SOCCER-EURO 2016/CRO V ITA PREVIEW Croatia face Italy in clash of top teams in qualifying group H

Record ID: 150869

  • Title: SOCCER-EURO 2016/CRO V ITA PREVIEW Croatia face Italy in clash of top teams in qualifying group H
  • Date: 11th June 2015
  • Summary: SPLIT, CROATIA (JUNE 11, 2015) (REUTERS) WIDE OF PITCH AT POLJUD STADIUM/EUROPEAN QUALIFIERS LOGO ON TARTAN TRACK CROATIA PLAYER, IVICA OLIC, IN TRAINING CROATIA PLAYERS PRACTICING PASSING ON PITCH CROATIA GOALKEEPERS PRACTICING ASSISTANT COACH, ROBERT KOVAC (L) AND CROATIA MANAGER, NIKO KOVAC (R) WATCHING TRAINING CROATIA PLAYERS LINING UP ON PITCH FOR EXERCISE VARIOUS OF
  • Embargoed: 26th June 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Croatia
  • Country: Croatia
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA21OCQUX41TR7TWJZ1L8K2UV0K
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Croatia and Italy will lock horns behind closed doors in a Euro 2016 qualifier on Friday (June 12) after the Balkan nation were given a crowd ban following repeated offences by their fans.
    Although Croatia will miss injured midfielder Luka Modric and defender Vedran Corluka through suspension, Croatia coach, Niko Kovac, said he still expected to see a top quality game on Friday.
    "Looking at their list of players, and our lists of players, I think there's enough quality here to expect a top level game, regardless of the fact it's June and there are several players missing," Kovac told a news conference on Thursday (June 11).
    In what would have attracted a full house in Croatia's Adriatic resort of Split, the top-of-the-table Group H fixture comes as an anti-climax much to the dismay of the home team's captain Darijo Srna.
    "I think the game would have been much different if we had a packed Poljud stadium tomorrow. Unfortunately, that is not the case. We will have the same playing conditions as Italy, I expect a difficult game. We are ready to give our maximum and use this opportunity to increase our lead on top of the group, but we also must be careful because Italy is always Italy, they have an experienced coach and experienced players," Srna said.
    Kovac could be tempted to field an adventurous 4-4-2 formation by partnering Leicester City striker Andrej Kramaric to Mario Mandzukic up front, while Modric's absence could unleash Barcelona's Ivan Rakitic into a free role in midfield.
    Italy coach Antonio Conte faces a selection headache as goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon and midfielder Marco Verratti are doubtful.
    Buffon is struggling with a left elbow injury he sustained against Barcelona in the Champions League final while Verratti picked up a knock on his left calf in training.
    Conte was asked whether he saw the game against Croatia as crucial for Italy's chances of qualifying for the tournament.
    "I wouldn't agree that it is. Whether the game ends in a draw or a win for us, it will be a nice game against a very hard opponent, but we will see what happens tomorrow." Conte replied.
    Croatia top the group with 13 points from five games, followed by Italy on 11.
    "As for Croatia, they are a real team, with players who know each other very well, and as for Italy - we have many new players who only arrived to the squad recently, so there are some players for whom this is the first time playing in this kind of competition," Buffon said.
    The Croatians were handed a one-match crowd ban after racist chants by their fans during a 5-1 home win over Norway in March, which came on the back of incidents they caused during a 1-1 draw against Italy in Milan last November.
    The match in the San Siro stadium was twice halted after visiting Croatia fans hurled flares on to the pitch.
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