This weekend’s Euro 2024 qualifying coupon is handicap betting heaven as small fry emboldened from decent results against rivals of a similar ilk in last season’s Nations League are chucked back in with the bigger boys.
Scroll down for our best bets across Saturday and Sunday’s action and the rationale behind them.
Weekend Euro 2024 Qualifying Betting Tips
Slovenia (-4) to beat San Marino @ 7/5
Croatia (-1) to beat Wales @ 7/4
Spain (-1) to beat Norway @ 21/20
Check out the latest Football betting odds on Betzone
Slovenia can slam San Marino with Cesko the spearhead
The Slovenians put up a bold showing in Nations League Group B4 last term, going unbeaten across their last four games in a solid section featuring Serbia, Sweden and Norway.
That run included a 2-2 draw with the Serbs and a 2-1 victory over a Norway side in which Erling Haaland played and scored. Since then, friendly wins away to Romania and at home against Montenegro have continued the feeling of upward mobility.
Slovenia’s 19-year-old RB Salzburg striker Benjamin Cesko scored the winner against the Norwegians and he’s in good nick coming into this clash having helped himself to a hat-trick in Salzburg’s 4-2 win away to Rapid Wien earlier in March.
Cesko should provide the cutting edge for his side to go at least one better than the 4-0 success they registered when the sides last met in 2020. San Marino haven’t notched in their last nine competitive internationals so shouldn’t be of too much concern to handicap backers here.
Tip: Slovenia (-4) to beat San Marino @ 7/5
Croatians’ calibre too high for a Welsh side in transition
Expunge Gareth Bale’s penalty against the USA at the 2022 World Cup from the history books and Wales would have lost their last six internationals.
Bale has now retired from international football, as have fellow members of a Welsh golden generation in Chris Gunter, Joe Allen and Johnny Williams. Rob Page’s options are further limited by injuries to more experienced campaigners in Wayne Hennessey and Ben Davies.
Their replacements will be in at the deep end against a Croatia side fresh off a third-placed finish in Qatar, that could start a midfield trio of Luka Modric, Mateo Kovacic and Marcelo Brozovic.
Prior to the World Cup the Croats won their last four Nations League games in a run which included an away win over France. That form should make them two goals better here.
Tip: Croatia (-1) to beat Wales @ 7/4 ” rel=”noopener” target=”_blank”>Croatia (-1) to beat Wales @ 7/4
Haaland absence worth a goal for Spain handicap backers
Erling Haaland’s absence with a groin injury would be a blow to any team in the world, but particularly to his national side, for whom the Manchester City man has scored six of their last seven competitive goals.
The Norwegians haven’t kept a clean sheet in their last five internationals, which is encouragement enough to believe a Spain side that’s never less than dripping with quality can run up a two-goal victory margin here.
New coach La Roja coach Luis De La Fuente will be tasked with finding the cutting edge the team were missing in much of their World Cup campaign and has drafted in a trio of in-form La Liga marksmen in the shape of Iago Aspas, Borja Iglesias and Joselu.
They’ve notched 12 league goals each this season and can prove too much for Norway to handle as they feast on the creative fruits of star midfielders Gavi and Dani Olmo’s labours.
Tip: Spain (-1) to beat Norway @ 21/20 ” rel=”noopener” target=”_blank”>Spain (-1) to beat Norway @ 21/20
