Czech Republic vs Croatia: A New Era Meets a Familiar Test in Prague

What happens when two teams begin a new Nations League cycle with new coaches but very different recent paths? That is the central question in Prague, where Czechia welcome Croatia in the opening round of League A Group A3. Santi Denia is taking charge of his first competitive match as Czech head coach after being appointed during the summer, while Slaven Bilić is beginning his second spell as Croatia’s manager after returning to the position following Zlatko Dalić’s departure. The Czech side won promotion to League A by finishing top of Group B1 in the previous Nations League edition, whereas Croatia reached the quarter-finals of that competition before losing to France. The two countries already know each other well: Croatia won 5-1 in the 2026 World Cup qualifying meeting in Osijek, before the return fixture in Prague ended 0-0. UEFA lists Saturday’s encounter as the opening match for both teams in Group A3, with England and Spain completing the section.

The Czech preparation has been complicated by a cluster of withdrawals, particularly from Slavia Prague. Tomáš Chorý, Tomáš Vlček, David Zima, David Jurásek and Lukáš Provod all withdrew from the national team squad because of injuries, according to Slavia’s official international-break information. David Zima is also listed as unavailable for the Croatia match in current match data. Croatia have their own defensive absences: Bilić confirmed that Martin Erlić and Josip Juranović were left out because of injuries, with Bilić describing Juranović as having a tendon problem and Erlić a foot problem. Those changes matter tactically because both coaches are entering the campaign with defensive combinations that have been altered before the first competitive match.

🟥 Medical Bulletin Before the Teams Are Named

The injury information below is limited to players whose current absence has been documented in reliable squad or federation-related reporting. Czechia have five confirmed withdrawals from the Slavia contingent, with David Zima specifically listed as unavailable for this fixture; the available current match information does not provide sufficiently specific injury details for every Czech withdrawal, so those players are not artificially assigned diagnoses. Croatia’s Bilić has confirmed the absence of Erlić and Juranović because of injuries, with reporting identifying Erlić’s problem as involving his foot and Juranović’s as a tendon issue. No player is placed in the Questionable category unless there is clear current evidence that the player remains under assessment rather than simply being absent.

Czech Republic
Category	Player	Injury / Status
Out / Ruled Out	David Zima	Injured; unavailable for the Croatia match
Out / Ruled Out	Tomáš Vlček	Withdrew from the Czech squad because of injury
Out / Ruled Out	Tomáš Chorý	Withdrew from the Czech squad because of injury
Out / Ruled Out	David Jurásek	Withdrew from the Czech squad because of injury
Out / Ruled Out	Lukáš Provod	Withdrew from the Czech squad because of injury

Croatia
Category	Player	Injury / Status
Out / Ruled Out	Martin Erlić	Foot injury; excluded from the squad
Out / Ruled Out	Josip Juranović	Tendon injury; excluded from the squad

🟢 The Matchday Personnel Picture

The official starting XIs had not been released in the pre-match information available at the time of writing, so no predicted formation is presented as a confirmed lineup. Instead, the personnel table identifies players officially selected for the two squads and the areas in which they have been important internationally. Czechia’s first squad under Denia contains three potential debutants — Lukas Ambros, Roman Macek and Matěj Radosta — while experienced figures including Tomáš Souček, Adam Hložek and Patrik Schick remain part of the wider group. Croatia have retained their established core, most notably Luka Modrić, who confirmed before the squad announcement that he would continue his international career. Modrić’s availability is particularly notable because the 40-year-old remains Croatia’s record appearance holder and will work with Bilić again after their previous spell together ended in 2012.

Czech Republic — Official Squad Personnel
Category	Player	Role / Status
Goalkeeper	Lukáš Horníček	Selected goalkeeper in Denia’s first squad
Defender	Vladimír Coufal	Experienced international defender
Midfielder	Tomáš Souček	Experienced midfield leader
Midfielder	Lukáš Ambros	Potential senior international debutant
Forward	Patrik Schick	Established Czech attacking option

Croatia — Official Squad Personnel
Category	Player	Role / Status
Goalkeeper	Dominik Livaković	Established Croatia goalkeeper
Defender	Joško Gvardiol	Central defensive option
Midfielder	Luka Modrić	Captain and record Croatia appearance holder
Midfielder	Mateo Kovačić	Established central midfield option
Forward	Ante Budimir	Experienced international striker

📋 Inside the Pre-Match Conversation

The press narrative around Czechia has naturally centred on the arrival of Denia and the opportunity to establish a new identity immediately in League A. UEFA highlighted the three potential debutants in his first squad, while the Czech coach described Lukáš Ambros as a particularly versatile player capable of operating in several positions. Croatia’s story has been dominated by the return of Bilić and the decision of Modrić to continue his international career. The new coach has also been dealing with defensive absences, explaining that Erlić and Juranović were excluded because of injuries and that replacements were therefore required. The match also carries significance because both national teams are entering their first competitive fixture under their new coaches, meaning the tactical approach adopted in Prague will provide the first official indication of how those managerial changes translate onto the pitch.

• Competition: UEFA Nations League 2026/27 — League A, Group A3.
• Match: Czech Republic vs Croatia.
• Date: 26 September 2026.
• Venue: Fortuna Arena, Prague.
• Kick-off: 20:45 CET.
• Group: Czechia, Croatia, England and Spain.
• Czechia: Begin their first League A campaign after winning promotion from League B.
• Croatia: Begin the new cycle under returning head coach Slaven Bilić.

The tactical dilemma for Denia is how aggressively to press a Croatia midfield that still contains Modrić and Kovačić while protecting the spaces created when the Czech side pushes forward. For Bilić, the challenge is different: Croatia have experienced players capable of controlling possession, but the defensive absences mean the first-choice structure cannot simply be carried over unchanged from the previous cycle. The recent head-to-head record adds another layer without determining what happens here. Croatia have won two of the last five meetings and drawn the other three, while the most recent World Cup qualifier in Prague finished 0-0 after Croatia’s 5-1 home victory earlier in the campaign. UEFA also notes the memorable 2-2 draw between the nations at EURO 2016, meaning the fixture has repeatedly produced competitive encounters rather than a single straightforward pattern.

The wider schedule makes the opening ninety minutes even more demanding. Croatia travel to Spain three days after the Prague match before returning home to face England, then play Spain again in October; Czechia have England next, followed by Spain away and England again. With four Nations League fixtures compressed into the extended September-October window, squad depth and recovery will quickly become part of the tactical equation. For now, the only confirmed information is the official squad situation and the documented absences. The starting elevens should not be presented as fact until the coaches release them, but the personnel already confirmed point toward an intriguing opening chapter: a newly promoted Czech side under a new coach against a Croatia team beginning another cycle with Bilić back on the touchline and Modrić once again available to lead the national team.

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