After a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford last week, Mario Mandžukić got t the start at home as Bayern Munich took on Manchester United in their Champions League quarterfinal second leg match Wednesday night. Manager Pep Guardiola decided to bench the Croatian striker in England last week but Mandza supplied the assist to Bayern’s lone goal just four minutes after he came on in the second half.
With Bayern down 1-0 to United in the 59th minute, Mandžukić supplied some more needed magic, as he headed home a Franck Ribery cross from a very difficult angle. The goal would tie the match up at 1-1 and even with United on aggregate. But it also opened up the flood gates.
Muller and Robben would score in the 68th and 76th minutes to put the game away in the 3-1 win. Bayern Munich will join Atletico Madrid, Chelsea and Real Madrid in the Champions League semifinals. The draw is this Friday.
If Mandžukić can get this service at the World Cup, I think us Croatian fans are in for a treat.
Mandzukic goal @ 1:10
@niko kovac
you must be gay if you want to be blown, find yourself another site
🙂
@armada
gotta agree with you on this one, everytime it is a response to ziva, who cares anymore
@ Ante(Zivas step dad)
While you do have a funny moment (every other month or so) do you honestly have so little going on in life that you troll a poster on a internet messaging board? I mean literally 90% of your posts are in response to what Ziva has to say and granted, he is a lightning rod on this site and his responses to topics does elicit a lot of dialogue
but damn dude – do you have an opinion on the NT? our chances in Brazil? just something other than what you think of Ziva….
@Ante B
Busy and constantly out of town on business but back now.
I hope Cico has been showing you some respect.
What is your prediction for Brazil? Do we get out of the first round?
@Anon-
1)Get a name.
2)Blow me!
3) 🙂
Luka,
SPREMNI! where the hell have you been legendo?!?
@niko Kovac
Take off the homer glasses.
Svima Sretan deseti Travanj
http://www.hrvatskareprezentacija.hr
Standing ovation for Ivan today.
Rakitic looked really good today and I hope to GOD he brings his energy to the WC.
^^^^^^^^^^^^ZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Friends,
Everyday is Deseti Travanj in the fortified basement when you live a “za dom…..spremni” lifestyle.
^ ^
Oh right!
Forgot about Srna…
@Poglavnik
Srna is probably our best PK taker, he usually puts them in. (plus the experience now is important)
Rakitic missed quite a few this season for Sevilla
Oh shit, the negros are loosing control of themselves.
Now it’s 3 – 0 so 3 – 1 on aggregate.
Wow. 2 – 0 Seville. Now it’s 2-1 on aggregate.
1-0 Sevilla.
Rakitic from the spot!
Anyone else think Rakitic will be our PK taker this summer?
Although he did miss his last one with the National team.
Rakitic just scored for Seville against Porto. Right now it’s 1 – 1 on aggregate.
Ziva, you should print your jersey like this.
Za Dom,
3
Spremni!
Like I know today is my wife and my ‘dating’ anniversary, but looking at the calendar, I don’t see anything else…. wait, is it Earth Day maybe? Or National Take Your Kid to Work day? Am I close?
What happened on April 10th? I don’t get it….
Ewwww you fascists celebrate April 10th?!?!
@Denis I luv ya but Croatia is not in Eastern Europe. We’re not in the Balkans either. That all starts east and south of us.
Suspension Joey can watch it on TV.
Maybe I’ll wear a Simunic jersey in Sao Paulo.
I wish Josip S. from Canberra, Australia was going…
Ziva, is bang on with his last post!
So who is going to Brazil?
So much for getting people together. So far I hooked up Ana from Toronto with Nate from Seattle. Anyone else?
Zivio Deseti Travanj
Sretan Vam X. Travanj!
I’m with Stef T.O.!
This Brazil team is fairly weak by their standards however they really brought it together for the Confederations Cup last year.
I’m also with Ziva when it comes to lowering our expectations.
Pretty happy we play Brazil first and that thats the match Mandzukic misses.
I hope rakitic steps up. If he finds the form of his life Croatia will do well. I actually think Rakitic is better than Hulk and Neymar. On his day, Rakitic is unplayable.
