Croatia has already ended the World Cup dream of Brazil’s Neymar; now they hope to do the identical to Argentina’s Lionel Messi.
However, the Croat facet is not going to try and cease the Argentina famous person by man-marking him, as a substitute they may give attention to immobilising the whole staff of their World Cup semifinal on Tuesday, members of the staff stated.
“We don’t have a particular plan but for stopping Messi and often we don’t focus on stopping one participant however the whole staff,” Croatia’s striker Bruno Petkovic advised a information convention on Sunday.
“We’ll attempt to cease them as a staff and never with man-marking. Argentina are usually not solely Messi, they’ve plenty of nice gamers. Now we have to cease the whole Argentina staff,” he stated.
Croatia are bidding to make it to the ultimate for the second World Cup in a row after dropping within the 2018 showcase match to France, and with no gamers suspended and no harm considerations, the Croatian facet is brimming with confidence.
They shocked event favourites Brazil within the quarterfinals after going a objective down in further time however dug deep to bounce again with a late equaliser and compelled a penalty shootout that they ended up successful.
Brazil’s star striker Neymar was left in tears after the sport when Croatia emerged victorious 4-2 on penalties.
Croatia is now on a mission to do the identical with Messi’s staff and forestall him from successful the one main trophy that has eluded him — a World Cup.
Croatia’s midfield comprising captain Luka Modric, Mateo Kovacic and Marcelo Brozovic will probably be key to dictating the tempo, as they did towards Brazil, and Croatia defender Josip Juranovic stated on Sunday that the three have been completely reliable.
“Mateo, Luka and Marcelo are the perfect Croatia midfield in historical past. I don’t assume it may be repeated. Whenever you move them the ball it’s safer than having your cash within the financial institution,” Juranovic stated.
“I don’t assume we have to concern anyone. We have to take a look at ourselves to play our greatest sport,” he stated.
“I might say the key of our success is our togetherness, our unity. The truth that we act and play as a household.”
Seven-time Ballon D’Or winner Messi has to this point been the driving power for Argentina, who additionally wanted penalties after squandering a two-goal lead towards the Dutch of their quarterfinal match.
Messi has been impressed throughout Argentina’s run to the event semifinals, scoring 4 objectives in 5 video games, and it seems he has taken it upon himself to steer his nation to a World Cup triumph.
Argentina final reached the ultimate in 2014 — dropping 1-0 to Germany on the Maracana Stadium in Brazil. That was as shut as Messi has come to lifting soccer’s largest trophy and he is only one sport away from having one other shot at it.
With Messi on the helm, Argentina got here into the World Cup as one of many favourites however they face an enormous roadblock within the type of Croatia.
With a never-say-die perspective — even when the percentages are stacked closely towards them — the disciplined Croat facet at the moment are deservedly of their second-straight World Cup semifinal, and underestimating them would come at Argentina’s danger.
The Argentinians, in search of their first World Cup title since Diego Maradona’s 1986 staff win, have their work minimize out.
Defenders Marcos Acuna and Gonzalo Montiel are suspended due to bookings, limiting coach Lionel Scaloni’s choices on the again. Nicolas Tagliafico may come on to interchange the previous however will probably be a much less attacking formation, with wingback Acuna having added extra spark to the staff.
A query mark additionally hangs over veteran Angel Di Maria and his health, with the 34-year-old having primarily been used in its place within the event regardless of recovering from harm.
Messi, at 35, is taking part in possible his final World Cup and can be carrying the load of the nation on his shoulders. Comparisons of Messi with Maradona for the title of the best Argentinian participant of all time can’t be full with no world title, which the late Maradona received nearly single-handedly 36 years in the past.
Stress swirling across the forthcoming encounter is intense, notably concerning the prospect of a penalty showdown.
Argentina nearly didn’t make the semifinals after the Dutch got here from 2-0 down to attain twice late within the sport and power further time and penalties in a bad-tempered encounter. A repeat of a penalty shootout, this time towards mentally powerful Croatia, have to be a terrifying prospect for the Argentinians regardless that their keeper Emiliano Martinez rose to the event towards the Netherlands, saving two spot kicks.
Croatia got here by way of two penalty shootouts and additional time to achieve the 2018 closing earlier than dropping to France, and have gone to penalties in each their knockout stage matches in Qatar — towards Japan and Brazil — to boast an ideal report and to be dubbed the “World Cup’s penalty shootout king” by the Wall Avenue Journal.
Primarily based on these statistics, one other shootout towards Argentina would almost definitely carry them into the ultimate.