Never doubt Croatia because they have Modric

Daring who doubts Croatia, because it is a team that is always reborn. It was eliminated at times against the Czech Republic and yet it goes to the round of 16 as second in the group. And blessed are those who can say that in their life they have seen Luka Modric play, because his football is altar football. Modric appeared in the Eurocup when a leader has to do it and at 35 years old he has a legend to write.

History will remember Modric, among other milestones and virtues, as the footballer with the best ball hit abroad. Yours is the copyright. His goal, 2-1, was superb. For beauty and for transcendence. Scotland was left with no place for the epic, knocked out by the myth, but the Scots can always boast of having seen two of the goals of this European Championship up close: Schick’s from home and Modric’s throughout the squad.

Hampden Park was the scene of a clash of soccer cultures, of opposing styles. Scottish passion and Croatian coldness. Two ways of understanding the same sport, two ways of fighting for a single goal. The long ball and the combinatorial game. The Scottish epic and the Croatian technique. Robertson’s rock and Modric’s waltz. It was not an excellent match (well, Modric’s yes), but it was an emotional one. Because there was no room for speculation, because both needed to win to stay alive in the Eurocup and each had their moments. More Croats, many more.

Croatia completed 339 passes before the break and thanks to their dominance they found the goal of Vlasic after an assist from Perisic. The Croats removed the ‘Flower of Scotland’ with their best tool: its quality, the one that Nikola Vlasic treasures in abundance, called to be the leader of post-Modric Croatia, a footballer that Everton wasted and who at 23 years did not it will take time to leave Russia in search of the major leagues.

But in football two and two are not always four and Scotland only needed 119 passes to celebrate the goal from McGregor’s front, which came after a lateral cross towards no one in particular, an inadvertent rejection by Adams and a poor clearance by Vida. For what more and with what little, how much. Scotland got into the game without Croatia knowing how. And Hampden Park dreamed of seeing his team pass the round for the first time.

The virtue of Croatia was not to get carried away by nerves. He kept doing the best he can and continued to dominate with the ball at his feet. And with him Modric made magic. When the game was going to enter that phase in which an error sends you home, with Hampden Park excited in each throw-in of theirs, Modric hooked the ball with the outside from the front and sent it to Marshall’s squad . Scotland no longer got off the mat. The match finished it off Perisic, who at the age of 32 scored his ninth goal in a final phase of the European Championship, thus equaling Suker. It is clear that this Croatia is full of legends and is always reborn.

Dalic: “We have been a team and that is the most important thing”

Zlatko Dalic, selector of Croatia, declared after the victory against Scotland and the qualification for the round of 16 of the Eurocup, that this Tuesday, in Glasgow, they were “a team” and that “that is the important thing”.

“First of all, congratulations to my boys for qualifying for the knockout stages. These 10 days have been of great tension, especially today. First for me and then for everyone else. But we remained calm, dignified and patient after all this. Thank God who gave us strength, “Dalic told Croatian television.

Asked what he told his players at halftime, which was reached 1-1, Dalic said: “I told them that we had to continue at the same pace, but I remembered that we had a problem in the first partAnd we started to play more slowly after 1-0 and we allowed the Scots to re-engage. “

“But we did not give up. We believed we could and we played calm and focused. It was only a matter of time to score, but still it was not easy. I am always happy with the players. We have been a team, and that is the most important thing. “he added.

When asked about his opponent preference in the second round, Dalic changed the subject: “I just wish there are Croatian fans in the stands. That’s what I want, what I dream about, because we are stronger with them. “

Steve Clarke: “I promise it won’t be another twenty-three years”

The Scottish coach Steve Clarke was “sad for the players” after elimination from the European Championship after losing to Croatia, who proved to have more experience “in competitions of this level” and promised that his team will not take twenty-three years to play another European Championship.

“I am sad for the players. We have waited a long time to reach a great tournament with a good group of players who have brought us here,” began the Scotland coach.

Clarke noted that there were “very good things in the competition” but regretted the lack of points and the elimination. “Throughout the Eurocup we did a number of good things, good things. But in the end we didn’t get the points we needed for qualifying.”

The Scotland coach recognized the strength of Croatia. “We have had in front of a team that is hardened, that has experience and that knew how to play this third game of the group stage. We did not do it. So we go home and Croatia has qualified,” he said.

Steve Clarke highlighted the support of the fans. “It was great. The fans applauded the players at the end. They were happy about that,” he added.

“We were up to the task in the tournament. We failed to score in the first match and that meant we had to go to Wembley and we spent a lot of energy there, a lot of strength physically and mentally to have a chance. We accused the effort against Croatia “, highlighted the Scottish coach.

Clarke was left with the positive part, the experience gained. “This is an experience that we must learn from for the next tournament. I promise that it will not be twenty-three years until we play another,” he said.