BOSNIA v PORTUGAL



The problem with Ciro Blazevic is that he is a man of such forceful personality that he creates his own reality. In the summer of 2008, he took over a Bosnia national side in crisis: the majority of the squad had effectively gone on strike after his predecessor, Meho Kodro, had been forced out for refusing to play in a friendly in Iran that, it subsequently turned out, had been arranged to make certain members of the football federation's executive $180,000. Blazevic doubted what he could do from a football point of view, but described his role as "political" and "humanitarian".

It should not have worked, and yet it did. Blazevic's charisma somehow swept away ethnic divisions, and Bosnia reached a play-off for World Cup qualification in which they faced Portugal. They were unlucky in Lisbon, losing 1-0, but then flat in Zenica, when they also lost 1-0. As Blazevic set off for China to prepare their squad for the Olympics, it seemed the adventure was over. But what his personality tended to obscure was just what a gifted young squad this is.

Edin Dzeko is the obvious star, but Zvjezdan Misimovic and Miralem Pjanic provide a creative edge in midfield, and Haris Medunjanin impressed as a deep-lying creator in Bosnia's draw in France alongside the more destructive Elvir Rahimic. Safet Susic has created a more balanced side than Blazevic's, one that doesn't seem to run on nervous energy in quite the same way.

Susic's problems for the rematch against Portugal are twofold: can he lift his players after they came within 11 minutes of qualifying in Paris, and what can he do with the defence? The right-back Mensur Mujdza is injured, while Boris Pandza and Sasa Papac are both suspended for the first leg. "I'm not the person to talk to about revenge or scores to settle," said Misimovic. "Portugal were the better team back then and deserved to qualify for South Africa." The frustration is rather directed at themselves, and the knowledge that they never got going in the home leg two years ago.

Portugal, who have irritated many in Bosnia with their protests over the state of the pitch, are without the Zenit St Petersburg playmaker Danny and the Atlético Madrid full-back Silvio.

TURKEY v CROATIA



The last time the sides met was in the quarter-final of Euro 2008. Turkey, having gone behind to Ivan Klasnic's header in the final minute of extra time, levelled through Semih Senturk in injury time, a goal that seemed to shatter Croatia. Not only did they lose the penalty shoot-out, they then failed to make it to the World Cup, and have been scratchy in this qualifying series. Slaven Bilic, having been hailed as the next big thing in management, now looks drained, worn out by five years in the job, his relationship with the Croatian media ruined by revelations about his private life. "We've been waiting, dreaming for three years to avenge that," he said.

Of course, he is still the same manager he was, it is just that Croatia is a small country and it cannot readily replace key players. The big loss is Niko Kovac, now retired, whose energy and intelligence at the back of midfield provided a platform on which the more creative talents could perform. Ognjen Vukojevic has taken his place but, while he is solid enough, his comparative lack of passing ability has forced Luka Modric to drop deeper and that in turn has blunted Croatia's cutting edge.

Some of the sharpness, anyway, had gone out of their game after Eduardo was left diminished by his broken leg; at the Euros four years ago, they were able to switch to a single-striker system with Ivan Rakitic swooping in from the flank, but the 23-year-old has struggled for form since his move to Sevilla in January. With Niko Kranjcar out with a leg injury, though, Rakitic may have a part to play.

Turkey's form in qualifying has been just as patchy as Croatia's, although the same was true of Russia four years ago; Guus Hiddink is at his best when he can work with his squad over a protracted period, instilling in them his many tactical variations. He used four different systems in qualifying, in which just about the one constant has been the use of Valencia's Mehmet Topal at the back of midfield. His battle with whoever is deployed as Croatia's second striker will be key, although Bilic has admitted he expects the first leg, in Istanbul, to be about absorbing pressure.

CZECH REPUBLIC v MONTENEGRO



Niko is not the only Kranjcar missing from the play-offs. Quite why Zlatko, his father, was dismissed as Montenegro coach in September still has not been satisfactorily answered: if it really was for a defeat to Wales when he was without his entire first-choice back four the decision seems absurdly harsh. It was Kranjcar who got Montenegro to the play-offs, Kranjcar who had England sweating on whether they would finish top of the group, and he did so, for the most part, without Stevan Jovetic, one of the two bright attacking presences in the side. When he inspired Montenegro to a 0-0 draw at Wembley, he even managed it without the other one, Mirko Vucinic.

Both are back for the trip to Prague, as, surprisingly, is the midfielder Branko Boskovic, recalled after damaged cruciates. The big issue is the man on the bench. Branko Brnovic's two games in charge have only raised more questions: praise him for inspiring the second-half fightback against England, or ask why Montenegro were so limp in the first? Blame him for the 2-0 defeat in Switzerland, or accept that the game was a dead rubber and minds were elsewhere? Jovetic and Vucinic, notably, weren't there, suspended after picking up convenient yellow cards in the final two minutes of the draw against England.

The Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech is a doubt for the Czech Republic and if he does play, he will have to wear a face mask to protect a broken nose. The holding midfielder Tomas Hubschman is suspended.

• Read David Hytner's comprehensive preview of the Republic of Ireland's play-off against Estonia