National Teams > Men > A

Denmark challenge in Nizhny Novgorod

Dalić and Modrić
agree: "Keep
composure, Croatia
stands united"

01.07.2018.
Dalić and Modrić agree: "Keep composure, Croatia stands united"
photo by: Drago Sopta/HNS
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Croatia head coach Zlatko Dalić and team captain Luka Modrić held a press conference on the eve of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Round of 16 encounter with Denmark.

Zlatko Dalić

"Denmark deserves maximum respect, with their quality confirmed by the fact they didn't lose for 18 consecutive matches. They are disciplined, organized, they keep they formation in all occasions and we're in for a tough match. However, everything depends on us. We have to stay careful, patient, and do not rush things, but we're still going to look for a goal, for a win, since there is no going back in the knockout stage. We simply have to avoid mistakes in possession, since Denmark knows how to punish them. Denmark is in my opinion better than Iceland, even though they have some similarities"

"We put the pressure on ourselves when we came to the World Cup to do something. Great performances in the group stage will mean nothing if we don't beat Denmark. I have confidence in my team, my players are confident, and it is nice that Croatia is recognized as one of the teams of the tournament so far. We are really a team, almost like a family, with the coaching staff doing their tasks and finding the best solutions. Everything is working fine and thanks to my players, I'm a proud man. Reaching the quarterfinals would be a great thing for us, for our families and for our country, but this World Cup will remain the highlight of my career, regardless of the outcome. And now we have to leave emotions aside and keep our composure"

Luka Modrić

"This match will be an important exam following our phenomenal performances in the group stage. We can be proud of them, but we must forget them now and play well against Denmark. This generation can go beyond the Round of 16, it's time for such an achievement, and I think we're capable of doing so. Croatia stands united, and if we present this on Sunday, we can overcome Denmark. Eriksen is a world-class player, but no individual can do anything alone. Denmark is a compact, tough team, but we remain confident. It doesn't matter who scores, the only thing that matters is Croatia's success"

 

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