World Cup, Brazil-Croatia, Dalic: “I wanted to meet them in the final”

From our correspondent Sebastiano Vernazza

December 8th
Doha (Qatar)

To each his own controversy. After the victory against Japan in the round of 16, Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic said that football is not figure skating, but a fight for the result. Melita Juratek, secretary of the Croatian skating federation, had resented: “An inappropriate statement, Dalic has disrespected our sport. Figure skating is one of the most difficult sports. I wish the best of luck to our footballers, I hope that with the Brazil win without going to extra time and penalties.” Thus, in the press conference before Brazil-Croatia, Dalic first apologized: “I didn’t want to offend anyone, I apologize if I hurt anyone. I didn’t want to be negative about skating”. For the avoidance of further trouble, Dalic dissociated himself from the criticisms of the ballets that the Brazilians stage after goals: “It’s their way of having fun and of being, it’s their right to exercise it. I wouldn’t want my team to celebrate like this, but I am Croatian and I belong to another culture”. And on the match: “The crossing with Brazil came early, I would have liked to meet them in the final. Compared to 2018, we have changed 18 players. Brazil are the best national team in this World Cup, the most energetic. When they lose the ball, they press and they recover possession in a short time. We must not go one-on-one, but help each other. They are versatile, they use different tactics. It will be important to cover the two flanks well and narrow the spaces around Neymar. We must not get into conflicts with ourselves , woe to slipping into panic, but I say that in a World Cup there is nothing better than playing against Brazil, for what the Brazilians represent in football”.

Modric: “Let’s not settle”

—

Next to him, Luka Modric, captain and technical leader of Croatia: “We mustn’t be satisfied with having reached the quarter-finals. We have our own strength, we have to believe in ourselves, beyond the value of the opponents. I have played several times against “Brazil, we haven’t managed to beat them yet. Brazil have phenomenal players in every position. We will have to be very aggressive, run well, not let them play. It will be important to be decisive in non-possession, not let them run into spaces.” Modric is Vinicius’ partner in Real Madrid: “He’s a good boy, we have an excellent relationship. He’s improved since he’s been at Real. It will be difficult to stop him, but I’ll try to give some advice to those of us who will have to look after him.” No discomfort meeting so many friends. In addition to Vinicius, also Rodrygo, who plays for Real with Modric, and Casemiro, who played for us: “We will remain friends even after tomorrow night’s game. We are here to represent our countries, personal relationships have nothing to do with it”. Modric is 37 years old and this will be his last World Cup, but the captain doesn’t say so: “The future doesn’t worry me, I live in the present. I’m focused on Brazil”. To close a question on Croatia, a small country in terms of population, not even four million inhabitants, but very competitive in sport: “Croatians are sporty, in our schools we educate in sport, in our football teams the academies work very well This is how we develop talent for sport.”