Azerbaijan vs Croatia Prediction, Betting Tips & Preview

Preview

Joel Amorim Aug 31, 2015 @ 01:50 am

Next Thursday, 3rd of September 2015, the current leaders of Group H, Croatia, will travel to Baku to measure forces with Azerbaijan at Bakcell Arena for the 2016 UEFA European Championship Qualifying Round.

Back in October 2014, Croatia didn’t have any difficulty in overcoming Azerbaijan when both sides met at Osijek. Niko Kovac’s men hammered their opponents by 6-0 with a hat-trick from Ivan Perisic, who joined Inter Milan recently. Regardless of such convincing result, the Croatian manager highlighted during a recent interview that his team is aware of what the upcoming match might bring and that they will not show any signs of complacency against what he considers to be a “good and serious team”:  “...It will be more difficult now. Azerbaijan changed their head coach, our man Prosinečki made a good and serious team. Their results confirm this. We have the quality on our side, but we can show it only if our approach is professional and focused".

Niko Kovac called up 24 players for the upcoming clashes against Azerbaijan next Thursday and three days later at Oslo against Norway. The Hajduk Split 23-year old midfielder Mijo Caktas will make his debut for the Croatian National Team. On the other hand, the experienced full-back Darijo Srna will miss the Baku’s match due to suspension.

On the other side of the barricade, we will have Robert Prosinecki’s Azerbaijan. The former Yugoslavian and Croatian legendary midfielder took the helm of the Azeri team back in December and this match against his former National Team will most certainly be special for him.

Ever since Prosinecki assumed the reins of the team, Azerbaijan were only defeated by Serbia in a friendly match, but managed, on the other hand, to win four points from two qualifying matches, one against Norway and three against Malta. The former Real Madrid and Barcelona’s player implemented a new identity and fighting spirit into the Azeri team and they will certainly try to extend their positive moment against a fairly more powerful side such as Croatia by trying to at least secure a point from such a complicated match.

Azerbaijan

Stats: W-1 L-3 D-1

Recent Form - DLWLL

Croatia

Stats: W-2 L-1 D-2

Recent Form - DWWDL

Possible Line-ups

Azerbaijan (4-1-4-1) – Agayev - Medvedev - Abisov - Sadygov - Dasdamirov - Qarayev - Huseynov - Nazarov - Ismayilov - Israfilov - Nadirov

Croatia (4-2-3-1) - Subasic - Vrsaljko - Vida - Lovren - Pranjic - Modric - Rakitic - Kovacic - Perisic - Olic - Mandzukic

Injury List / Suspended Players

Azerbaijan - None

Croatia - Srna (sus)

Head-to-head matches:

League Positions