Liam Duckstein
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Latvia and Montenegro meet in the UEFA Nations League on Friday 2 October 2026, and with no fresh absentees flagged for either camp, these predicted lineups are shaped almost entirely by who has actually been picked in recent matches rather than by enforced team news. That makes the selection question less about who is missing and more about whether both coaches simply repeat what has worked. Below are the full predicted XIs, the shirts most likely to change, and the reasoning behind each pick.
Predicted Latvia Line-up
Latvia’s projection is built around a 5-4-1 shape, which lines up with Paolo Nicolato’s preferred formation. It is a settled side – 10 of the projected XI started their last match – which points to a coach sticking with a template rather than experimenting. Roberts Savalnieks is the one change worth watching in defence, having started only one of the two matches used here, while further forward Raivis Jurkovskis holds a midfield slot despite sitting out the more recent of those two games. Everyone else in the expected XI has started both matches on record, giving this a fairly settled look for a Nations League fixture.
Latvia predicted XI: Rihards Matrevics; Dennis Cirkin, Antonijs Černomordijs, Andrejs Cigaņiks, Deniss Meļņiks, Roberts Savalnieks; Lukass Vapne, Dmitrijs Zelenkovs, Eduards Emsis, Raivis Jurkovskis; Vladislavs Gutkovskis
| Line | # | Player | Starts in last 2 | Last 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | 23 | Rihards Matrevics | 2/2 | 2/2 |
| D | 3 | Dennis Cirkin | 2/2 | 2/2 |
| D | 5 | Antonijs Černomordijs | 2/2 | 2/2 |
| D | 14 | Andrejs Cigaņiks | 2/2 | 2/2 |
| D | 21 | Deniss Meļņiks | 2/2 | 2/2 |
| D | 11 | Roberts Savalnieks | 1/2 | 1/2 |
| M | 10 | Lukass Vapne | 2/2 | 2/2 |
| M | 15 | Dmitrijs Zelenkovs | 2/2 | 2/2 |
| M | 8 | Eduards Emsis | 1/2 | 1/2 |
| M | 13 | Raivis Jurkovskis | 1/2 | 1/2 |
| F | 9 | Vladislavs Gutkovskis | 2/2 | 2/2 |
Montenegro Predicted XI
Montenegro’s predicted lineup sits in a 4-4-2, matching Mirko Vucinić’s stated preference. This too reads as a settled side – 11 of the projected XI started their last match – so wholesale changes look unlikely on current evidence. Andrej Djuric is the name to note at left-back, with only one start across the two matches used for this projection, and Dušan Vuković occupies a central midfield berth on the same single-start basis. The remainder of the side, including both strikers, has started in both of the matches this projection draws on.
Montenegro predicted XI: Balša Popović; milan roganovic, Stefan Savić, Ognjen Gasevic, Andrej Djuric; Andrija Bulatović, Marko Janković, Stefan Loncar, Dušan Vuković; Milutin Osmajić, Nikola Krstović
| Line | # | Player | Starts in last 2 | Last 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | 13 | Balša Popović | 2/2 | 2/2 |
| D | 22 | Milan Roganovic | 2/2 | 2/2 |
| D | 15 | Stefan Savić | 2/2 | 2/2 |
| D | 16 | Ognjen Gasevic | 2/2 | 2/2 |
| D | 4 | Andrej Djuric | 1/2 | 1/2 |
| M | 21 | Andrija Bulatović | 2/2 | 2/2 |
| M | 8 | Marko Janković | 2/2 | 2/2 |
| M | 19 | Stefan Loncar | 1/2 | 1/2 |
| M | 23 | Dušan Vuković | 1/2 | 1/2 |
| F | 20 | Milutin Osmajić | 2/2 | 2/2 |
| F | 9 | Nikola Krstović | 2/2 | 2/2 |
Team News: Who Is Out
For Latvia, no absentees are recorded in the data, so Paolo Nicolato has a full squad to choose the projected XI from ahead of this fixture. Should a late change be needed anywhere in that side, Roberts Uldriķis is the bench option with the strongest recent start record to step in.
It is the same picture for Montenegro: no absentees are recorded in the data, leaving the squad intact for this Nations League trip. If a switch is required, Igor Vujacic is among the bench players with a recent start to his name and looks best placed to come in.
Where These Predictions Come From
Each XI above is a projection, not a confirmed team sheet. It was built from the last two available lineups for each side, with the most recent match weighted more heavily than the one before it, and any player confirmed injured or suspended would have been removed before the shape was set. Because only two matches were available for both Latvia and Montenegro, this projection should be treated as tentative rather than definitive, and it can change once the official team news is published closer to kick-off.
Read also: Latvia vs Montenegro Head-to-Head: Record, Stats & Form as of 30 Sep 2026
Read also: Latvia vs Montenegro Prediction: 02.10.2026 UEFA Nations League
FAQ
What formation are Latvia and Montenegro expected to play?
Latvia’s predicted lineup uses a 5-4-1, Paolo Nicolato’s preferred setup, while Montenegro’s expected XI is projected in a 4-4-2 under Mirko Vucinić.
Who is predicted to start in goal for Latvia and Montenegro?
Rihards Matrevics is projected in goal for Latvia and Balša Popović is expected to start between the posts for Montenegro, based on both having started every recent match used in this projection.
Are there any injuries or suspensions for Latvia vs Montenegro?
No absentees are recorded in the data for either side, so both projected XIs are drawn from a fully available squad.
When does Latvia vs Montenegro kick off?
The UEFA Nations League match between Latvia and Montenegro kicks off on Friday 2 October 2026.