Preview: Romania vs. Lithuania – Prediction, team news, lineups

Romania Welcome Lithuania to the home of FCSB in Bucharest for a UEFA Nations League Collision on Monday evening.

The hosts made a perfect start to the season, comfortably defeating second-seeded Kosovo away from home, while Lithuania suffered a disappointing defeat at home to Cyprus.

Game Preview

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Romania started the Nations League as the best-placed country in League C and were clear favourites to win the group. Their victory on the first matchday suggests that the country is well on its way to winning the title.

A 3-0 win in Pristina against a Kosovar team that doesn’t often lose on home soil was a very pleasing sight for the new coach Mircea Lucescuwho is back at the helm of Romania 43 years after his first term in office.

Kosovo are likely to be their closest rivals, so this result could already have a big impact on the composition of this group, as Lithuania and Cyprus are unlikely to pose too much of a problem for a team that has reached the knockout rounds of Euro 2024.

Romania won a group in Germany that also included Belgium and, although they lost to the Netherlands in the round of 16, they have not progressed further in a major final for more than a quarter of a century.

Edward Iordanescu left the club after the Tricolorii's elimination, but in Lucescu, Romania has a legendary coach who can take the team further.

The home team will also be clear favourites if Lithuania come to the capital and win two out of two games. The gulf between the two nations is highlighted by the fact that Romania have won 12 of their 13 previous meetings with their upcoming opponents.

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Lithuania has always been represented in League C since the founding of the Nations League, but has narrowly avoided relegation on several occasions.

After losing all six of their first round matches, Lithuania was spared relegation due to the restructuring of the competition and then had to win a home and away playoff against Gibraltar to avoid relegation to League D in March.

However, after the home defeat in the first group match against Cyprus, a place at the bottom is again likely. Since there is no obvious candidate for relegation to League D in the third division, Lithuania could be in big trouble this time.

Friday's defeat was somewhat surprising considering Lithuania had previously completed a remarkable qualification campaign for Euro 2024, beating Bulgaria and holding Hungary and Montenegro to draws.

Edgaras Jankauskas He now has a lot of work ahead of him if he wants to avoid finishing last in a Nations League group again, especially given the quality of the other two teams in the group.

Romania Nations League Form:

Romania form (All competitions):

Lithuania Nations League Form:

Lithuania Form (All Competitions):

Team News

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Despite Lucescu's signing, there are hardly any changes in the Romanian squad that competed under Iordanescu at the 2024 European Championship.

Parma Duo Dennis Man And Valentin Mihaila Looks like they are now the preferred pair on the wings and replace Florinel Comanwho moved to the Middle East, and Ianis Hagia player who doesn't get any playing time for the Rangers.

Horatiu Moldova's injury-related withdrawal means that experienced goalkeeper Florin Nita will probably be used again, as he did at the European Championships and in Friday's victory in Kosovo.

Jankauskas' decision to skip Arvydas Novikovas And Fedor Cernychtwo players with a total of 189 international matches, seems to have backfired after the disappointing defeat against Cyprus.

Lithuania looked weak in attack and even the rather cautious 5-4-1 formation could not change that. But in view of a clearly superior team, the coach will probably stick with the same system.

The guests are missing some important players. Paulius Golubickas And Gvidas Gineitis missing in the engine room, and Edgaras Utkus excluded from the rear.

Possible starting eleven for Romania:
Nita; Ratiu, Dragusin, Burca, Bancu; M. Marin, R. Marin, Stanciu; Man, Dragus, Mihaila

Possible starting eleven for Lithuania:
Gertmonas; Sirvys, Kazukolovas, Girdvainis, Tutyskinas, Lasickas; Slivka, Vorobjovas, Matulevicius, V Paulauskas; Kucys

We think: Romania 3-0 Lithuania

Romania was known for its defensive strength under Iordanescu, but it was its attacking play that stood out in Pristina and Lithuania could suffer a similar defeat here.

The guests suffered a heavy home defeat at the start of the season and there is no indication that they can cause a huge surprise here and move away from the bottom of the table.

Click here to see a data analysis of the most likely outcomes, scores and more for this match.

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