Netherlands Vs Spain
Netherlands Vs Spain Wednesday 11th November 2020 – 19:45 Kick-Off
International Friendly
Pick: Under 2.5 Goals
Odds: 9/10
Bookmaker: Bet365
(All betting odds correct at time of writing: 9th November 2020)
Preview: The first of three matches over the international break for these teams begins on Wednesday with a friendly inside Johan Cruyff Arena. It will mark the first meeting between the Netherlands and Spain since the former recorded a 2-0 victory on home soil in a 2015 friendly international.
International Friendly Betting at Bet365
Table of Contents
Netherlands Preview – de Boer already feeling the pressure?
The Dutch come into the first of three internationals to be played inside seven days having not won any of their past four matches, with new head coach Frank de Boer overseeing a couple of draws and a defeat since taking over from Barcelona bound Ronald Koeman in September. Hardly ideal form ahead of Wednesday’s meeting with a Spain side currently ranked ten places higher in the latest FIFA Rankings in fifth.
During last month’s international break the Netherlands fell to a 1-0 friendly loss to Mexico, as a Raul Jimenez strike did for them in Amsterdam in de Boer’s first match in charge. If the former Inter Milan and Crystal Palace manager was expecting a positive response, it wasn’t exactly forthcoming, his team delivering successive draws following dour stalemates away to Bosnia and Italy in the UEFA Nations League.
The Oranje resume their Group A1 campaign in this season’s Nations League in third, two points off leaders Poland. They travel to the latter next Wednesday, in what could be a qualification decider depending on how they fare at home to Bosnia on Saturday. A baptism of sorts, therefore, for Frank de Boer who must somehow inspire an attack which has now failed to score in five of its last seven matches (W2 D3 L2).
Spain Preview – La Roja not as potential on their travels?
La Roja have not been seen since suffering arguably the most shocking result thus far in this season’s UEFA Nations League, when succumbing 1-0 in Kiev to a Ukraine team who were as big as 10/1 to win on the night. There was an element of smash and grab to the victory – Spain seeing more than two-thirds of the ball as they peppered the host’s goal – but shown even internationals aren’t immune in these unpredictable of times.
That aforementioned loss – their first in sixteen games (W11 D4 L1) since a 3-2 scoreline away to Croatia in November 2018 – followed a narrow victory over Switzerland, winning 1-0 in Madrid courtesy of Mikel Oyarzabal’s early effort. Meanwhile, days earlier they were the better side in the goalless draw in Lisbon with Portugal. It means they remain winless in five (D4 L1) outside of Spain.
Much like his managerial counterpart, Luis Enrique has a goalscoring problem which requires urgent attention. It is no coincidence that across their barren away run they have netted only three times, and never more than once, with all three coming in 1-1 draws away in Germany, Norway and Sweden. News that Thiago Alcantara and Ansu Fati are among those currently unavailable may exacerbate the issue.
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Netherlands Vs Spain Betting Advice
A lack of goals is not something we would normally associate with these two fabled footballing nations, however, there is every likelihood of Wednesday’s friendly failing to live up to expectations. The Netherlands have failed to score in five of the last seven and are currently winless in four (D2 L2), while Spain have scored once in their last three games and just three in their current five-game winless away run (D4 L1).
Netherlands Vs Spain – Key Facts:
- The Netherlands are currently without a win in their past four internationals (D2 L2) whilst failing to score at all in five of the last seven.
- Spain have gone their past five away matches without winning (D4 L1), all of which featured Under 2.5 Goals along with a 0-0 half-time scoreline.
- Since then turn of the millennium, Spain have never beaten the Netherlands in five contests (D1 L4) when excluding extra-time.
Taking into consideration how both teams have been off-colour recently, are no longer posing much of a threat in the attacking third of the pitch, and are both missing key players (Netherlands without Virgil van Dijk and Matthijs de Ligt while Spain are shorn of Thiago and Ansu Fati) and it could be fair to assume a more cautious and low-key encounter is set to ensue in Amsterdam.
Best Betting Odds – Netherlands Vs Spain
Netherlands – 21/10 (Unibet)
Draw – 23/10 (BetVictor)
Spain – 7/5 (Betfair)
