DENMARK have the chance to move level at the top of Group A4 in the UEFA Nations League. Will the Danes make the most of home advantage in this fascinating fixture from the top tier on November 15th from the Telia Parken?
How the bookies view it: Spain odds-on favourites
Even away from home, it’s not a great surprise to see Spain trading as the odds-on favourites in the match outright. They are 5/6 at William Hill and that’s understandable given that they have only dropped two points so far in this campaign. Denmark are 4/1 underdogs for a match they must win to have a shot at the top spot.
Recent head-to-head: Spain on top against the Danes
Spain have won their last seven matches on the spin against Denmark and overall are W7 D1 against them. But earlier in this Nations League campaign, Spain could only muster up a narrow 1-0 home win against them, and two of their last four wins against Denmark have only been by a one-goal margin. So this probably isn’t going to be a stroll in the park for La Rojas.
Players to watch: Olmo to have an impact from the middle?
Spain haven’t had a prime goal-scoring threat in this campaign, and Fabian Ruiz is their lone top scorer with a haul of two. Despite Spain averaging two goals per game in the group, it’s a little difficult to pinpoint who exactly is going to deliver the goods for them in front of goal.
It wouldn't be a huge surprise if that came from a wide player or someone marauding from midfield than more of an outright forward like Samu Omorodion, Alvaro Morata or Mikel Oyarzabal. So this could be a good opportunity to look at a more dynamic game-changer like Nico Williams or Dani Olmo.
Denmark have scored six in four matches in this campaign, with two-thirds of those netted on home turf. They aren’t blessed with a great crop of forwards at the moment, and Ramsus Hojlund, their shortest-priced option in the First Goalscorer market, hasn’t even netted in this campaign.
Predicted Lineups
Spain are missing some key players, with Unai Simon, Dani Carvajal, Rodri, Gavi and Lamine Yamal on the sidelines. A midweek injury to Pau Torres added another to the list. Denmark are in much better shape with players Christian Eriksen back from injury and they should be about as strong as they could be.
Denmark: Schmeichel; Andersen, Vestergaard, Nelsson; Bah, Hjulmand, Hojbjerg, Dorgu; Eriksen, Hojlund, Gronbaek
Spain: Raya; Porro, Vivian, Laporte, Cucurella; Zubimendi, Ruiz; Olmo, Pedri, N Williams; Morata
Anything else catch the eye?
Denmark won both of their home games in this campaign by a 2-0 scoreline over Serbia and Switzerland. So they have some strengths and they don’t have the injury concerns that the visitors have. They have the motivation to drive hard at this, too. But the Danes are on a horrid run of form against Spain, and their big underdog quote reflects that.
This has the look of being a tight affair. Spain just need a point to secure the top spot with a game to spare. They are away from home and are missing a fair chunk of potential starters. Away from home, they thumped Switzerland but were frustrated into a 0-0 draw in Serbia. While they may get across the line, it may only be by the narrowest of margins. It could be low-scoring, as both teams have scored in just two of the eight matches in Group A4.
This UEFA Nations League match between Denmark and Spain will be played on Nov 15, 2024 and kick off at 19:45. Check below for our tipsters best Denmark vs Spain prediction. You may also visit our dedicated betting previews section for the most up to date previews.