Sretan vam 10 Travanj!!!
Zivili momci!
I swear the homer glasses on some of you just make me shake my head. Of course we can pull of an upset, just as much as Cameroon can beat us.
It is the same people saying the same thing leading up to every major tourney. And guess what???? We have only advanced past the group phase once since the 98 World Cup.
I hope to God modric, Rakitic and Kovacic can play together and do great things for the repka. However (and this is a big however), we have yet to see it. Rakitic needs to replicate his form from Sevilla to the national team and Kovacic is stuck in neutral right now at Inter. We need to see these guys play well together before anything else.
On paper, we have a significantly stronger team then last Euros.
Anything can happen.
Stef T.O- “What’s the big deal about Brazil?”
biggest soccer nation in the world, playing at home, opening game of the World Cup…isn’t that a big deal?
What’s the big deal about Brazil?
Great, great defense, a goalie that plays for TFC, average midfield with above average striker.
If we can fix are defense Cro’s triesta of Modric, Kovacic and Rakitic will tear them apart. Not to mention Olic who will keep that Brazilian defense honest. Have faith boys were better than anyone thinks.
Which is a good thing.
The team has to concentrate and focus on the task at hand and not to look for motivation behind a player that won’t even be at the tournament. This is about representing Croatia on the biggest stage in the world…we have a life time opportunity to be playing against the most recognizable soccer Nation in the world on the first day for the first game to open the World Cup. If that isn’t enough motivation then Ante Pavelic giving a pre game speech in the change room before kickoff wouldn’t even help!
Think about it for a second…World Cup, 1st game, entire soccer world watching = MOTIVATION!
Yes, Eastern Nations have surprised big teams and lost or tied minnows, in recent history I think other than when Stimac was coach, we were a little more consistent, hence the consistent top 10 FIFA rating which has a lot to do with being consistent.
I’m not sure how the first game will go, its hard to know that but here’s my take on it:
If Croatia get organized and play a good system like they did in the last Euro’s then we should get our consistency back and in my opinion, the first game isn’t the most important…it’ll be the next two, which I think we can win both. If we play the game of our lives and tie Brazil (most likely won’t happen but I know it isn’t impossible), we are in the drivers seat! We have to be patient against both Cameroon and Mexico, defend with all 10 behind the ball and attack in numbers as well…and I believe if we stay the course we are superior to Cameroon and Mexico, we just haven’t shown it in the past 18 months.
In a way our record going in to this tournament can work in our favor, I have repeatedly said this team should be even better than the Euro 2012 team if we look at player personnel, so the difference will be form, tactic, strategy and preparation.
@Denis if I were going to the games I would do my best to get the Hrvati fans to chant ZA DOM… SPREMNI throughout the entire game for all 3+ games in honor of Joe
But call me crazy, I think his appeal will be successful now that it is out of FIFA’s hands
@ The FIFA Rankings
USA 13th?
The Netherlands 15th?!
Greece at 10th but Belgium at 12th?!
These rating always have been and always will be a joke to me (even with they had Croatia 4th a year or so ago). I get that our ranking is important due to seeding for pots for the Euro and WC, but at face value, I, like many folks, don’t pay too much mind to them.
and while not perfect, I’ve actually preferred the Elo rankings for NT’s
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Football_Elo_Ratings
OUCH… Croatia drops 4 places to #20 on FIFA rankings (Bosna drops 4 to #25):
http://www.fifa.com/worldranking/rankingtable/index.html
thanks to Stimac’s great finish to qualifying campaign in 2014 our FIFA points for that year are currently 268.93. Compare that to our 2013 number of 649.93, or our 2012 number of 617.72. Combine that with the fact 2014 numbers are taken at full strength because they are the most recent and the others are weighted down and it’s no wonder we have so few points.
granted a week or so ago it seems, but for those that haven’t seen it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdWpeWXmgks
some quality defending in that Chinese league, huh?
Benko scored a nice goal for his new team…. That automatically places him back into the NT conversation, per CSR logic.
yeah, OK…..you lose all credibility when you place benko in your line up. he wont even make the roster.
@Denis…….no, the players will not use the suspension to Suspension Joey as motivation. Hell, they did nothing to defend him or said anything to stick up for him.
