SlipsTips examines the Bet Builder market ahead of Spain and France’s Nations League semi-final showdown on Thursday night.
Spain vs France (Thursday, 20:00)
Fighting it out for a place in the final of this year’s Nations League, Spain and France meet at the MHPArena in Stuttgart on Thursday night.
France will be chasing revenge after losing to eventual tournament winners Spain at the semi-final stage of Euro 2024 last summer.
The winner of this tie will go on to face either Germany or Portugal in Sunday night’s final at the Allianz Arena.
Michael Olise 1+ Shot
For the first of three player-based selections, I’m going for Michael Olise to attempt a minimum of one shot on Thursday night. The classy French forward is a player who likes to try his luck in front of goal when the opportunity presents itself, registering at least one effort in each of the four matches that he has started for France in this edition of the Nation League.
On the domestic scene for Bayern Munich this season, Olise was averaging a sizable 2.37 shots per game in the Bundesliga, with an impressive on-target average of 1.37 per 90.
Marc Cucurella To Commit 1+ Foul
In direct opposition to Olisie is likely to be Spanish left-back Marc Cucurella. The Chelsea ace has made a name for himself as a fiery character, and he merits support to commit a minimum of one foul on Thursday night.
Cucurella was guilty of at least one offence in each of the six matches that he started for Spain at Euro 2024 last year, one of which was against France. The 26-year-old was also a frequent offender for Chelsea during the Premier League season which has just concluded, averaging 1.09 fouls per 90, not to mention he racked up 10 yellow cards and one red across the campaign.
As for the aforementioned Olise, he regularly finds himself on the receiving end of some rough treatment from his opponents, drawing a combined total of three fouls across the two legs of France's Nations League quarter-final tie with Croatia.
Adrien Rabiot to Commit 1+ Foul
For the final instalment of the Bet Builder, look for Adrien Rabiot to get on the wrong side of the referee once or more on Thursday night. Typically stationed on the left-hand side of France’s midfield three, Rabiot is likely to run into Spanish boy wonder Lamine Yamal, who was fouled multiple times when these two heavyweights went toe-to-toe last summer. What’s more, Yamal has since earned his country a minimum of one free-kick in each of his five outings in the Nations League.
Moreover, the aforementioned Rabiot averaged one foul per game at Euro 2024, while he overstepped the mark twice during his most recent appearance for Les Bleus against Croatia.
Recommended Bet
- Michael Olise 1+ Shot
- Marc Cucurella To Commit 1+ Foul
- Adrien Rabiot To Commit 1+ Foul
- Bet Builder – 5/4 (Bet 365)
Freelance Sports Writer and Betting Analyst with over five years experience. I’ve written football and darts betting content for some of the biggest betting websites and newspapers in the UK. With a strong passion for the fascinating world of Scottish football, I also regularly feature in Nutmeg, the much-loved Scottish football magazine. Falkirk season ticket holder and avid watcher of football and darts, whether it be UK-based or further afield. Feel free to follow me on X @SlipsTips
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