Mateo Kovacic has stated that Croatia is “not afraid of anyone” as they gear up to take on current world champions Spain in the Nations League.
Spain is a powerhouse in global football right now, having secured their second World Cup title this past summer with a narrow 1-0 victory over Argentina in the final.
They are currently undefeated in their last 39 matches (across 90 minutes, with 30 wins and 9 draws), marking the longest unbeaten streak ever by a European team.
Croatia kicked off their Nations League campaign with a 2-1 win against Czechia and are level on points with Spain, who recently staged a 3-2 comeback against England.
Despite this, Spain is favored to win, as the Opta supercomputer gives them a 78.3% chance of victory compared to Croatia’s 8.4%.
Nonetheless, Kovacic embraces the challenge before them.
“Sure, Spain is currently the best team in the world,” he acknowledged. “There’s nothing better than facing top-quality opponents.”
“It will be a tough match against a formidable team, but it will be challenging for them as well. We’ve played them multiple times, often performing well. Hopefully, we can replicate that success.”
“We don’t fear anyone. We respect all teams—Spain is strong and cohesive. They are a top-tier side, but we will focus on our performance.”
Next stop: An encounter with the world champions! #ESPCRO
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When asked if winning on Tuesday was an impossible task, Kovacic replied: “No.”
“We are aware of their 39-match unbeaten streak, but I don’t want to focus on that; my priority is to manage our own gameplay and take control of the ball.”
Spain has been unbeaten in their last three encounters with Croatia, having won two and drawn one, although they ultimately triumphed in that match through penalties in the Nations League.
The last time Croatia defeated Spain was in this competition, with a 3-2 victory back in November 2018.
Slaven Bilic expressed confidence that Spain is not invincible if Croatia executes their strategy effectively.
“Spain has weaknesses that can be exploited, as England demonstrated,” Bilic said.
“We don’t need a miracle; we just need belief. We’ve played some excellent matches against them. Games can shift.”
“Against the Czechs, we had moments of uncertainty. That cannot happen again. We know they will dominate possession, but it doesn’t always have to be that way.”
“We must trust in our abilities and in ourselves.”
Fan Take: This matchup holds significant importance for soccer enthusiasts as it pits a resurgent Croatia against the reigning world champions, Spain. A closely contested game could yield insights into tactical strategies for future international tournaments, further raising the competitive stakes in European football.
Source: www.soccernews.com