Mandžukić is a BEAST!
World-class header to lead his team to the promise land.
He is actually getting better and better at heading in his chances.
A fresh and hungry Mandžukić against Cameroon and Mexico with no yellow cards. I say advantage/disadvantage for Vatreni against Brazil.
Rakitić and Modric will shine if …….
we have some wing attacking presence!
Players who need to play out wide:
Kovačić
Halilovic
Vrsaljko
Rebić (if healthy needs to be down)
Pranjić
Perišić (45 minutes to run at defense)
Kovač needs to create a system where we can actualize our natural counter attack.
Teams will stifle the middle if they know there is nothing to fear on the flanks.
Also we need to keep their attacking wing backs honest or we will be in for an embarrassment of epic proportions.
I like Rakitić deployed deep against Brazil as we have to hold position and work attack from back to front.
He has played this position on many occasions for Sevilla. He can play deep-middle or off striker. Just DO NOT waste him on a wing.
Brazil, 4-1-3-1-1
Olić
Benko
Pranjić – Modric – Kovačić
Rakitić
Strinic – Ćorluka -Lovren – Srna
Pletikosa
Subs – Vrsaljko, Rebić, Radosevic
lets talk about next competition squad for Real Madrid :
…………………………Casilas………………………….
Ramos……Varane………Lovren……..Coentrao
……………..Casemiro……….Modric………………..
…Bale………………..Rakitic…………….C Ronaldo
………………………MAndzukic……………………….
SRETAN DESETI TRAVANJ SVIM PRAVIM I ISTINSKIM HRVATIMA!
BOG I HRVATI
ZA DOM SPREMNI
@Svircic-I dont want to get the whole Simunic thing going again,but its a tough one for the players to unite behind him on too much.I agree fully that his actions should be defended and our historical right should not be removed without a fight because Fifa has deemed it so.Its just hard,its become so grey and twisted as to how its used and what the intent behind it can be ,so it will always provide ammo for people rightly or wrongly to want to not allow it at what is a sporting event.
As for Croatias “Eastern European”style where they can play great one day and tie with Malta the next,I have always been pretty impressed by their style.They have always actually been a pretty well disciplined team,they are not dirty and I have always liked the fact that they dont quite have the old Yugo mentality so much where they would completely throw a game away and end up losing to a team like Malta the day after beating Brazil.We are not quite Germans but I believe we have had somewhat more of a workmanlike mentality than even the Serbs have today.
Do you think that any of the players will be motivated by Simunic’ suspension?
I mean the dude will miss the world cup and most likely retire from the national team because he took a microphone and said a few words to the crowd.
If any of the players had balls, they would unite and stand behind Simunic and defend his actions. If Simunic doesnt play, we dont play. Simunic didnt do anything illegal. Have FIFA bring up Iceland.
Andrew Bogut came to his defense and took shit from the Jewish community.
Is $$$ more important than pride ?
@jm,
No pessimism here from me. I have said all along that qualifying for the WC is a success but we are talented to get something from the world cup. We are in a three way fight for second place. The group is definitely doable.
Don’t get me wrong, I will be cheering for a win against Brazil. However, I wouldn’t be sad by a loss or a blowout. I would be sad if we lose to the mexicans.
I doubted Bilic and the Euro 2012 squad and they came up big. At the same time, they did have a lot of luck coming their way. Nevertheless, I praised them for their performance.
This year might be the same situation.
We gotta get dem’ brazilians in the opening match. Show’em who’s boss!
@jm,
Never, say never, but I dont think that Croatia will lose all three games. So for me the worst case scenario is beating Brazil and then losing the next two.
Croatia is an interesting side. Most eastern european sides are similar. We can stun the world one day and beat brazil and next week we tie to Malta.
So I’m trying to plan results for us to make the second round.
Yes, a win over Brazil would be amazing. A few days later we get outplayed in the jungle by a faster Cameroon team. Now, we need a draw against Mexico to advance. We play a little more defensively and end up losing.
I just want to beat mexico in the final match and advance to the second round with the win. I would just show up to work with a smile on my face. I wouldn’t even say anything.
