Spain vs Scotland Prediction & Tips
Spain is looking for revenge in its Euro qualifier against Scotland at the Estadio de La Cartuja. A little more than six months after losing 2-0 at Hampden Park, La Roja are looking to avenge the first defeat suffered under Luis de la Fuente. After that match, in which Spain paid dearly for their defensive lapses, midfielder Rodri harshly criticized the way the Scottish team played. “It’s not soccer,” said the Manchester City player. Since then, Spain has improved its performances dramatically, stringing together four wins in all competitions and scoring 13 goals in its two most recent European Championship qualifiers.
The Spanish team, second in Group A with only two points ahead of Norway – the Norwegians have played one game more – cannot afford to slip up on Columbus Day. La Cartuja will host Spain’s seventh match under Luis de la Fuente (G5, P1), who has been summoned to testify as a witness in the Rubiales case trial, and the three-time European champions go into the tough match on the back of a sensational run of 24 home wins in European Championship qualifiers, 16 of them with a clean sheet.
They face a Scottish side aiming to maintain their unblemished record in this qualification phase and who need just a point on Thursday to seal their ticket to Germany 2024. Steve Clarke’s side are seeking their sixth consecutive win in European Championship qualifiers, but will need to end Spain’s four-year run without conceding a home goal in such matches. Six points clear of their hosts at the top of Group A, the Tartan Army can certainly face the challenge with confidence.
Scotland visit the island of La Cartuja without having suffered a single defeat in their last nine non-friendlies (G8, E1), but Clarke has acknowledged that his side will have to “do everything right” to achieve the historic double over Spain; the only away win for Scotland over the Spanish side dates back to a friendly in 1963 (ESP 2-6 SCO, June 13 – Bernabeu).
Players to watch: Alvaro Morata is undoubtedly one of the most in-form strikers in Europe at the moment. The Atletico Madrid striker has 11 goals in 12 appearances for club and country this season, including a hat-trick against Georgia in the last international break. Both goals in Scotland’s win over Spain in March were scored by defensive midfielder Scott McTominay, who scored another brace at Old Trafford last Saturday (Manchester United 2-1 Brentford), scoring both goals after 90 minutes!
Key stat: At the start of this Euro qualifier, Spain share the highest goals scored average (4.0 p. p.).
Spain – Scotland FREE TIPS
OVER 2.5 GOALS @ 1.70
