Spain and Serbia face off in an international friendly at Estadio de la Cerámica on Friday as La Roja prepares for the 2026 World Cup.
Spain vs Serbia – Match Preview and Team News
- Date: Friday, 27th March.
- Kick-off: 7:45pm BST.
- Venue: Estadio de La Ceramica, Villarreal.
Spain Team News
Spain will be missing several players due to injury, including Aymeric Laporte, Pablo Barrios, Samu Aghehowa, Mikel Merino, and Fabián Ruiz.
Head coach Luis de la Fuente plans to field a familiar starting XI and aims to utilize his squad effectively during the international window to manage workloads ahead of the summer.
Lamine Yamal is set to start on the right of the front three, while Rodri and Pedri are expected to begin in midfield. Martín Zubimendi is also pushing for playing time after his recent performances in call-ups.
Unai Simon remains the first-choice goalkeeper, but de la Fuente is considering giving Barcelona‘s Joan Garcia a senior international debut against Serbia.
“We will see how the games progress and if we can offer opportunities to those who haven’t experienced this level yet,” de la Fuente stated.
Serbia Team News
Serbia will also miss key players in March’s friendlies, notably Juventus striker Dušan Vlahović, who is recovering from nearly four months out due to injury.
Additionally, Andrija Zuvković, Marko Grujić, Ivan Ilić, Nemanja Radonjić, and in-form Aleksandar Katai will not participate, leaving coach Veljko Paunović with limited attacking options.
However, Serbia has experienced players in the squad to rely on.
Aleksandar Mitrović is expected to lead the attack, backed by a strong midfield featuring Sergej Milinković-Savić and Sasa Lukić. The defense will be anchored by Nikola Milenković and Strahinja Pavlović.
Form
Spain
Spain enters this friendly in great shape, having topped their World Cup qualifying group with 16 points from six matches, three points clear of Turkey.
They remained unbeaten in qualifying, winning five of their six matches, with their only dropped points in a recent 2-2 draw against Turkiye.
Serbia
Serbia’s recent results have been inconsistent, reflecting a team in transition after failing to qualify for the World Cup.
They accumulated 13 points from eight qualifiers, finishing just behind Albania and significantly behind England, leading to questions about their performance despite their strong squad.
Predicted Lineups
Spain: Garcia; Llorente, Laporte, Huijsen, Cucurella; Rodri, Zubimendi, Pedri; Yamal, F Torres, Oyarzabal
Serbia: Rajkovic; Pavlovic, Milenkovic, Erakovic, Terzic; Gudelj, Milinkovic-Savic, Lukic; Kostic; Mitrovic, Jovic
How to Watch Spain vs Serbia?
Viewers in the UK can watch the match live on Sky Sports, DAZN, or Disney+, depending on the final broadcast arrangements.
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