Spain v Norway Betting Tips [25 March 2023]

Group A of the 2024 European Championship qualifying campaign kicks off with the first matchup of eight as Spain hosts Norway at La Rosaleda in Malaga. Rounding out the rest of the group is Scotland, Georgia and Cyprus. This match is sure to attract attention with the talent that these two teams possess. However, the Norweigans were dealt a huge blow as phenom striker Erling Haaland was forced to withdraw from the squad with a groin injury. The Lions will now have to lean on the creativity of maestro Martin Odegaard to pull the strings from the midfield and create chances for his teammates. Norway had a positive Nations League showing, finishing second to Serbia with a record of three wins, one draw and two defeats. Since then, Norway has competed in two friendlies, a 2-1 away win against Ireland and a 1-1 home draw with Finland. With Haaland returning to the squad for future matches, Norway will feel they have the squad to push Scotland and secure second-place in the group. 

The talent of the Spanish national team needs no introduction. There is a good mix of young and experienced players in Jose Enrique's 26-man squad with veterans such as Sergio Busquests, Dani Carvajal and Iago Aspas, along with exciting young talents like Gavi, Olmo and Nico Williams. One huge miss for the Spainards is Golden Boy winner Pedri, who was forced to withdraw from the squad as the 20-year-old is set to miss 3-4 weeks with a hamstring issue. Recent first-choice keeper Unai Simon will also miss out here. This will be the first time Spain takes the field since its disappointing exit at the World Cup after losing as heavy favorites to the surprise Moroccans on penalties. Spain will try to emulate its positive Nations League campaign which saw La Roja top a group including Portugal, Switzerland and the Czech Republic.

The absence of Haaland will remove a noticeable portion of the Norwegian attacking bite and significantly reduce the chances of the visitors finding the net. With the control possession tactical style that La Roja implement, it lends itself well for backing low-scoring matches and subsequently the under. Expect Spain to dominate the ball as per usual but they may struggle to break down a Norway side that will be high in confidence and targeting a second-place finish in the group. Our Spain vs Norway prediction: under 2.5 goals