Gibraltar and Latvia will meet at Europa Sports Park on Thursday night for the first leg of their UEFA Nations League relegation playoff.
Gibraltar earned their spot in this stage after finishing second in Group D1. Latvia are fighting to remain in League C after finishing bottom of Group C4.
Gibraltar’s Recent Form and Challenges
Gibraltar are currently on a run of 10 consecutive defeats in all competitions. During this period, they have conceded 31 goals, suffering losses against teams such as Faroe Islands and New Caledonia.
However, between September and November 2024, Gibraltar had a four-match unbeaten streak, finishing second in a group that included San Marino and Liechtenstein. They secured a 1-0 victory over San Marino and drew the other three fixtures.
That unbeaten run occurred when Scott Wiseman was not in charge. Since Wiseman took over, Gibraltar have suffered the 10-game losing run, scoring only three goals.
Latvia’s Fight to Stay in League C
Latvia are also on a winless streak, having failed to win in nine games since a 1-0 victory over Andorra in March last year. However, they have managed four draws against Azerbaijan, Albania, Andorra and North Macedonia.
Latvia only lost by one-goal margins to Serbia in two World Cup qualifiers.
Paolo Nicolato’s team are trying to avoid relegation to League D after finishing bottom of a group that included North Macedonia, Armenia and Faroe Islands. They avoided immediate relegation by accumulating four points from six games, the best record of the last-placed teams in League C.
Latvia won two World Cup qualifiers against Gibraltar in 2021 by 3-1 scorelines. Gibraltar recorded a 1-0 win over Latvia in a friendly almost eight years ago.
Team News and Potential Lineups
Gibraltar faces significant defensive issues with Ethan Jolley, Louie Annesley and Jayce Olivero all missing. Julian Valarino could play at right-back, and Jeremy Perera may feature as a make-shift centre-back if Wiseman opts not to include him in a three-man midfield.
Jaiden Bartolo is expected to lead the attack as he looks for his first Gibraltar goal.
Latvia are expected to make at least two changes from their 2-1 defeat in Serbia, with Maksims Tonisevs and Eduards Daskevics sidelined due to injury. Dennis Cirkin could be handed an immediate debut. Lukass Vapne may switch to the left flank, with Aleksejs Saveljevs being brought into midfield. Vladislavs Gutkovskis is set to lead the line in his 60th appearance for his country.
Match Details
- The match takes place at Europa Sports Park.
- It is the first leg of the UEFA Nations League relegation playoff.
Both teams will be aiming to improve their recent form and secure an advantage in this crucial relegation playoff.