Croatiasurprising runner-up four years ago in Russia, starts her 2022 World Cup journey in Qatar this Wednesday against a Morocco which aims to surprise in group F, one of the most balanced in the tournament, given that it is completed by Belgium and Canada. The match will be played at the Al Bayt stadium, refereed by the Argentinian Fernando Rapallini.
Despite his 37 years, Luca Modric He remains the absolute benchmark for a Croatian team hoping to repeat the success of four years ago, when they reached the final unexpectedly, losing 4-2 to France.
A feat that also helped Modric win the Ballon d’Or, making him one of the best midfielders in the world.
The Real Madrid star no longer has several teammates in the Russia-2018 adventure in the national team (such as Rakitic, Subasic, Mandzukic and Kalinic), but the team base continues to be made up of players who have already played in Russia (Lovren , Vida, Brozovic, Perisic, Kramaric…).
And, above all, Croatia still has Zlatko Dalic, who when he took the reins of the national team in 2017, few bet because he would lead ‘Valtreni’ to be one of the powers of current European football.
Opposite the European team will be Morocco, which aspires to surprise. Due to the lack of great results (eliminated in the quarterfinals of CAN-2021 by Mohamed Salah’s Egypt) and especially due to his comparison with some of the stars of the team, especially Chelsea striker Hayim Ziyech, the outspoken veteran – Bosnian Vahid Halilhodzic was sacked and the Moroccan federation recalled Walid Regragui.
He was an Atlas Lions player in the first decade of the millennium and now he has brought calm to the national team, which has led Moroccan fans to trust in a great result.
His hopes also rest on a good generation of players who play in the big leagues, such as Achraf Hakimi at PSG, Bounou and En-Nesyri of Sevilla in Spain, Sofyan Amrabat at Italy’s Fiorentina, Noussair Mazraoui at Bayern and, above all, the already mentioned Ziyech, who returned to the team.
– Probable formations –
Croatia: Dominik Livakovic – Josip Juranovic, Dejan Lovren, Josko Gvardiol, Borna Sosa – Marcelo Brozovic, Mateo Kovacic, Luka Modric, Nikola Vlasic – Ivan Perisic and Andrej Kramaric. DT: Zlatko Dalic (CRO).
Morocco: Yassine Bounou – Noussair Mazraoui, Nayef Aguerd, Romain Saïss, Achraf Hakimi – Sofyan Amrabat, Azzedine Ounahi, Selim Amallah – Hakim Ziyech, Sofiane Boufal and Youssef En-Nesyri. DT: Walid Regragui (MAR).
Referee: Fernando Rapallini (ARG)
Source: Clarin
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