Spain vs Croatia - UEFA Nations League

Season-defining implications hang over this UEFA Nations League clash at the home ground, where Spain host Croatia on September 29, 2026 knowing the result could shape the run-in for both clubs. That coronation came from City's £116m summer signing Elliot Anderson - and has been hotly debated in the build-up to the Manchester derby Super Sunday showdown at Old Trafford, which you can watch live on Sky Sports.

The two sides arrive with plenty to prove, and the UEFA Nations League contest at the home ground offers a chance to lay down a marker. The hosts will be looking to find their rhythm and put a run of results together. The visitors will back themselves to cause problems and will not make the trip expecting an easy afternoon. In his latest column, Paul Merson predicts the 2026/27 Premier League season at both ends of the table.

Pressing intensity will define the contest. Spain will seek to win the ball high up the pitch and suffocate Croatia's build-up, while the visitors will aim to play through the pressure and exploit the spaces it leaves behind. No wonder the skipper had talked of a 'new Aston Villa' in the pre-match press conference with what seemed like genuine excitement.

Individual moments of quality could tip the balance. Both sides possess players capable of producing something out of nothing, and a single flash of brilliance may be all that separates them. The wide areas will be a key battleground, with full-backs and wingers on either side capable of swinging the contest one way or the other. Barcelona have seen an opening offer for Manchester City midfielder Rodri rejected by the Blues.

Predictions are tricky when the sides are this evenly matched, and small margins — a moment of quality, a slice of luck — could decide it either way. Expect a tight, competitive affair that could easily end all square at 1-1. The result at the home ground could resonate well beyond matchday in the UEFA Nations League picture. Manchester City will begin another Premier League season with major uncertainty hanging over the club after league chief executive Richard Masters admitted the long-awaited verdict on their financial case has taken longer than expected.