Croatia heartache will 'haunt' Bilić

Slaven Bilić admitted Turkey's dramatic comeback will "haunt me for the rest of my life" after Croatia were denied a maiden UEFA European Championship semi-final appearance in the cruellest of circumstances.

Shock
The 39-year-old celebrated wildly when Ivan Klasnić put Croatia in front after 119 minutes of a tense battle at the Ernst-Happel-Stadion but his mood soon changed when, with the last kick of the game, Semih Şentürk struck to force a penalty shoot-out. "It was a shock obviously," Bilić said of the equaliser. "It seemed as though the match was over but to concede a goal certainly gave them a psychological advantage. I can't say what was on the players' minds but I'm sure they weren't focused on the shoot-out. They must have still been in extra time mentally."

Haunting
Croatia simply failed to collect themselves after Semih's hammer blow. Ivan Rakitić and the otherwise excellent Luka Modrić both fired wide, and when Mladen Petrić's effort was saved by Rüştü Reçber, Croatia's hopes of a UEFA EURO 2008™ semi-final meeting with Germany were over. "The last two minutes are something I can't describe – they'll haunt me for the rest of my life," continued the shell-shocked Bilić. "I have no misgivings about any of the players, I'm proud of them, but at the same time we're sorry and unhappy because we thought we could play on until the end of this tournament. I congratulate the Turkish team but I still don't think we deserved to lose."

Bayern beacon
Now the Croatia squad must regroup, with just seven weeks until 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying starts with a tie against Kazakhstan on 6 August. "This won't be easy to forget. It isn't the sort of game you play on a regular basis. This is not only something we can't forget about – it will haunt us, it will be impossible to forget," said Bilić. The coach was keen, though, to take heart from FC Bayern München's reaction to losing the 1998/99 UEFA Champions League final to Manchester United FC in similarly breathtaking fashion, bouncing back to claim the German double the following campaign, adding: "Tomorrow is a new day, the sun will still rise. We'll probably cry for a few days but such is life. Things like this have happened before but these are extreme situations. My players have a strong character and will be back even stronger."

Poland 0-1 Croatia

Ivan Klasnic fired the game's only goal for Croatia as Poland's unlikely bid to reach the last eight ended in failure.

Needing to beat Croatia by at least two goals, and for Germany to lose to Austria, only a string of Artur Boruc saves kept Poland's losing margin down.

Danijel Pranjic, Ivan Rakitic and Klasnic had all been denied before the latter lashed in the winner left-footed from 12 yards early in the second half.

Ebi Smolarek wasted late Poland chances but Group B winners Croatia held firm.

Slaven Bilic's team will be full of confidence ahead of their quarter-final against Turkey on Friday after a side boasting nine changes to the one that beat Germany last time out maintained their 100% record in the 2008 tournament.

And the story of the match was made all the more remarkable by the fact that Klasnic only underwent a kidney transplant last year, having suffered kidney failure in January 2007 - and his emotional celebrations told a story all on their own.

Poland came into the match still feeling aggrieved at English referee Howard Webb's decision to award Austria a penalty in injury time in the previous group match to deny them victory.

First Wojciech Lobodzinski forced a hurried save from Croatia keeper Vedran Runje with a fine, whipped cross and then Dariusz Dudka headed inches wide of the goal from Jacek Krzynowek's corner.

But with Smolarek, their leading goalscorer in qualifying, left on the bench, Poland lacked any penetration and when Croatia settled into their stride, it was left to Boruc to keep the Poles in the game single-handedly.

Even having made so many changes, Croatia showed glimpses of their class, and Hrvoje Vejic was unlucky not direct his header home on 20 minutes from Ivan Rakitic's cross.

Thereafter, it was the Boruc show, Klasnic twice denied by the big Celtic keeper after dashing through a static Polish back line, and Rakitic and Pranjic both seeing firm drives beaten away in the closing stages of the first half.

Minutes after the restart, news filtered through from Vienna that Michael Ballack had put Germany ahead against Austria, effectively ending Poland hopes of qualification.

And, almost as if the news had finally broken their resistance, Poland found themselves behind just seconds later, Klasnic latching on to Pranjic's cut-back and lashing into the far corner left-footed.

