Spain vs Lithuania prediction, preview, team news and more

In their final friendly game before the commencement of Euro 2020, Spain take on Lithuania at the Estadio Municipal de Butarque on Tuesday.

Spain's preparations ahead of Euro 2020 have been thrown into disarray, as Sergio Busquets tested positive for COVID-19 on Sunday. This has forced the entire Spain squad to go into isolation ahead of the start of the Euros next week, with the Under-21 squad facing Lithuania instead.

When this preview was published, no other Spanish players had tested positive for COVID-19.

Lithuania head into the game fresh off crashing out of the Baltic Cup. Meanwhile, Spain played out an uneventful goalless draw with fellow European powerhouse Portugal.

After falling to an opening-day 1-1 draw with Greece, Spain claimed successive wins over Georgia and Kosovo to top Group B of the 2022 World Cup qualifiers.

After a two-month break, Spain returned to action last Thursday, when they played out an uneventful goalless draw with Portugal.

La Roja were hoping for a morale boost ahead of the forthcoming Euros by returning to winning ways against a struggling Lithuania side. However, that task will now be up to the U-21 side.

Lithuania, meanwhile, head into this game off the back of a woeful run in the 2021 Baltic Cup.

The northern European nation crashed out in the first round of the competition after consecutive defeats against Latvia and Estonia.

Valdas Urbonas's men are currently on a five-game losing streak, with their last win coming back in November 2020. That was a 2-1 victory against Kazakhstan in the UEFA Nations League.

While Lithuania will be aiming to end their poor run of results, they have not picked up a point against Spain since 2004. This will be their best chance of changing that, as they will be facing the U-21 side.

Spain vs Lithuania Head-To-Head

Spain have simply been dominant against Lithuania, picking up five wins from their previous six encounters. Lithuania are winless against the hosts, but have managed to force a share of the spoils on one occasion.

They last met back in 2011, when the Spaniards cruised to a comfortable 3-1 victory in the 2012 Euros qualifiers.

Spain Form Guide (all competitions): W-D-W-W-D

Lithuania Form Guide (all competitions): L-L-L-L-L

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Spain vs Lithuania Team News

Spain

After Busquets tested positive for COVID-19 and was removed from the group, all the other members of Spain’s 24-man squad tested negative.

Despite this, COVID protocols in accordance with UEFA and Spanish health ministry guidelines require all players and staff to isolate within Spain’s Las Rozas HQ. The players will have individual training sessions rather than normal training, and the U-21 side have been drafted in to take on the Lithuanians this week.

Injured: None

Suspended: None

Unavailable/COVID: Entire squad in isolation

Lithuania

The visitors will be without the services of Edvinas Getmonas, Lukas Paukste and Gratas Sirgedas, who have all been sidelined through injuries.

Injured: Edvinas Getmonas, Lukas Paukste, Gratas Sirgedas

Suspended: None

Spain vs Lithuania Predicted XI

Spain Predicted XI (4-3-3): (4-2-3-1): Alvaro Fernandez, Oscar Mingueza, Hugo Guillamon, Jorge Cuenca, Marc Cucurella, Martin Zubimendi, Gonzalo Villar, Brahim Diaz, Manu Garcia, Bryan Gil, Abel Ruiz

Lithuania Predicted XI (4-4-2): Titas Krapikas; Vytas Gaspuitis, Edvinas Girdvainis, Markas Beneta, Saulius Mikoliunas; Arvydas Novikovas, Donatas Kazlauskas, Deimantas Petrivicius, Martynas Dapkus; Karolis Laukzemis, Edgaras Dubickas