Portugal and Spain will battle it out for the last UEFA Nations League finals spot, with plenty to play for as the league phase comes to a conclusion.
The league phase of the third edition of the UEFA Nations League ends on Tuesday, with one more spot in the finals in June 2023 up for grabs.
Tuesday 27 September
Group A2 Switzerland vs Czechia
Group A2 Portugal vs Spain
Group B1 Ukraine vs Scotland
Group B1 Republic of Ireland vs Armenia
Group B2 Albania vs Iceland
Group B4 Sweden vs Slovenia
Group B4 Norway vs Serbia
Group C2 Greece vs Northern Ireland
Group C2 Kosovo vs Cyprus
Portugal and Spain battle for last finals spot
There’s nothing quite like a winner-takes-all Iberian derby to close out the league phase. Portugal surprisingly hold the whip hand after Spain slipped to a 2-1 loss at home to Switzerland on Saturday, and Fernando Santos’ side need only avoid defeat in Braga. The last five meetings between the pair have ended in draws, but Luis Enrique warns that his Spain team mean business. “It’s going to be a difficult place to win, but another draw won’t serve us,” he said. “We’ll go there to try and take three points.”
Elsewhere on Tuesday
• Switzerland may yet end a campaign that has brought wins against Portugal and (for the first time) away to Spain by being relegated; Czechia will leapfrog the Swiss if they beat them in St Gallen.
• Ireland will look to end an up-and-down campaign on a high when they host an Armenia side that beat them on Matchday 1. A repeat of that result and the Irish will be relegated to League C.
• Sweden are on a four-match losing run, and anything less than victory at home to Slovenia would spell demotion to League C.
• Greece have wrapped up Group C2 but it is all to play for at the other end of the table, with Kosovo, Northern Ireland and Cyprus all in danger of dropping into the relegation play-outs.
Key dates
Matchdays 5 & 6: 22–27 September 2022
Semi-finals: 14 & 15 June 2023
Final & third-place match: 18 June 2023
Play-outs: 21–23 & 24–26 March 2024
