Contents
- Competition: Friendly International
- Date: 27th March 2026
- Kick-off: 20:00 UK / 21:00 CET
- Venue: Estadio de la Cerámica
Spain welcome Serbia to Villarreal on Friday, and on paper, it looks lopsided. La Roja are flowing well, while the Eagles are still finding their feet after a tough qualifying campaign. Bookmakers strongly favour Spain, yet friendlies have a habit of surprising. De la Fuente often experiments, which can change the rhythm and create moments of unpredictability. So even if the result seems obvious, the game might feel a bit different on the pitch.
Spain vs Serbia Head to Head (H2H) stats
-
Spain
3 : 0
Serbia
UEFA Nations League
-
Serbia
0 : 0
Spain
UEFA Nations League
-
Spain
2 : 0
Serbia
Friendly International
-
Spain
1 : 1
Serbia
WC Qualification Europe
These two have met five times since 2005, which is not exactly a rich history. Spain have won twice, while three games ended in draws. What stands out more is the lack of goals. The average sits at just 1.4 per match, which suggests cautious games rather than anything open.
Spain team overview
La Roja come into this after a 2–2 draw with Turkiye, which, depending on how you look at it, either showed resilience or a slight drop in control. That result ended a run of five straight wins, all with clean sheets, so it did feel like a shift. Still, De la Fuente’s side remained unbeaten in qualifying and secured their place with 16 points, which is solid by any standard.
There is a sense that this match is more about fine-tuning than urgency. A few new names have been introduced, like Joan García and Barrenetxea, which adds curiosity but also a bit of uncertainty.
The midfield situation is interesting too. Rodri and Martín Zubimendi are both available, and you can imagine the balance changing depending on who starts. Notably, Morata and Carvajal are absent.
Last matches of Spain
-
Spain
2 : 2
Turkey
WC Qualification Europe
-
Georgia
0 : 4
Spain
WC Qualification Europe
-
Spain
4 : 0
Bulgaria
WC Qualification Europe
-
Turkey
0 : 6
Spain
WC Qualification Europe
-
Bulgaria
0 : 3
Spain
WC Qualification Europe
Spain lineup
Goalkeeper
-
23
Unai Simón
Defenders
-
12
Pedro Porro
-
15
Pau Cubarsí
-
14
Aymeric Laporte
-
22
Marc Cucurella
Midfielders
-
16
Rodri
-
20
Pedri
-
8
Fabián Ruiz
Forwards
-
19
Lamine Yamal
-
10
Dani Olmo
-
21
Mikel Oyarzabal
Serbia team overview
The Eagles are in a very different place now. That 2–1 comeback win over Latvia last November showed grit, but it was too little, too late. Finishing behind England and Albania left a sting, and you can feel the sense of reset around the squad.
Paunović, still finding his footing, is trying to impose more structure, though transitions like this rarely look smooth at first. There are moments when Serbia seem stuck between old habits and new ideas, unsure which to follow.
Aleksandar Mitrović is still the focal point, which makes sense given his record, but it highlights a certain reliance. Younger players, like Pavlović in defence, are being tested, though consistency has been a problem. Clean sheets remain rare, and that is hard to ignore.
Last matches of Serbia
-
Serbia
2 : 1
Latvia
WC Qualification Europe
-
England
2 : 0
Serbia
WC Qualification Europe
-
Andorra
1 : 3
Serbia
WC Qualification Europe
-
Serbia
0 : 5
England
WC Qualification Europe
-
Latvia
0 : 1
Serbia
WC Qualification Europe
Serbia lineup
Goalkeeper
-
21
Đorđe Petrović
Defenders
-
16
Strahinja Eraković
-
4
Nikola Milenković
-
3
Strahinja Pavlović
-
14
Andrija Živković
Midfielders
-
10
Saša Lukić
-
6
Nemanja Gudelj
-
11
Filip Kostić
Forwards
-
19
Lazar Samardžić
-
20
Sergej Milinković-Savić
-
9
Aleksandar Mitrović
Prediction
A 4–0 win for La Roja does not feel unrealistic when you line things up. De la Fuente’s side have scored three or more in four of their last six matches, and Serbia have not kept a clean sheet in five. Add the gap in stability between the squads, and it starts to look like a one-sided night.
Three reasons we expect over 2.5 goals
- Spain won the last meeting between the two sides 3-0.
- Serbia are without a clean sheet in their last five matches.
- Spain have scored 3+ goals in four of their last six matches.
Main prediction Spain - Serbia
Over 2.5 goals
Best Odds: