Preview: Sweden vs Romania - prediction, team news, lineups

Hoping to put their frustrating 2026 World Cup firmly in the past, Sweden will kick off their UEFA Nations League B campaign on Friday, welcoming Group Four rivals Romania to Strawberry Arena.

The Blue and Yellow are looking for their first win in four games this week, while Tricolorii could make it three game unbeaten by building on their victory last time out in June.

Match preview

Graham Potter's Sweden began this summer's World Cup full of optimism following a 5-1 hammering of Tunisia in their opener, but after struggling since they will be out to find their feet in the autumn.

With that goal in mind, the Blue and Yellow will take heart from the fact that they won five of their six Nations League C fixtures in the 2024-25 edition of the tournament.

Sweden also went unbeaten during that campaign, keeping three clean sheets in the process, and such an impressive showing was enough to earn them promotion to League B.

However, with two defeats from their last three outings, and only one win from their past six, fans would be forgiven for harbouring doubts about this international break.

On the other hand, the more positive amongst the supporter base would highlight that the Blue and Yellow have only lost two of their most recent 11 matches when playing as the home side, winning seven and drawing two.

Meanwhile, Gheorghe Hagi's Romania missed out on the World Cup, but are returning to a competition that has been a major source of success in recent years.

The Tricolorii also secured promotion from Nations League C in the last cycle, though their flawless record of six wins from six games surpassed that of their opponents.

Additionally, Romania bagged an impressive 18 goals - an average of three per match - across that stretch, a tally only bettered by Sweden with 19.

Heading into Friday's showdown, Hagi's side will be hoping to replicate their 2-1 victory over Wales in early June, though the reality is they are in mixed form after winning two, drawing one and losing two of their five most recent outings overall.

To make matters worse, this week's underdogs have failed to come out on top in any of their last six away matches, tasting defeat four times in a winless run that goes back to March 2025.

Sweden form (all competitions):

Romania friendlies form:

Team News

Sweden will be without Newcastle United right-winger Anthony Elanga while he recovers from a knee injury, though Arsenal's Viktor Gyokeres and Liverpool's Alexander Isak should offer enough firepower to pose a threat, supported by Emil Holm and Gabriel Gudmundsson at wing-back.

At the opposite end of the pitch centre-backs Gustaf Lagerbielke and Isak Hien are dealing with respective groin and hamstring injuries, and goalkeeper Jacob Widell Zetterstrom has a knee issue of his own, so Potter could start a three-man defence of Elliot Stroud, Carl Starfelt and Victor Lindelof in front of Stoke shot-stopper Viktor Johansson.

As for Romania, Daniel Birligea could lead the line on Friday, supplied from out wide by Dennis Man and Valentin Mihaila.

Elsewhere, Ianis Hagi may start in the centre of the park alongside Razvan Marin and Vlad Dragomir, protecting centre-halves Radu Dragusin and Andrei Burca.

Sweden possible starting lineup:

Johansson; Stroud, Starfelt, Lindelof; Holm, Bergvall, Karlstrom, Ayari, Gudmundsson; Gyokeres, Isak

Romania possible starting lineup:

Radu; Ratiu, Dragusin, Burca, Bancu; Marin, Hagi, Dragomir; Man, Birligea, Mihaila

We say: Sweden 3-1 Romania

Sweden may be in poor form and low on morale after a disappointing World Cup campaign, but they should have more than enough to get the better of Romania on home turf this week.

The visitors are without a win on the road for more than 18 months, and it would not be surprising to see them fall to another defeat on Friday.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.