Croatia eager to match up to Spain
Thursday, October 7, 2010
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Croatia will look to make the best of a tricky Under-21 play-off draw as they head for Burgos on Saturday, with coach Dražen Ladić noting: "Everyone wanted to avoid Spain, we got them."
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Croatia are confident they can be more than a match for an all-star Spain side as they head for Burgos for the first leg of their 2011 UEFA European Under-21 Championship play-off tie on Saturday.
Badly shaken after being involved in a car accident in recent weeks, Croatia coach Dražen Ladić must now contend with one of the toughest opponents his side could have drawn, but he believes a place in next summer's finals in Denmark is not beyond them.
"Everyone wanted to avoid Spain; we got them," said the former NK Dinamo Zagreb and Croatia goalkeeper, 47. "They have so many quality players and play in an FC Barcelona style, but I think my team is capable of playing two good games and that we can compete with them."
Striker Nikola Kalinić certainly hopes that is the case, having placed a tasty wager with his Blackburn Rovers FC team-mate, and former Spanish international, Michel Salgado on the outcome of the tie. "After the draw, Salgado told me we didn't stand a chance against Spain," said the 22-year-old. "I asked if he wanted to bet on that. He agreed, and at stake is dinner at one of the top restaurants in Manchester."
Crucial to tasting success is, for Kalinić, finding the target in Burgos. While his call-up, along with U21 colleagues and Ivan Rakitić and Dejan Lovren, for the senior team's UEFA EURO 2012 qualifier against Israel means he will miss the first leg, he said: "It would be ideal to get a 1-1 draw in Spain. The main goal is to score in the first match."
Spain forward Sergio Canales, meanwhile, is hoping to shake off an ankle problem in time to help his injury-troubled team prevail. Javi Martínez and Ander Herrera (both thigh) and Diego Capel (muscular pain) have been ruled out, though goalkeeper David de Gea (flu) is expected to recover in time for Saturday's game. Liverpool FC's Dani Pacheco and Athletic Club Bilbao's Igor Martínez are late additions to the squad.
"We have to be very wary of Croatia because they are tough opponents who finished top of their group," said Canales, a finalist with Spain at the 2010 UEFA European U19 Championship. "They've got very quick players out wide and are powerful in the air. However, if we play like we did in our last two qualifiers we can win both games. We have an excellent team and we're going to fight to the end to get through."
