Preview: Slovenia vs Serbia – prediction, team news, line-ups

Serbia will try to win the third win in a row UEFA Nations League Match when they travel to Stozice Sports Park in Ljubljana for their match Slovenia On Sunday evening.

The hosts will seek revenge against the Eagles after losing 4-1 away in the second leg last week.

game preview

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Slovenia remain the only side in Group 4 of League B not to win after three games, despite clinching their first point against Norway on Thursday.

Angers centre-back Miha Blažic was shown the red card in the 63rd minute because of a late duel Erling Bride Haalandbut Matjaz KekThe s side managed to hold a goalless draw in Oslo.

Slovenia are currently bottom of their group, two points behind third-place Sweden and five behind Sunday’s opponents Serbia, putting them at risk of falling back to the third tier immediately after securing promotion last season.

Slovenia, ranked 65th in the FIFA World Rankings, start Sunday with a mixed head-to-head record against Serbia, winning, drawing and losing a match. Their only victory came on home soil in October 2011, when they won 1-0 in a European Championship qualifier.

After conceding four goals against Serbia last week, three of them in the last 34 minutes, Kek may have been pleased with his side’s improved defense against Norway, although it could prove difficult to defeat a Serbia side that are in 10 of their scored in the last 12 internationals.

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After losing 1-0 to Norway in the Nations League opening game, Serbia have since recorded back-to-back victories over Slovenia and Sweden.

Aleksandar Mitrovic, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Nemanja Radonjic and Lukas Jovic were all on target in their comfortable win against Slovenia, before the latter’s only goal of the game secured a narrow 1-0 win against Sweden in Stockholm on Thursday.

After three games Dragan StojkovicThe side of now have as many points as they have accumulated from six games in their previous Nations League campaign and are currently just one point behind group leaders Norway.

Spirits are high in the Serbian camp and they travel to Ljubljana on Sunday after winning four of their last five away internationals, keeping three clean sheets in the process.

With the 2022 World Cup in mind later this year, Stojkovic’s players will be keen to impress in their penultimate game before traveling to Qatar to defend their place in the senior team.

Form of the Slovenian Nations League:

Slovenia form (all competitions):

Form of the Serbia Nations League:

Form Serbia (all competitions):

Team News

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Slovenia will have to do without the suspended Blazic following his last red card Jaka Bijol the most likely candidate to start alongside the centre-back David Brekalo.

striker Andraz Sporar has started on the bench for the last two games but the 37-cap international will be hoping to fight his way back into the starting XI ahead of both on Sunday Benjamin Sesko or Zan Celar.

Atlético Madrid goalkeeper Jan Oblakwho is heading towards his 50th cap will remain between the posts meanwhile Adam Gnezda Cerin could start again in central midfield alongside veterans Jasmine Kurtic.

As for Serbia, Stojkovic has used three different goalkeepers in his first three games and is reconsidering Vanja Milinkovic-Savic started their first game, he can get the nod on sunday ahead Predrag Rajkovic and Marko Dmitrovic.

Stefan Mitrovic should replace Strahinja Pavlovicto join Nikola Milenkovic and Milos Veljkovic in the back three while Filip Kostic and Darko Lasovic could be handed starts as a full-back.

The visitors will welcome Aleksandr Mitrovic back from his suspension and the Fulham striker is expected to replace Jovic in attack Dusan Tadic and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic for support in advanced midfield roles.

Slovenia possible starting line-up:
Oblak; Karnicnik, Bijol, Brekelo, Sikosek; Stjanovic, Cerin, Kurtic, Verbic; Sesko, Spora

Serbia possible starting line-up:
V. Milinkovic-Savic; Milenkovic, Veljkovic, S. Mitrovic; Lazovic, Lukic, Gudelj, Kostic; S. Milinkovic-Savic, Tadic; A. Mitrovic

We say: Slovenia 0-2 Serbia

Slovenia showed their defensive prowess to keep Norway out on Thursday but it might be difficult to keep Mitrovic, Milinkovic-Savic and Tadic calm in the last third on Sunday.

The visitors showed themselves clinical in their last encounter against the hosts and should have no problem getting maximum points again in Ljubljana.

For a data analysis of the most likely outcomes, goal scores and more for this game, please click here.

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