The first round of UEFA Nations League games features something for everyone across its 26-fixture coupon – from blue-booded blockbusters like France vs Italy to meetings of the minnows such as San Marino vs Liechtenstein.
Our best bets include hosts unfairly overlooked on recent evidence, a clash between two rarely beatable opponents and a stingy defence relied upon to add value.
UEFA Nations League best bets
Azerbaijan (+1) to beat Sweden @ 6/4
Denmark vs Switzerland – Draw @ 11/5
Portugal to beat Croatia to nil @ 6/4
Bet on the latest international football odds at Betzone
Azeris can prove famous victory was no one off
Sweden are 8/15 favourites to beat Azerbaijan in Baku and that looks a price worth taking on given they lost 3-0 on their last visit to the Tofiq Bahramov Republican Stadium in November 2023 despite the hosts playing with 10 men for 33 minutes.
Admittedly the Swedes had battered their opponents 5-0 on home soil earlier in the same Euros qualifying campaign, but that match was poised at 1-0 until a 65th minute own goal necessitated their guests throwing caution to the wind.
Azerbaijan have conceded once or less in nine of their last 10 home games and that has to give them a fighting chance of making Sweden sweat. They look worth a bet at 6/4 with one goal handicap head start.
Tip: Azerbaijan (+1) to beat Sweden @ 6/4
Value in repeat result for sides’ second meeting this year
Denmark have been formidable in front of their own fans in recent years, winning eight of their last nine home games and drawing the other. Going back even further they’ve lost just once in their last 18 in all competitions on Danish soil.
However, the 13/10 about a Danish win is readily overlooked, with Switzerland themselves having tasted defeat just twice in their last 20 internationals.
The pair played out a closely fought friendly draw as recently as March this year and another stalemate looks excellent value at 11/5 given how tough both sides have been to beat for some time.
Tip: Denmark vs Switzerland – Draw @ 11/5
Back miserly rearguard to underpin Selecao success
Portugal are short enough to beat Croatia at 8/15 considering the Croats bested them 2-1 in a friendly at Estadio Nacional just before the start of Euro 2024.
However, they can still prevail now the sides meet again on more competitive terms, with Roberto Martinez’s men expected to build upon the superb home form they showed in winning all five of their home games in Euros qualifying.
The Selecao scored at least twice in each of them, but equally impressive was their defence, which kept four clean sheets in that sequence.
Portugal also shut out the opposition in four of their five Euro 2024 games in which they started their first-choice side and 6/4 looks a fair price for them to beat a Croatia side without an elite goalscorer to nil.
