England will be without Manchester City defender Nico O’Reilly when they take on Croatia in the UEFA Nations League on Saturday, further stretching manager Thomas Tuchel’s defensive options.
O’Reilly has returned to Manchester City after pulling out of the England squad with an injury. He will also miss Tuesday’s meeting with Czechia.
The setback comes after England responded to an opening defeat by Spain with a 2-0 win over Czechia in their second League A Group A3 fixture.
England will again rely on captain Harry Kane, who has continued his impressive international form.
Kane and Anthony Gordon have scored in both of England’s Nations League matches, while the England captain has netted 19 times in his last 21 appearances for the national team, including twice against Croatia during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Croatia will enter the contest looking to recover from a heavy 4-1 loss to Spain in their last Nations League outing.
Both sides have three points from their opening two matches, with Croatia beating Czechia before losing to Spain, while England suffered against Spain before defeating Czechia.
Tuchel expects a demanding encounter against the hosts, describing Croatia as a big football nation with a proud footballing tradition.
“It’s beautiful weather and friendly people. We have been seven weeks together in the United States, so we have a great bond. To be here in this beautiful place and train in this environment, what is not to love? We expect a difficult match tomorrow against a big football nation and a proud country – a side full of quality.”