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2021318-luka-modric-and-ivan-rakitic-croatias-terrifying-midfield-axis
@Ziva&Anon-We have just finished a meeting with the Savez,and yes ,we agree.We can only lose to Brazil.We can not win.You are quite right.We did lose to Scotland twice .No matter that we can beat teams like Germany,Italy,Holland etc etc.We just can not beat Brazil,ever.We have decided to save money on hotels etc and just turn up to the second match.
Pep talks out of both sides of his mouth. He praises Mario and Phillip and then keeps them on the bench. He plays useless fag boys like Toni Kroos and Gotze. There are no more good managers. They use magic 8 balls for all of their decisions.
The Brazil game is such a wild card.
I could see it being some 3-0 beatdown with Brazil scoring early and just going nuts on us with all the momentum, the crowd, and even the refs on their side (similar to that 5-1 loss we had in England in 2009).
Then again, I can also see Cro step up big and play a very dangerous counterattacking game like they regularly do against ‘superior’ teams. I could easily see Modric, Rakitic, Srna, and Olic going full out on Brazil and putting in unbelievable performances with their non-stop running (then follow it up by playing at 50% capacity in the next Cameroon match, lol).
This is what I hate most about Mandzo receiving that red card. I could see these key players in our midfield and wings FINALLY playing a good game together, and providing some great service to a Mandzo who will NOT be there for us up front.
@ denis
losing to brazil would be a better result than winning? i’m a big fan of yours, but clearly you need to re-read and think about your statement here
also, i’m seeing a consistent thread of pessimism from you. whereas ziva has been slightly more upbeat saying there is a chance for croatia to advance past the first round. am i going to see four horseman tomorrow as i step outside my apartment?
mandzo proving his worth once again. say what you will about his “elite” level, but i wouldn’t call that goal a gimme by any means
ahhhh, the Scotland game. Fond memories of that second one where I was actually hoping for a loss so Strucnjak Stimac would be removed.
come on, now we are going to beat Brazil, the same team that lost to scotland……twice
you guys might hate Ziva but he makes a valid point
Although,I must add 1 more point.I can see what you are up to sinko.I can read your movements like a childrens Golden Book.
You say that we wont beat Brazil.You give yourself some mathematical wiggle room with this most likely correct comment as it also covers a loss and draw scenario.That way,later on ,you know that you can likely say”I wasnt wrong” or “I was right”if we simply lose.Mahh,ajde Jebi se!and stop playing games.
@Ziva-Saying that “We are not going to beat Brazil”is Juvenile.Its a bit like saying when Modric had just arrive at Real in most unsettled fashion that he is “Bust”
Dont put youself out on such limbs son.Sure,Brazil is likely to win,but definitely??Why do I waste my time with you??
Brazil largely know how to cope with pressure at tourneys,they dont tend to come out too hard in opening matches as they like to pace themselves,this is what gives us some opportunity.If you know we will lose,dont bother watching and put some “smart “money on Brazil and root for them.You always seem to say the dumb shit when you have been playing Donovan dress ups.
We are not going to beat Brazil.
The two easiest games Brazil will play at the World Cup are the opener and final (if they make it that far). All the games in between the the opener and the World Cup final will be much more tougher for them because after the opener, anything short of reaching the World Cup final will be viewed as a bad performance. That is where the pressure will get to them, if at all. The opener is going to be a show for them.
Brazil excels when the spotlight is on them. I don’t put much value into the Confederations Cup, but Brazil looked very good in that last year on home soil.
@Svircic-I hear ya,the draw is probably a good scenario as well as being a reasonable possibilty.If the Soccer Gods came to me in my sleep(No,not Ziva) and asked-
-“Ante,do you want to beat Brazil in the opening WC match ,but then lose motivation and fail to make the 2nd round,or do you want the 2nd round and then maybe loss??”
Tough question,but taking the Brazil win and the globe being shocked would be pretty huge! I think the pragmatist in me would take the Brazil draw and progression to knockouts though!!
@Ante(Zivas step dad),
Yes, its bound to happen one day. Stats are made to be broken. I think if we win, the team would get twisted in the jungle. Domagoj Vida would end up falling in the amazon.
