Match preview Georgia – Spain
Spain travel to Tbilisi on Saturday knowing that a victory would leave them all but assured of a place at the 2026 World Cup with one match to play.
Luis de la Fuente’s side sit top of Group E with 12 points, three clear of Turkey, and are yet to concede a goal in their qualifying campaign.
The situation in Georgia is much more complicated. With just three points from their first four matches, they must beat Spain and Bulgaria while hoping Turkey lose their remaining two matches.
It’s a steep climb for a team that impressed at Euro 2024 but has struggled to maintain that momentum in this campaign.
Their last meeting with Spain came in the round of 16 of Euro 2024, a 4-1 defeat that highlighted the gulf between the teams. Georgia have only beaten La Roja once, in a friendly match in 2016.
Team news for Georgia vs Spain
Georgia will be without Otar Kakabadze and Georges Mikautadze, the latter a major loss considering his 21 goals in 41 appearances.
Budu Zivzivadze and Giorgi Kvilitaia are expected to lead the line, with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia once again at the heart of their attacking hopes.
Giorgi Mamardashvili is expected to start in goal, while Guram Kashia is expected to play number 127.
Spain is missing a number of key players. Lamine Yamal is unavailable after minor groin surgery, while Rodri, Pedri and Nico Williams are also injured.
Despite this, De la Fuente still has strong options, with Ferran Torres likely to operate in the middle and Mikel Oyarzabal and Alex Baena supporting from wide areas.
Arsenal pair Mikel Merino and Martin Zubimendi are expected to anchor the midfield.
Expected line-ups for the Georgia-Spain match
Georgia: Mamardashvili; Kakabadze, Kashia, Goglichidze, Gocholeishvili; Kiteishvili, Mekvabishvili, Kochorashvili; Zivzivadze, Kvilitaia, Kvaratskhelia
Spain: Simon; Porro, Le Normand, Cubarsi, Cucurella; Merino, Zubimendi, Ruiz; Oyarzábal, Torres, Baena
How to watch Georgia vs Spain: TV channel, online streaming
Georgia v Spain kicks off at 5:00 p.m. UK time on Saturday 15 November. It will be available on Amazon Prime.
Stats of the match Georgia – Spain
- Georgia has collected 3 points from 4 qualifying matches so far
- Georgia has never reached a World Cup final
- Spain has 12 points in 4 matches, a flawless record
- Georgia lost 8 of its 9 matches against Spain
- Georgia’s last competitive encounter against Spain ended 4-1 at Euro 2024
Prediction
Spain’s absences offer a glimmer of hope for Georgia, and the hosts have already shown they can create uncomfortable moments when playing at home.
Even so, La Roja retains enough depth and control to handle the occasion, and their defensive record suggests they should handle what Georgia can offer.
Prediction: Georgia 0-2 Spain
