Tunisia vs Croatia Prediction: Modric to lead Croatia to victory

Tunisia and Croatia are poised for just their second-ever encounter, scheduled as a friendly match set for Saturday. With a significant 31-place difference in the latest FIFA rankings, Croatia currently holds the 10th position. This matchup will take place in Egypt. Now, let's delve into the previews of this highly anticipated encounter and analyze the available betting options.

Tunisia

Following Tunisia's disappointing performance at the World Cup, where they finished at the bottom of their group, Jalel Kadri resigned from his managerial post. Their campaign began with a loss to Namibia and was followed by draws against South Africa and Mali. Only one goal was scored throughout these group stage matches. Montasser Louhichi has assumed the role of caretaker manager, making changes to the squad selection. However, his long-term future in the role remains uncertain. Tunisia is considered favorites to qualify for the next World Cup but must avoid further setbacks in their group, which includes Equatorial Guinea, Namibia, Malawi, Liberia, and Sao Tome & Principe. The team has already secured two wins in their opening qualifiers against Sao Tome and Malawi, without conceding a goal. This reflects the high expectations for their third consecutive finals tournament appearance, especially with the expanded format for 2026.

Croatia

Croatia enters this friendly match with Tunisia following a somewhat lackluster performance in the European Championship qualifiers, where they finished second in Group D behind Turkey. Their previous encounter with Tunisia resulted in a 2-1 loss in 2019. As Euro 2024 approaches, Zlatko Dalić's team aims to utilize this match to prepare and strengthen their lineup. In recent fixtures, they have demonstrated improvement, culminating in their qualification for Euro 2024. They concluded 2023 with two consecutive victories, including a crucial 1-0 win over Armenia in the final Euro 2024 qualification match. Ante Budimir's lone goal secured the victory, securing Croatia's automatic qualification. The 2018 World Cup finalists have assembled a formidable squad for this sole friendly match in the current international window, featuring key players such as Mateo Kovacic, Luka Modric, and Andrej Kramaric.

Analysis and Predictions

Since Tunisia's 2-1 victory over Croatia in 2019, significant developments have occurred for both teams. Tunisia's disappointing performance at the AFCON led to their early elimination, continuing a trend of poor form with just one win in their last five matches. Meanwhile, Croatia's coach, Dalic, faces the challenge of effectively utilizing the four upcoming matches before Euro 2024. Croatia is undergoing a transition in their squad, compounded by a challenging group stage draw in the upcoming tournament.

Tunisia aims to bounce back from their disappointing AFCON campaign and may benefit from rejuvenation with a revamped squad. However, facing Croatia presents a formidable challenge. In contrast, Croatia has been experiencing a relatively better run of form. Recent matches for both teams have not been high-scoring affairs, suggesting a similar trend may continue in this encounter, with Croatia favored to emerge victorious.