Psychologically, I think the best thing would be to lose 3-2. Obviously, anyone and everyone wants the W, but I’m thinking about the future. I wonder how hungry our players would be if we beat or draw Brazil.
I like Cameroon as the second match. Mexico needs to beat Cameroon opening night. Assuming that Brazil finishes the group with 9 points, all we need is a win against Mexico to advance to the second round.
Mexico would be coming off a loss to Brazil but would carry three points with them. Croatia would be coming off a loss, possibly two, and go balls out for the win.
The draw is definitely in our favor.
@Ivica,
“but still somehow mess up and hit the crossbar a couple of times”
exactly. Olic needs the service. I hope our midfield steps up.
Here is another stat for you:
Ivan Perisic only assisted on one of Olic’s 11 goals this season at Wolfsburg back on Oct 26th of last year. Olic wont get service from Perisic thats for sure.
@lika joey,
Good point about the Euro. However, the WC is not the Euro. My point being is that opening night is one of those nights that has a chance of being set up. Croatia might be forced to lose.
South Africa was so bad in 2010 that not even FIFA could push them through.
@Poglavnik,
never say never. Croatia has a chance.
Sometimes all you have to do is get into the tournament.
WC 98, Croatia gets third.. they needed a shutout from Peter Schmiechel in the final game at Athens for Croatia to go through.
Euro 2012, Croatia squeaks through to qualify, losses to Greece and Georgia, then almost beat champion Spain, and runner up Italy.
I don’t know who will show up this summer. Cameroon match scares me. Cameroon wont finish the tournament with 0 points thats for sure. They will stick it to someone.
It just sucks balls that Mandzo isn’t playing against Brazil.
He would step up against them. I think he relishes these big games. I could see him frustrating the hell out of guys like David Luiz or Marcelo (especially with those pointy elbows of his).
Unless we play Jelavic (which we shouldn’t do) we won’t have that danger hovering in the box that we could send a long ball or cross to. Looks like we’ll have to stick with Olic on the counter and hope he can outrun Alves or Thiago (but still somehow mess up and hit the crossbar a couple of times). 😉
I like the above stat that a host team has never lost its opening match.That means that its getting closer to eventuating.I can see us doing well, as Brazil are a team that know how to play for the entire tournament and wont be likely to come out “All guns ablazin” A draw is a decent chance,a shock win,definitely not impossible.Brazil are a team that could handle being slow and losing their first match and still going on to win the tournament.Hopefully they will have a meltdown day like what started before the 98 final against France.
sorry my post above,
Denis, Portugal lost to Greece in the opener at home in euro. Not the world cup…but the next best thing!
A host team may have never lost it’s opening match but opening matches in the WC have had upsets.
WC ’90 Cameroon over Argentina.
WC ’02 Senegal over France.
WC ’14 Croatia over Brazil?!…
Lemme throw a stat atcha…
The host team has never lost an opening match. At the same time, the host team has drawn the opening match 4 times I believe. A draw against Brazil is definately doable. If we lose, we need goals. A 3-2 loss wouldn’t be bad. For some reason, this game has 0-0 halftime, 1-0 final written all over it. I’m hoping for an early Croatia goal.
@IvicA,
I agree.
@Lika Joey,
I see us playing well against Brazil and lose 1-0, lose to Cameroon 2-1 and beat Mexico 2-1.
.
Ivica, good point but they have zero defense. The portugal game was terrible display for them.Eto is 36?
Cameroon in Manaus is like a home game for them.
Kovač had better whip these Croats into shape if they plan on running in 100 degree weather (and brutal humidity) for 90 minutes.
Denis, loose to Cameroon and beat mexico?? No way!!! We are going to beat them both!!!
I’m glad Man U is out, nice to see Mandzukic smash Vidic in the nuts today also…I thought he connected well on the volley!
good riddance to Man U.
Three quality sides left in the CL and Chelsea, who will play defensive against any of the 3 teams they draw.
Give me an all Madrid semifinal and Bayern-Chelsea. bayern to take on the spanish winners in the final
I thought it would have been closer to under a minute with the goal celebration and the re-start.
