- 1 Spain vs England: the world champions at a ground where they’ve conceded once in three games
- 2 Spain: four wins from four, with Yamal’s right knee still being managed
- 3 England: 12 scored and none conceded since Wembley, but without Guehi or Konsa
- 4 Free Football Prediction: Spain vs England
- 5 About our free predictions
- 6 No commitment from us
- 7 Information changes
- 8 Your responsibility
- 9 Responsible gambling
- 10 Legal age
- 11 About visuals
Spain vs England: the world champions at a ground where they’ve conceded once in three games 
Spain have played three times at the Metropolitano and conceded once. Argentina lost 6-1 there in March 2018, Romania lost 5-0 in November 2019, and a friendly against Portugal in June 2021 finished goalless. On Sunday 15 November, kick-off 19:45 UK time, the world champions bring England to Atlético Madrid’s ground for the final round of League A Group 3.
The first meeting went Spain’s way, 3-2 at Wembley on 26 September, on the opening night of the group. They haven’t dropped a point since. Croatia were beaten 4-1 and 2-1, the Czech Republic 3-1, and Luis de la Fuente’s side are already through to the quarter-finals with 12 goals from four games.
England came into the November window on nine points, three behind. After the Wembley defeat they won 2-0 in the Czech Republic, 7-0 in Croatia and 3-0 at home to the Czechs. Fourteen scored and three conceded gives Thomas Tuchel’s side a goal difference of +11, the best of any team in the whole competition.
Thursday night sets the stakes. England host Croatia at Wembley needing one point from their last two games to reach the quarter-finals, while Spain play the Czech Republic in Prague. Spain’s only remaining question is whether they finish first or second, and first place keeps alive their bid for a fourth straight Nations League Finals.
Both nations reached the World Cup semi-finals in the summer. Spain beat Argentina 1-0 in the final on 19 July. England went out to Argentina in the last four and beat France 6-4 in the third-place match a day earlier. The Metropolitano holds 70,692.
Spain: four wins from four, with Yamal’s right knee still being managed 
Lamine Yamal didn’t travel to Prague. De la Fuente said the winger has inflammation in his right knee, picked up in Barcelona’s game against Atlético Madrid last weekend, and that the recovery was going well enough for him to rejoin the group on Friday.
The coach also made a point of saying “Lamine doesn’t have any special privileges”. If Yamal trains on Friday and Saturday, I’d expect him to start. Nico Williams was the side’s expected left winger for Prague, so Spain have senior cover out wide either way.
Mikel Oyarzabal is the other name missing from the start of the camp. He had the flu and was due to join up late, which leaves Ferran Torres as the likeliest centre-forward, the role he was expected to fill against the Czechs.
Two midfielders are walking a tightrope. Álex Baena and Fermín López are each one booking from a suspension, and both were in line to start on Thursday. A yellow card in Prague for either of them rules him out of Madrid.
The attack has carried this group. Spain have scored at least twice in every match, but they’ve also conceded in every match: two at Wembley, one in each of the wins over Croatia and one against the Czechs. Five goals against in four games is the only part of their record that isn’t spotless.
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England: 12 scored and none conceded since Wembley, but without Guehi or Konsa 
England’s 7-0 win in Croatia on 3 October was the heaviest defeat in Croatia’s history in senior men’s internationals. It came four days after the 2-0 in the Czech Republic and three days before the 3-0 over the Czechs at home.
Across those three games Tuchel’s side scored 12 and didn’t concede. The last time England let in a goal in this competition was the 3-2 against Spain, when they conceded three in one evening at Wembley.
The back four that kept those clean sheets is short of two regulars. Marc Guehi is injured and Ezri Konsa has been ruled out while he follows an individual training programme. Jarell Quansah and Jarrad Branthwaite were the expected centre-back pairing for Thursday, with Trent Alexander-Arnold and Lewis Hall outside them.
Myles Lewis-Skelly serves a suspension against Croatia after picking up two bookings, so he comes back into contention for Madrid. Cole Palmer was left out again, and three uncapped players were called up: Josh King, James Hill and Jobe Bellingham.
Harry Kane can break Peter Shilton’s England caps record with his 126th appearance, which falls on Thursday if he plays against Croatia. England have scored in every game of the campaign, 14 goals in four.
Probable lineup Spain: Not announced at time of publication
Probable lineup England: Not announced at time of publication
Free Football Prediction: Spain vs England
Our prediction: Both teams to score
Neither side has failed to score in this group. Spain have 12 goals in four games and England 14, and the first meeting produced five. Spain have conceded in all four of their matches and England have scored in all four of theirs.
England’s three straight clean sheets go against the pick. They came against Croatia and the Czech Republic, two sides with three points between them, and the only time England have faced a side of Spain’s level in this group, they conceded three.
Spain scored three against England in September and England answered twice. Guehi and Konsa are both missing from the visitors’ defence this time, and Spain’s defence hasn’t kept a clean sheet since the group began. I’d back both teams to score.
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