Spain Chase Fifth Straight Nations League Win in Prague Without Injured Lamine Yamal

Spain travel to Prague on Thursday night for a UEFA Nations League meeting with Czechia, and the world champions arrive with a perfect record and a clear target. A fifth straight win in Group A3 would keep the unbeaten run going and protect top spot before England visit the Metropolitano on Sunday.

This Czechia vs Spain Nations League preview notes that Czechia sit bottom of the group with no points from four matches and face relegation to League B, so the home side need a result far more than the visitors. The match kicks off at 7:45pm GMT at the Generali Arena in Prague, and Spain start as clear favourites even without injured star Lamine Yamal.

Spain Target Fifth Straight Nations League Win in Prague

Spain have won all four Nations League matches in Group A3, with 12 goals scored and five conceded. The run includes a 3-2 win in England, a 4-1 win over Croatia, a 3-1 win over Czechia in Oviedo on 3 October 2026, and a 2-1 win over Croatia again. Spain have scored at least twice in every group match and remain unbeaten in 2026.

The unbeaten run in normal time now stands at 42 matches, with 33 wins and nine draws, a sequence that started long before the World Cup triumph in the summer of 2026. Luis de la Fuente has kept the same core in place, and the squad for this window still carries five Barcelona players and a strong LaLiga presence across every line.

England sit three points behind Spain in second place, so the group is not settled yet. A win in Prague would keep Spain three points clear before the meeting with England on Sunday, and a seeded place in the quarter-final draw is also at stake. Spain have already secured a quarter-final place, but De la Fuente has made it clear through his selections that he wants momentum, not rotation for its own sake.

Why Does Lamine Yamal Miss the Czechia Trip

Lamine Yamal will not travel to Prague. The Barcelona winger reported discomfort in his right knee after the 2-1 win at Atletico Madrid on Sunday, and he has stayed in Catalonia to continue rehabilitation. Tests showed nothing serious, and the plan is for Yamal to rejoin the squad for the England match on Sunday.

Yamal has scored four goals in four Nations League appearances in this campaign, so his absence removes a major threat from the right flank. Nico Williams, Alex Baena and Ferran Torres give De la Fuente other routes to goal, and Jorge de Frutos has been called up as cover.

Mikel Oyarzabal is also absent. The Real Sociedad forward is in the final stages of a flu-like illness and has remained in Spain, with the same target of a return for the England match. Rodri is out with a hamstring injury, and Ander Barrenetxea withdrew from the camp after an injury in a club match.

The absences open the door for new faces. Jacobo Ramon, the Como centre-back and Real Madrid academy product, has earned a first senior call-up, while Real Betis goalkeeper Alvaro Valles and midfielder Marc Roca are also in line for debuts. Joan Garcia returns in goal after missing the last squad through injury, and five Barcelona players are in the group: Garcia, Pau Cubarsi, Pedri, Fermin Lopez and Yamal.

Czechia Fight to Avoid Relegation After Four Defeats

Czechia have lost all four group matches: 2-1 to Croatia, 2-0 to England in Prague, 3-1 to Spain in Oviedo, and 3-0 to England away. The side have scored only twice in the group and conceded ten goals, and the run across all competitions now stands at five straight defeats with 13 goals conceded.

Santi Denia, the Spaniard who took charge before the campaign, has asked his players to believe a result is possible. Denia said his side must play the perfect game, with set pieces, the defensive phase, the pressing and the low block all at the highest level. He also pointed to the quality of the Spain replacements as proof of the depth in the visiting squad.

The maths are simple for the home side. Croatia sit three points above Czechia, and a trip to Zagreb follows on Sunday, so Czechia need a result in Prague to keep any hope of avoiding relegation alive. Midfielder Michal Sadilek is suspended, but Ladislav Krejci is available again after serving a one-match ban.

Czechia have never beaten Spain. Across eight official meetings, Spain have won six and drawn two, with 13 goals scored and four conceded. The closest the Czechs have come in the last decade was a 2-2 draw in Prague in June 2022.

Group A3 Standings After Four Matches

Team	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	Goals For	Goals Against	Points
Spain	4	4	0	0	12	5	12
England	4	3	0	1	14	3	9
Croatia	4	1	0	3	4	14	3
Czechia	4	0	0	4	2	10	0

Expected Line-Ups for Czechia vs Spain

Czechia: Kinsky; Coufal, Chaloupek, Krejci, Slama; Kral, Soucek; Cerv, Ambros, Danek; Hlozek.

Spain: Simon; Porro, Cubarsi, Laporte, Cucurella; Pedri, Ruiz; N Williams, Merino, Baena; Torres.

The line-ups are expected, not confirmed, and Fermin Lopez is an option in the Spain midfield, with rotation likely and England in mind on Sunday.

What Time Does Czechia vs Spain Kick Off and Where Can Fans Watch the Match

Czechia versus Spain kicks off at 7:45pm GMT (8:45pm local time) on Thursday, 12 November 2026, at the Generali Arena in Prague. In the United Kingdom, the match is live on the Prime Video pay-per-view service for £2.49.

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