(Donaueschingen) Their destinies seem linked: Rodri’s Spain and the eternal Luka Modric’s Croatia, who have crossed paths in four of the last six international competitions, face each other again on the first day of Euro-2024 in Berlin on Saturday (6 p.m.), in the first shock of the competition.
For Croatia, Roja is a black beast. A feared selection, which for more than a decade seems to systematically stand in its way and deprive its golden generation (Modric, Rakitic, Mandzukic) of titles.
2012, 2016, 2021… and now 2024, this is the fourth consecutive time that the two teams will meet in the European Championship, the seventh in the last twelve years in official competition.
This poster, which has become a European “classic” between two of the best nations in the world, was already that of the last final of the Nations League and the quarter-final of Euro-2021, both won by La Roja.
As in 2012 in Ukraine and Poland, it is from the group stage that the Spaniards and Croatians will cross swords at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin, with a slight advantage for Spain, even if it is Croatia, 3rd. at the 2022 World Cup and finalist in 2018, which proved to be the most consistent.
“I’m not going to tell you anything, the Croatians always respond in big tournaments. At the last Euro we suffered to eliminate them (5-3), at the World Cup they finished third, in the Nations League we faced each other in the final… So it will be a contested, balanced match which will be played on the small details,” warned Leipzig winger Dani Olmo.
This clash will give rise to duels between old acquaintances and even between teammates or ex-teammates, notably the Croatian playmaker Luka Modric, soon to be 39, and his Real Madrid companions Nacho and Dani Carvajal, or the Osasuna striker Ante Budimir and the Spanish players playing in La Liga (Le Normand, Pedri, Unai Simon).
If it has great assets in this sector (Rodri, Pedri, Fabian Ruiz), Spain, ambitious outsider during this Euro, is wary of the Croatian midfield, its strong point, with an immutable Brozovic-Kovacic-Modric trident , “one of the best midfielders in Europe” according to Spaniard Mikel Merino.
“If they have time to think and if they manage to get into comfortable positions, they are able to control the tempo of the match and make you suffer,” warned the Real Sociedad player.
The Spanish selection, three-time European champion (1964, 2008, 2012), is counting on its young talents and its collective strength to regain its rank among the best nations in the world and confirm its post-2022 World Cup rebound.
Led by the twirling Lamine Yamal, 16 years old, and Nico Williams, 21 years old, the rejuvenated Roja version of Luis de la Fuente has on the wings “very unbalancing players and above all in great shape, who will create a lot of danger,” believes the full-back. from Bayer Leverkusen Alejandro Grimaldo, well placed to start on the left after an exceptional season in Germany.
Yamal, who carried Barça on his frail shoulders this season by beating all the records for precocity within his reach, has the opportunity on Saturday to make a little more history by becoming the youngest player to play in a Euro.
“Lamine is a special player and makes decisions as if he were older. There aren’t many players in history who have achieved such things. He’s a big danger, he’s unique,” praised Ante Budimir. The Croatian side of Bayer Leverkusen Josip Stanisic, probable vis-à-vis the high school student, is warned.