Luka Modric Fires Warning To Brazil Forward Of Their World Cup Showdown With Croatia

Croatia captain Luka Modric has despatched a warning to Brazil that they need to not depend on their ‘favourites’ tag forward of their quarterfinals assembly on the World Cup. The 2 heavyweights will conflict in opposition to one another within the last-8 on December 9, with a watch on the semifinals berth. Each the groups boast huge quantity of expertise, in addition to the expertise of taking part in at such an excessive degree.

Whereas Brazil have been common attendees at this stage of the event, Croatia too have developed a behavior of going deep at main worldwide tournaments since their well-known run on the 2018 World Cup, the place they reached the finals. Nevertheless, a lot has modified for each the perimeters since that version in Russia, as their coaches launched many a brand new faces within the interval of 4 years. Modric has remained the fixed for his facet, who’s trying to emulate the magic of 2018.

Luka Modric extremely motivated to tackle the five-time winners

Whereas Brazil could have loved their ‘favourites’ tag on the ongoing event, they’ve additionally been served a actuality verify in the course of the group levels, after they fell to a shock defeat in opposition to Cameroon. It will also be argued that Tite made a whopping 10 modifications to his most popular beginning eleven in opposition to Cameroon, however Luka Modric appears to be reminding them that nothing might be taken without any consideration at this competitors. The Croatia captain, forward of the showdown informed reporters throughout a presser:

“Our best recreation of the World Cup may nonetheless be forward of us. We’ve got performed an excellent factor by reaching the quarter-finals – however we would like much more. Brazil are all the time one of many massive favourites in each World Cup, however what they’ve proven on this event is that this time they should be favourites. We’ve got confronted Brazil earlier than on a number of events and never gained. We imagine this could change.

“We must play at a excessive tempo, maintain them beneath management, be robust and assertive and never allow them to out of sight. Like I say, Brazil are the favourites – however we now have seen that even the favourites might be overwhelmed.”

Whereas Brazil have confronted a defeat on the competitors in the course of the group levels, Luka Modric’s Croatia are but to be breached by an opponent. They gained one and drew two of their three group stage outings, and downed a sturdy Japan within the Spherical of 16 on penalties. As evident from Modric’s phrases, his group is ready to maintain their unbeaten run going intact in opposition to Brazil, which might then take them into the semifinals.

Nevertheless, historical past doesn’t favour Croatia in opposition to Brazil. The 2 final met in a aggressive recreation on the 2014 World Cup, when Brazil hosted the coveted competitors. Croatia took on the five-time world champions within the event opener, which they misplaced 3-1 regardless of taking a shock lead. Modric now needs to vary that narrative, by including a aggressive win in opposition to Brazil to his already stellar worldwide profession.