Only following it on-line cuz I’m at work…
Poglavnik…22 seconds later but yes, I agree…man U could have brought on defensive players and parked the bus!
@Slavonac
Totally agree!
If United don’t give up that goal 2 minutesafter they scored theirs then they can bunker down and get settled in for a 30 minute assault.
3-1, 10 mins to go.
Game, set, and match.
Mario & Luka off to the final four!
Pep should lick Mandzukic’s left nut…not only did he score a great goal, but he took the wind out of Man U’s sail and gave Bayern the edge and momentum. If he didn’t score that quickly after the Man U goal, this game could have easily had a different outcome!
Mandzukic scores!
Ties it up 1-1 in the 2nd half.
Mueller just gave Bayern the lead 2-1.
20 minutes to go…
I watched Fox Sports’ anti-white propaganda piece called “Rise as One” last night. Watch it and then try to convince an honest person that “diversity” doesn’t just mean fewer Whites. And I have a question for Lillian: If everybody on the ’98 French team is French and “the only race is the human race”, then how the fuck is the French team “diverse”? Every single belief in our established religion of Political Correctness is doublethink.
@ denis
goal differential is very likley to be a big decider as i assume all sidses will drop a loss to brazil.
i’m hopeful that with the longer prep time than usual, the team can develop some better chemistry. i felt in the past campaign under stimac we had a constant switching of players and formation with the team never able to settle in on clear tactics. hopefully stimac with focus them in and build some cohesion with the longer world cup prep period
For some reason, I think that goal difference will play a huge part in Group A. I can see us losing to Brazil and Cameroon and beating Mexico to advance. 3-way tie for second.
I’m still not impressed with Croatia. Yes, on paper we have great players, but the game is not played on paper. I still have us advancing, but it won’t be easy. Croatia will need to beat mexico on the final day to advance. A draw might not be enough.
I also think south american sides will do well in this world cup. I have a feeling that Chile will advance from group B. The only question is whose spot will they take?
^ ^
Agree with the Brazil prediction too.
^ ^
sin carne! 😉
Shut up vegetarin, you don’t even eat chili! (Just kidding of course)
Exactly. Or even Chile. I’m scared of a potential group B match up with one of those three. I still think we will upset Brazil (by upset I mean a win or draw)
^ ^
I think Spain or the Dutch are going to slip up.
Both sides are getting a bit older.
They’re head to head game is going to be a war too!
Don’t underestimate Chile.
They’ve looked really good lately.
My initial worry about the World Cup, as always, is making it out of the group. I am very confident we will but what scares me the most is that we will most likely have to play Spain or the Dutch should we advance.
Ziva-I think Bayern players want it and will win, my comment was more targeted towards how coaches manage their players…sometimes the “iron fist” doesn’t work with this generation. I will stop short of comparing an idiot to Pep but Stimac was another example of wanting himself in the “spotlight”, challenging players publicly and making very ludicrous comments about certain games…Pep may have taken Mandzukic’s opportunity to win the Bundesliga goal scoring title away from him in the previous 4 weeks. If I was Mandzukic and after all he has done the entire time he’s been with Bayern, I’d feel like my coach isn’t loyal to me. Sometimes an ego is a good thing, especially if it involves scoring goals, contributing while working very hard and Pep has definitely played a role in limiting his chances…I highly doubt Mourinho, Ancellotti, Alex Ferguson or any prominent coach would do that to a player and then expect him to have a great attitude. I know this comes across as selfish but I hope Mandzukic leave’s and Lewandowski sucks balls next year just to spite Pep!
Before we proclaim our MF to be great, lets wait and see if Rakitic can actually play to the same level for the repka as he has with Sevilla this year. We have not witnessed it yet on a consistent basis with the repka. Would love for it to be the case, but we have to see it.
@Slavonac…..I agree with a lot of what you said. But, that was the whole reason Bayern decided to bring in Pep. He has the opportunity to do things his way. The last few weeks have resulted in some uneven performances by Bayern. I think you get that when you wrap up the league so early. And maybe Pep’s rotation has something to do with that. No idea, but its possible. Now, what he has done with all of this is open himself up to criticsm if they don’t bet by Manchester United tonight. If he has the full backing of the bayern management, then it wont matter. But, he has left himself open to being second guessed.
