DOHA: They stated that in their World Cup semi-final on Tuesday, Croatia will not attempt to stop Argentina superstar Lionel Messi by man-marking him. Instead, they will concentrate on immobilizing the entire team.
After losing to France in the showcase match in 2018, Croatia is hoping to reach the World Cup final for the second time in a row.
They were astonished by tournament favorites Brazil in the quarterfinals after falling behind by a goal in extra time. However, they worked hard to come back with a late equalizer and force a penalty shootout, which they won.
Bruno Petkovic, a striker, stated at a Sunday news conference, “We don’t have a specific plan yet for stopping Messi, and typically we don’t concentrate on stopping one player but the entire team.”
We will attempt to stop them collectively rather than through man-marking. In addition to Messi, Argentina has a number of outstanding players. He stated, “We must stop the entire Argentina team.”
The Argentines, who also needed penalties after squandering a two-goal lead against the Dutch in their quarterfinal, have been led by seven-time Ballon D’Or winner Messi thus far.
Since Croatian defender Borna Sosa returned, Zlatko Dalic’s team has no players suspended and no injuries to worry about. They are ready for more.
As they did against Brazil, their midfield of captain Luka Modric, Mateo Kovacic, and Marcelo Brozovic will be crucial in dictating the pace, according to defender Josip Juranovic.
The greatest Croatian midfield trio ever is Marcelo, Mateo, and Luka. It cannot, in my opinion, be repeated. The defender stated, “It is safer to pass them the ball than to have your money in the bank.”