Poland raced up the other end, Rafal Murawski sending a drive wide of the upright from 20 yards, but in truth their challenge was done and dusted.

To their credit, Leo Beenhakker's side plugged away and, after Smolarek had been introduced, Roger Guerreiro nearly levelled when he turned in the box and drilled wide.

Southampton striker Marek Saganowski also forced a save from Runje with a firm header, but Croatia always looked relatively comfortable - their main concern being to get through the game without injury.

With that in mind, match-winner Klasnic was removed from the action 16 minutes from time, allowing the last member of Croatia's squad not to have tasted Euro 2008 action - Nikola Kalinic - a piece of the action.

There was still time for Smolarek to twice drill decent efforts narrowly wide of the target and Thomasz Zahorski to waste Poland's best chance of the night - denied by Runje after sprinting clear of the Croatia defence.

But the Croats played out the last few minutes comfortably to extend their recent record to just two competitive defeats in four years and underline their potential as one of the tournament's dark horses for the title.



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Poland: Boruc, Wasilewski, Zewlakow, Dudka, Wawrzyniak, Lobodzinski (Smolarek 55), Murawski, Roger, Lewandowski (Kokoszka 46), Krzynowek, Saganowski (Zahorski 69).
Subs Not Used: Kowalewski, Fabianski, Jop, Golanski, Bak, Gargula, Pazdan.

Booked: Lewandowski, Zahorski.

Croatia: Runje, Simic, Vejic, Knezevic (Corluka 26), Pranjic, Leko, Vukojevic, Pokrivac, Rakitic, Klasnic (Kalinic 74), Petric (Kranjcar 75).
Subs Not Used: Pletikosa, Galinovic, Simunic, Robert Kovac, Nico Kovac, Srna, Modric, Olic, Budan.

Booked: Vejic, Vukojevic.

Goals: Klasnic 52.

Att: 30,000

Ref: Kyros Vassaras (Greece).

man of the match: Poland's Artur Boruc 8.65 (on 90 minutes).

Croatia 2-1 Germany

Croatia claimed an impressive win over pre-tournament favourites Germany to reach the Euro 2008 quarter-finals.

Darijo Srna broke the deadlock on 24 minutes when he beat Marcell Jansen to Danijel Pranjic's cross and fired home.

Croatia were gifted a second goal on 63 minutes when Ivan Rakitic's cross came off Lukas Podolski and rebounded off the post for Ivica Olic to slot home.

Podolski pulled a goal back with a late drive but Bastian Schweinsteiger's red card ended German hopes in injury time.

It was a famous victory for Croatia, and an echo of their 3-0 success over the same opposition in the 1998 World Cup quarter-finals, but it casts serious doubts over Germany's credentials for the European crown.

Joachim Low's side put in an uncharacteristically fractured performance, creating plenty of chances but letting themselves down with their own poor defending.

And, although the Germans - who face co-host Austria in their final group match - will still be fancied to qualify for the quarter-finals as group runners-up and, if so, they will face Portugal in the last eight.

As impressive as Low's men were in despatching Poland in their opening game, it soon became apparent they would not find things as easy against Croatia, who proved they are genuine title contenders.

In a cagey opening, play was largely confined to a crowded and competitive midfield and there was little to choose between either side.

But Srna broke the deadlock when Pranjic sent over a superb deep cross and, with Jansen hesitant, the Shakhtar Donetsk winger pounced to prod the ball past Jens Lehmann.

Germany responded well and Jansen almost made immediate amends for his error when he sent over an enticing cross that Mario Gomez headed wastefully over.

But Low's side were still looking fragile at the back and Croatia soon fashioned another chance when Rakitic chipped the ball into the box and Olic headed it back for Niko Kranjcar to fire over at full stretch.

Chances continued to come and go for Germany with Michael Ballack seeing his fierce free-kick pushed away by Croatia goalkeeper Stipe Pletikosa before Christoph Metzelder headed Torsten Frings' corner inches over.

Croatia, however, were still threatening themselves and could easily have extended their lead before the break when the woeful Jansen allowed Vedran Corluka to escape down the right.


