Preview: Slovenia vs. Serbia - prediction, team news, lineups

The hosts will be seeking revenge against the Eagles, after they lost 4-1 away from home in the reverse fixture last week.

Match preview

Slovenia remain the only team in League B Group 4 who are yet to win after their opening three fixtures, although they did claim their first point on Thursday against Norway.

Angers centre-back Miha Blazic was shown a straight red card in the 63rd minute for a late challenge on Erling Braut Haaland, but Matjaz Kek's men managed to hold on for a goalless draw in Oslo.

Slovenia currently sit bottom of their group, two points behind Sweden in third and five behind Sunday's opponents Serbia, so they are at risk of an immediate drop back down to the third tier, having secured promotion in the last campaign.

Ranked 65th in the FIFA world rankings, Slovenia head into Sunday's contest with a mixed head-to-head record against Serbia, winning, drawing and losing one game each. Their solitary victory was on home soil back in October 2011 when they won 1-0 in a European Championship qualifier.

After conceding four against Serbia last week, including three in the final 34 minutes, Kek will have been satisfied with his side's defensive improvements against Norway, although keeping out a Serbia outfit who have scored in 10 of their last 12 internationals could prove challenging.

After losing 1-0 to Norway in their opening Nations League game, Serbia have since claimed back-to-back victories against Slovenia and Sweden.

Aleksandar Mitrovic, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Nemanja Radonjic and Luka Jovic were all on the scoresheet in the comfortable win over Slovenia, before the latter scored the only goal of the game against Sweden to secure a narrow 1-0 win in Stockholm on Thursday.

After three games, Dragan Stojkovic's side now have as many points as they accumulated from six matches in their previous Nations League campaign, and they currently sit just one point behind group leaders Norway.

Spirits are high among the Serbia camp and they head to Ljubljana on Sunday having won four of their last five away internationals, keeping three clean sheets in the process.

With one eye on the 2022 World Cup later this year, Stojkovic's players will be keen to impress in their penultimate game before they make the trip to Qatar as they bid to maintain their places in the senior squad.

Slovenia Nations League form:

Slovenia form (all competitions):

Serbia Nations League form:

Serbia form (all competitions):

Team News

Slovenia will be without the suspended Blazic following his red card last time out, with Jaka Bijol the most likely candidate to start at centre-back alongside David Brekalo.

Striker Andraz Sporar has begun on the substitutes' bench for the last two matches, but the 37-cap international will be hoping he can force his way back into the first XI on Sunday ahead of either Benjamin Sesko or Zan Celar.

Atletico Madrid goalkeeper Jan Oblak, who is closing in on his 50th cap, is set to remain between the sticks, while Adam Gnezda Cerin could start again in centre-midfield alongside veteran Jasmin Kurtic.

As for Serbia, Stojkovic has used three different goalkeepers in their first three matches, and considering Vanja Milinkovic-Savic started their first fixture, he may get the nod on Sunday ahead of Predrag Rajkovic and Marko Dmitrovic.

Stefan Mitrovic is set to replace Strahinja Pavlovic, joining Nikola Milenkovic and Milos Veljkovic in the back three, while Filip Kostic and Darko Lazovic could be handed starts as wing-backs.

The visitors will be able to welcome Aleksandr Mitrovic back from suspension and the Fulham striker is expected to replace Jovic in attack, with Dusan Tadic and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic providing support in advanced midfield roles.

Slovenia possible starting lineup:

Oblak; Karnicnik, Bijol, Brekelo, Sikosek; Stjanovic, Cerin, Kurtic, Verbic; Sesko, Sporar

Serbia possible starting lineup:

V. Milinkovic-Savic; Milenkovic, Veljkovic, S. Mitrovic; Lazovic, Lukic, Gudelj, Kostic; S. Milinkovic-Savic, Tadic; A. Mitrovic

We say: Slovenia 0-2 Serbia

Slovenia showed their defensive resilience to keep out Norway on Thursday, but they may struggle to keep the likes of Mitrovic, Milinkovic-Savic and Tadic quiet in the final third on Sunday.

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