Spain Takes On Serbia in International Friendly: Key Predictions, Lineups, and What to Expect

Spain steps onto the field for the first time this year, facing fellow European nation Serbia in a friendly fixture on Friday evening.

The defending European champions cruised through their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign, and preparations for the tournament are now ramping up. La Roja will be among the top favorites to lift the trophy, backed by a talent-laden squad and strong momentum under the guidance of Luis de la Fuente.

Spain has gone undefeated in regulation for more than two years and looks unlikely to see that streak end in Villarreal on Friday. They put three goals past their upcoming opponents without reply in the UEFA Nations League clash on home turf in 2024, and remain unbeaten across all three previous encounters with Serbia.

Veljko Paunović only assumed the Serbia head coach role last November, and the former Chicago Fire manager — who also has coaching experience in Spain — faces the challenge of rebuilding confidence following a dismal World Cup qualifying campaign that saw them finish below second-place Albania and miss out on the playoff round.

Spain had originally been slated to face Argentina on Friday in another installment of La Finalissima — a contest pitting the European Championship winners against the Copa América champions — but the 2026 edition of the event was called off.

Spain vs. Serbia Score Prediction

European Champions Cruise to a Comfortable Win

Even the most optimistic Serbia fans will be bracing for a tough night against Spain on Friday. While neither side has anything more than pride at stake, Paunović's squad must remain sharp at the Estadio de la Cerámica or risk a humbling defeat.

Serbia possesses individual quality, but a lack of team cohesion remains their biggest weakness. Their supremely gifted hosts are well-positioned to exploit any hesitation in the visiting camp on Friday.

Spain is unlikely to run up a massive scoreline, but a routine victory seems the most probable outcome.

Prediction: Spain 3–0 Serbia

Spain Predicted Lineup vs. Serbia

Spain will be without several familiar faces for March's friendly fixtures. Both Morata and Williams are absent — the latter sidelined through injury — while Mikel Merino and Fabián Ruiz are also unavailable as they continue recovering from long-term fitness issues.

Additionally, Gavi, Aleix García, Pablo Barrios, Dani Carvajal, and Robin Le Normand are among those not called up despite featuring in De la Fuente's squads throughout last year's World Cup qualifying campaign.

Spain is expected to field a strong side for Friday's friendly given the extended break since their last match, with Pedri, Rodri, Martín Zubimendi, and Lamine Yamal all likely to feature despite heavy workloads so far this year.

Spain predicted lineup vs. Serbia (4-2-3-1): Simón; Llorente, Cubarsí, Laporte, Cucurella; Pedri, Zubimendi, Rodri; Yamal, Torres, Oyarzabal.

Serbia Predicted Lineup

Serbia are also dealing with notable absences for the March friendlies, with Juventus striker Dušan Vlahović among the most prominent players missing. The forward only made his long-awaited return from injury against Sassuolo last weekend and will not be rushed back after spending nearly four months on the sidelines.

Andrija Živković, Marko Grujić, Ivan Ilić, Nemanja Radonjić, and in-form Aleksandar Katai are also unavailable, leaving Paunović notably thin on attacking options out wide.

On a brighter note for Serbia, several experienced players are available. Aleksandar Mitrović leads the attack, a tenacious midfield features Sergej Milinković-Savić and Sasa Lukić, and a central defensive partnership of Nikola Milenković and Strahinja Pavlović provides a formidable presence at the back.

Serbia predicted lineup vs. Spain (4-3-3): Rajković; Mimović, Milenković, Pavlović, Terzić; S. Milinković-Savić, Gudelj, Lukić; Kostić, Mitrović, Jović.

What Time Does Spain vs. Serbia Kick Off?

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