I 18/11 - 19:45
Group 2: Italy and France already through?
Now it's time to move on to Group 2, which features France, one of the favourites in our Nations League predictions! France is joined by Italy, Belgium and Israel, making it one of the toughest pools in this 2024-2025 edition of the competition.
Ahead of the last two matches, the Italians and Les Bleus have a big advantage in terms of qualification! The two teams occupy the top two places in the ranking, respectively 6 and 5 points ahead of the Red Devils, who said goodbye or almost goodbye to qualification when they lost at home to the French team last October.
The main stakes in the last two matches remain the race for top spot! If they beat Israel, and Belgium catch the Squadra Azzura, France could even go top before the final match, which will be a... Italy v France! This match will undoubtedly be decisive in the battle for top spot in Group 2!
Group 2 standings
- Italy - 10 points (+6)
- France - 9 points (+4)
- Belgium - 4 points (-1)
- Israel - 0 points (-10)
Matchday 5
- France - Israel I 14/11 - 19:45
- Belgium - Italy I 14/11 - 19:45
Matchday 6
- Italy - France I 17/11 - 19:45
- Israel - Belgium I 17/11 - 19:45
Group 3: Germany alone at the top
On to the next group, where we find two European giants: Germany and the Netherlands, along with Hungary and Bosnia-Herzegovina. At the moment, only the Mannschaft are almost certain of reaching the quarter-finals, thanks to their 5-point lead over the chasing pack.
Behind them, however, there will be a real battle between the Netherlands and Hungary for the second qualifying ticket. The two teams currently have the same number of points (5), and meet in the next match... The winner of this match will have a considerable advantage going into the final matchday!
Group 3 standings
- Germany - 10 points (+7)
- Netherlands - 5 points (+2)
- Hungary - 5 points (-3)
- Bosnia - 1 point (-6)
Matchday 5
- Netherlands - Hungary I 16/11 - 19:45
- Germany - Bosnia I 16/11 - 19:45
Matchday 6
- Hungary - Germany I 19/11 - 19:45
- Bosnia - Netherlands I 19/11 - 19:45
Group 4: Who will Spain be going with?
Let's move on to the last group in League A, Group 4, comprising Spain, Denmark, Serbia and Switzerland! While La Roja, winners of Euro 2024, continue their fine form and top the group, the same cannot be said of the Nati...
After a superb European Championship last summer, Granit Xhaka's side have struggled to get going again, failing to win a single match in September and October, losing 3 of their 4 games... And it was Denmark who took advantage!
Christian Eriksen and his team-mates are currently in second place on 7 points, with a 3-point lead over their nearest pursuers. But there are 4 big games left in this group, and the suspense should be at its peak right up to the final seconds of the last matches!
Group 4 standings
- Spain - 10 points (+7)
- Denmark - 7 points (+3)
- Serbia - 4 points (-3)
- Switzerland - 1 point (-7)
Matchday 5
- Denmark - Spain I 15/11 - 19:45
- Switzerland - Serbia I 15/11 - 19h45
Matchday 6
- Serbia - Denmark I 18/11 - 19:45
- Spain - Switzerland I 18/11 - 19:45
