Euro 2008 - Croatia v England Preview

Ozren Podnar reports on the upcoming Euro 2008 qualifying game

Zagreb Gets Ready For The Big Day - A Strong Croatian Squad To Challenge England

Slaven Bilic has pardoned the three "sinners" suspended for the game against Russia in Moscow and looks set to field his best team against England on October 11th in Zagreb.

Ivica Olic, Darijo Srna and Bosko Balaban have been recalled after missing out on the Russia game (0-0) for abandoning the team camp in the middle of the night to have fun in the Fontana folk club in Zagreb.

For the time being, the only serious absentee will be central defender Igor Tudor of Juventus, down with an ankle injury, while Dario Simic and Joe Simunic return after the suspensions received during the World Cup.

The inimitable Dado Prso will be sorely missed by Croatia, but the Rangers striker retired from the international game after the World Cup due to a nagging knee injury that has severely limited his appearances over the past several years.

The FA chairman Vlatko Markovic has attempted to persuade Prso to stay at least until the end of the year, but the 32-year-old has remained adamant in his decision to dedicate himself entirely to Rangers.

Although nobody in Croatia doubts that England's squad is superior to each of its rivals in Group 5, Bilic believes his men can mount a strong challenge, especially at the yet unconquered fortress of Maksimir Stadium in Zagreb.

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Four days before the England game, Croatia entertains Andorra at the same venue, Maksimir Stadium, which means that the Croats' home unbeaten run will most likely be extended to 29 competitive games before Steve McClaren's squad appears before the 38,000 capacity crowd.

"We wan to to win both games in Zagreb because we need to collect points at home if we are to qualify. There will be no difference in the preparation for Andorra and England, because both games carry three points. I will not field a 'B-squad' for Andorra, although we may see a bit different formation," announced Bilic at a press conference to announce the squad for the two games.

FA takes a stance against the ultras

The game against England is deemed doubly important for the Croatian FA since it is now just over two months before UEFA declares the organizer of Euro 2012 on December 8th in Nyon.

The joint Hungarian-Croatian bid may carry some weight in view of the recent scandals that have rocked both Italian and Polish soccer, Italy and the joint Polish-Ukrainian bids being the other two candidates for staging the European Championship six years from now.

How the crowd behaves during the match against England may be relevant for the UEFA policy makers, since some of the Croatian fans have the reputation of leaning to the ultra-right - racist slogans included.

The FA and the media unanimously (a unique occasion where there the two are not in confrontation) condemned the hundred idiots who caused a political incident during the Italy-Croatia game in Livorno in mid-August.

A group of visiting fans reacted to the left-wing slogans and banners sported by the home, notoriously pro-communist crowd by forming a live swastika. FIFA has started disciplinary proceedings against the Croatian FA, who in turn refuses all responsibility on grounds it had nothing to do with the fans' trip to Italy.

"We did not organize the trip nor did we invite the supporters to Livorno. We do not even recognize these individuals as our fans," claims the FA's secretary general, Zorislav Srebric.

The FA has also brought criminal charges against "unknown perpetrators" of the swastika act and solicited the Italian police to provide any information and videos that could prove helpful in identifying the several dozen youths who embarrassed the country on the international stage.

The problem is that many of those swastika-guys may have been Croatian emigrants who came to Italy from third countries like Germany, Austria or Switzerland, which could further complicate any legal action against them.

Croatian squad for England and Andorra

Goalkeepers: Stipe Pletikosa (Shakhtar), Vedran Runje (Besiktas), Marin Skender (Osijek)
Defenders: Dario Simic (Milan), Goran Sablic (Dinamo Kiev), Anthony Seric (Panathinaikos), Robert Kovac (Juventus), Josip Simunic (Hertha), Hrvoje Vejic (Tom), Vedran Corluka (Dinamo Zagreb), Dario Knezevic (Livorno)
Midfielders: Niko Kovac (Red Bull Salzburg), Jerko Leko (Monaco), Marko Babic (Bayer), Darijo Srna (Shakhtar), Milan Rapaic (Standard), Niko Kranjcar (Portsmouth), Luka Modric (Dinamo Zagreb), Danijel Pranjic (Heerenveen)
Forwards: Mladen Petric (Basel), Ivan Klasnic (Werder), Ivica Olic (CSKA Moscow), Bosko Balaban (Club Brugge), Eduardo Da Silva (Dinamo Zagreb)

Probable line-up (4-4-2)

Pletikosa; Simic, R. Kovac, Sablic, Simunic (Seric); Srna, N. Kovac, Modric, Rapaic; Klasnic, Olic (Eduardo)

Get to know the Croatian ideal eleven

Player | Position | Team | Pronunciation

Stipe Pletikosa (27) Keeper Shakthar Donetsk STEE-peh PLEH-tee-koss-uh
Dario Simic (31) Full back Milan DARRY-oh SHEE-mitch
Robert Kovac (32) Stopper Juventus KOH-vutch
Goran Sablic (27) Stopper Dinamo Kiev GOH-run SUB-litch
Joseph Simunic (28) Full back Hertha Berlin SHE-moon-itch
Darijo Srna (24) Right midfielder Shakhtar Donetsk DARRY-oh SIR-nuh
Niko Kovac (35) Defensive midfielder Salzburg NEE-koh KOH-vutch
Luka Modric (20) Offensive midfielder Dinamo Zagreb LOO-kuh MOD-rich
Milan Rapaic (33) Left midfielder Standard MEE-lun Ruh-PIE-itch
Ivan Klasnic (26) Forward Werder Bremen EE-vun KLUSS-nitch
Ivica Olic (27) Forward CSKA Moscow EE-vee-tsuh OH-litch

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Ozren Podnar

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