You never know in a one-game situation, but it would be a big shock to me if they didn’t advance tonight. The yellow cards will hurt, but I think they have more quality. The players Bayern can’t afford to lose are all available.
@ nije
not a bad song, but they’ve done better for sure – curious to hear some other WC songs that come out. Felt like for the Euros, Ale Ale was “the song” for us and I prefer that song to Neoisivio
had this one stuck in my head the other day haha
‘https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=euTmD3TaRk4
Croatians are often skilled and enjoy a bit of freedom when they play, Italian soccer is extremely structured, had a tendency to be defensive and lacked some creativity…thats my opinion.
Everybody checkout Zapresic Boys new song called neopisivo on youtube.
They have better songs but it isnt that bad.
Since our independence, in which league do you think Croatian players have performed the best/worst?
Ironically, I’m thinking our players have shown brilliantly in Spain – Suker, Prosinecki, Jarni, Modric, Rakitic, etc – considered the toughest top to bottom in the World. Germany would be my second choice.
Outside of Boban and Boksic, I feel we have disappointed the most in Italy.
Bobby V- I wouldn’t count your chickens before they hatch, yes, I agree with what you said but one thing is on paper and another is on the field.
About a year ago, I commented that Croatia would have the best midfield in the World by the 2018 World Cup. Many of you disagree, but, we are now half-way there. Rakitic has arrived.
Kovacic will be 24 and Halilovic will be 21. Modric and Rakitic will be in their early 30’s. Seems like a perfect blend of youth, experience and most importantly, outstanding skill.
Funny how one player’s form (Rakitic) can change everyone’s opinion on how Brazil 2014 will turn out for Croatia. Nothing but positive articles if you Google “Croatia World Cup Brazil”.
Mexico and Cameroon, from what I have seen and read, have their worse sides in more than 30 years.
As the opening games draws closer, I’m starting to realize more and more that this will be Croatia’s greatest game on stage since the quarter-final match in 1998 against Germany, which was a nationally televised game (ABC) here in the States on a late Sunday afternoon.
Should be exciting – can’t wait for the World to see the skill of Modric, Rakitic, Kovacic…and maybe a small cameo from Halilovic?
my two bits on the Man U game.
today Bayern should take this game but if they don’t then I have my own theory. yesterday I read that Pep Guardiola praised Mandzukic publicly although only a few short weeks ago he benched him…Mandzukic didnt even dress that game. A couple of weeks back against Hoffenheim Mandzukic started on the bench…the same thing happened against Hertha Berlin the week before and a few weeks before that against Wolfsburg. All this in a year where Mandzukic is competing for the goal scoring title…does this matter…you better believe it does, especially when your competition (Lewandowski) is joining your team next season, he starts almost every single game, takes penalty shots and his coach and teammates literally rely on him and treat him as “the guy”!
Pep is a smart guy, but like I said 1 or 2 weeks ago, he’s also a stubborn guy…he thinks he knows better than anyone else and he doesn’t like to be challenged…this is why I don’t like him…I respect his knowledge but I don’t think he’s as smart as he thinks he is.
recently Bayern has lost their “incredible” form…at least they lost the “incredible form” they were playing at. They are still the team to beat but call me crazy, I think Pep has fucked with the chemistry recently and in my opinion…how dare you take away from one player and not respect the fact that he (Mandzukic) has for the most part, followed your strategy, given his heart and soul and you disrespect him by limiting his time on the field as we watch Lewandowski’s coach reward him with minutes, taking penalty shots, ensuring his player gets every opportunity to win the scoring title. when you compare total minutes, Lewandowski has played 564 minutes more than Mandzukic this year…thats 9 hours more field time…unless I am wrong in my calculations I think the past few weeks have demonstrated Pep is the boss and he could care less about players personal achievements….and thats wrong…every sport I’ve ever watched I see coaches do their best to help their players achieve their overall goals!
I know many will look at my comment as crazy but I don’t think its a coincidence….If they lose today I think Pep has fucked with more than Mandzukic’s head…