Portugal will welcome the World Cup runners-up in an international friendly on Thursday, though star striker Ronaldo will be absent Portugal will welcome World Cup runners-up Croatia on Thursday at the Estadio Algarve in a friendly, gearing up for the opening matches of the inaugural UEFA Nations League. Juventus superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has been omitted from the squad as he has been allowed to stay behind in Turin during this international break, while Croatia will be looking to the inspiration of captain Luka Modric for inspiration. The home side will be looking to cope with the absence of their star man, with Croatia expected to push on from their memorable campaign in Russia this summer. Game Portugal v Croatia Date Thursday, September 6 Time 7:45pm BST / 2:45pm EST TV Channel, Live Stream & How To Watch In the United States (US), the game will be shown on ESPN+. US TV channel Online stream ESPN+ ESPN+ app UK TV channel Online stream N/A N/A Squads & Team News Position Portugal players Goalkeepers Beto, Ramos, Patricio Defenders Soares, Pepe, Cancelo, Neto, Mendes, Rui, Guerreiro, Dias Midfielders B. Fernandes, G. Fernandes, Pizzi, Sanches, Neves, Oliveira, Carvalho, B. Silva Forwards A. Silva, Bruma, Martins, Guedes, Lopes Ronaldo has been rested for the fixture, while the likes of Ruben Neves, Bruma, Joao Cancelo, Luis Neto and Renato Sanches have all recieved call-ups after missing the World Cup finals in Russia. Potential Portugal XI: Patricio; Cancelo, Pepe, Dias, Rui; B. Silva, Carvalho, Neves, Bruma; Guedes, A. Silva. Position Croatia players Goalkeepers Kalinic, Livakovic, Letica Defenders Vida, Vrsaljko, Pivaric, Jedvaj, Mitrovic, Barisic, Milic Midfielders Modric, Rakitic, Badelj, Kovacic, Rog, Pasalic, Bradaric Forwards Perisic, Kramaric, Rebic, Pjaca, Santini, Livaja There is no room for Danijel Subasic or Nikola Kalinic in the squad to face Portugal, though are equipped with the star likes of Ivan Rakitic, Ivan Perisic and Modric. Defender Dejan Lovren will be unavailable to feature in the friendly as he is still sidelined with a long-term injury. Potential Croatia XI: Kalinic; Vrsaljko, Mitrovic, Vida, Barisic; Pasalic, Brozovic, Rakitic; Pjaca, Santini, Perisic. Betting & Match Odds Portugal are priced at odds of winning 13/8 according to bet 365, while a draw is available at 11/5. A win for the World Cup runners-up is up for 2/1. Click here to see all of bet 365's offers for the game, including goalscoring markets, correct score predictions and more. Match Preview Croatia's fairy-tale run this summer ended abruptly in the final when they lost to champions France, but their extraordinary run in Russia that involved beating the likes of England, Argentina, Denmark and Iceland won't be so easily forgotten. Modric, who was at the core of Croatia's team and was also named UEFA Men's Player of the Year ahead of Ronaldo and Mohamed Salah, is expected to once again lead his team in a tough fixture against Portugal – though will be unlikely to start the friendly, with one eye set on the UEFA Nations League clash with Spain in less than a week. Croatia boss Zlatko Dalic will be unable to draft in World Cup heroes Danijel Subasic and Mario Mandzukic after the duo announced retirement from international football, along with defender Vedran Corluka. Striker Nikola Kalinic remains out of favour with the national side, after being cut from the squad midway through the World Cup. Article continues below The home side endured an ultimately disappointing World Cup despite the opening 3-3 draw with rivals Spain that involved a Ronaldo hat-trick, crashing out at the last-16 stage at the hands of Uruguay. Ronaldo's omission from the Portugal team will be the main talking point of the fixtur, and will miss out on the opportunity to face former Real Madrid team-mate and fellow national team captain Modric. In his absence, youthful duo Andre Silva and Goncalo Guedes are likely to get the nod to start, ahead of a UEFA Nations League opener against Italy.<doc-sep>Cristiano Ronaldo has been rested by Portugal for their friendly against Croatia and Uefa Nations League opener against Italy, by his own choice. The 33-year-old forward, who joined Juventus from Real Madrid for £99m this summer, has only played in eight of Portugal's last 20 friendlies, but the Italy game in the new tournament is a competitive fixture. Ronaldo has scored 85 goals, including four in as many games at this summer's World Cup on their run to the last 16, in 154 caps for Portugal. "After talking to the player, and after he moved to Juventus with all the processes of adaptation that entails, we understand it was best for him to not be present for these games," boss Fernando Santos said. Portugal squad Goalkeeper: Beto (Goztepe), Claudio Ramos (Tondela), Rui Patricio (Wolves) Defenders: Cedric Soares (Southampton), Joao Cancelo (Juventus), Luis Neto (Zenit St Petersburg), Mario Rui (Napoli), Pedro Mendes (Montpellier), Pepe (Besiktas), Raphael Guerreiro (Borussia Dortmund), Ruben Dias (Benfica) Midfielders: Bruno Fernandes (Sporting), Gedson Fernandes (Benfica), Pizzi (Benfica), Renato Sanches (Bayern Munich), Ruben Neves (Wolves), Sergio Oliveira (Porto), William Carvalho (Real Betis) Forwards: Andre Silva (Sevilla), Bernardo Silva (Manchester City), Bruma (RB Leipzig), Gelson Martins (Atletico Madrid), Goncalo Guedes (Valencia), Rony Lopes (Monaco)<doc-sep>
Ian MacNicol/Getty Images Portugal welcome 2018 FIFA World Cup finalists Croatia to the Estadio Algarve on Thursday for an international friendly. The game will be a useful warm-up for both sides ahead of their opening matches of the inaugural UEFA Nations League. Portugal go on to face Italy in Lisbon on Monday, September 10. Croatia are in action a day later as they take on Spain in Elche, Alicante. Date: Thursday, September 6 Time: 7:45 p.m. (BST), 2:45 p.m. (ET) Odds: Portugal win 11-8, Croatia win 11-5, Draw 21-10 Live Stream/TV Info: ESPN+ (U.S.) Odds via Oddschecker Portugal will have to make do without captain and inspiration Cristiano Ronaldo for their two games during the international break, as he is not part of the squad. Coach Fernando Santos has explained why he has not selected the Juventus star, per BBC Sport. He said: "After talking to the player, and after he moved to Juventus with all the processes of adaptation that entails, we understand it was best for him to not be present for these games." Joao Moutinho, Ricardo Quaresma and Adrien Silva are also omitted. But Santos has recalled Ruben Neves, Joao Cancelo and Renato Sanches, who all missed the World Cup. Video Play Button Videos you might like Freelance writer Jan Fredrik Hagen shared his view on the squad: There's still plenty of experience throughout the team. Pepe, William Carvalho and Bernardo Silva are quality players who know all about the demands of international football. Portugal will face a tough test against a Croatia side that came agonisingly close to glory in Russia over the summer. Dalic has made changes to his squad, and there's no room for Mario Mandzukic, Vedran Corluka, Danijel Subasic or Nikola Kalinic: Croatia will once again look to Luka Modric for inspiration. The midfielder has enjoyed a superb 2018 and has been named UEFA Men's Player of the Year ahead of Ronaldo and Mohamed Salah. This looks a closely matched game between two quality sides. Ronaldo's absence is a big blow to Portugal, and they will need to prove they can cope without their star man.