Germany's Bastian Schweinsteiger was sent of for this shove on Jerko Leko

Corluka's cross found its way to Olic and he teed up Kranjcar, who was unfortunate that his drive was straight at Lehmann.

Loew reshuffled his side at the break, putting Jansen out of his misery and introducing more outright pace in David Odonkor.

His opposite number Slaven Bilic seemed happy with a single-goal lead and Croatia sat back and invited Germany to attack them.

Initially it seemed a dangerous ploy and Ballack should have equalised when Pletikosa punched Philipp Lahm's cross straight to his feet, instead blazing over.

But the Croatian defence stood firm and their resilience was rewarded when they were gifted a second goal.

There seemed little danger when Rakitic crossed from the right but the ball deflected off Podolski and hit the post, rebounding straight to Olic who slotted into an unguarded net with Lehmann stranded.

Germany kept coming forward and eventually found a reply, Podolski drilling home after Robert Kovac failed to clear Philipp Lahm's cross.

An equaliser never looked like materialising, however, and Germany's misery was completed when Schweinsteiger was sent off in injury time for a shove in retaliation to a Jerko Leko tackle.



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Croatia: Pletikosa, Corluka, Robert Kovac, Simunic, Pranjic, Srna (Leko 80), Modric, Nico Kovac, Rakitic, Kranjcar (Knezevic 85), Olic (Petric 72).
Subs Not Used: Galinovic, Runje, Simic, Vejic, Vukojevic, Kalinic, Pokrivac, Klasnic, Budan.

Booked: Srna, Simunic, Modric, Leko.

Goals: Srna 24, Olic 62.

Germany: Lehmann, Lahm, Metzelder, Mertesacker, Jansen (Odonkor 46), Fritz (Kuranyi 82), Frings, Ballack, Podolski, Gomez (Schweinsteiger 65), Klose.
Subs Not Used: Enke, Adler, Friedrich, Westermann, Rolfes, Neuville, Trochowski, Hitzlsperger, Borowski.

Sent Off: Schweinsteiger (90).

Booked: Ballack, Lehmann.

Goals: Podolski 78.

Att: 30,000

Ref: Frank De Bleeckere (Belgium).





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Rater man of the match: Croatia's Luka Modric 7.54 (on 90 minutes).

Austria 0-1 Croatia

Croatia were forced to hang on against tournament co-hosts Austria to begin their Euro 2008 campaign with a win.

They were gifted what proved to be a fourth-minute winner when Luka Modric drilled home a penalty after Rene Aufhauser clumsily felled Ivica Olic.

Austria's Joachim Standfest headed their best chance wide as they finished the first half in better form.

And after the break Austria's Umit Korkmaz had a stinging shot well saved and Roman Kienast headed narrowly wide.

An equaliser would not have flattered a plucky Austria side who had to dig deep to recover from a terrible opening spell.

Austria went into the game knowing that if they were to rip up the form book and keep the pre-match party going, it was imperative that they got off to a good start.

But instead they quickly reinforced suggestions they would be merely making up the numbers almost as soon as they touched the ball - or not, in the case of Aufhauser.

He bundled Olic over and up stepped Modric to take the spot-kick and his cool finish must have impressed any watching Tottenham fans, who will be seeing him at their club next season.

Quickly it became evident that Austria's players were unlikely to follow Modric to the Premier League, such was the lack of quality in the side ranked 92nd in the world.



Bilic believes Croatia will improve
And the one Austrian who does actually ply his trade in England, Middlesbrough's Emanuel Pogatetz, looked nothing like a maestro but every bit his 'Mad Dog' nickname.

After being booked for his protest at the penalty he should have been sent off for virtually assaulting Olic on the half-hour mark.

But despite their obvious superiority Croatia created only one other decent chance, when Mladen Petric blazed over from inside the box, and they began to be complacent towards the end of the half.

And had Austria's giant centre-back Sebastian Prodl or Joachim Standfest been more accurate with free headers they might have snatched an equaliser.

If set-pieces had been Austria's only likely source of success in the first half, they came out after the break looking determined to show they could fashion something in open play.

And the hosts did enjoy more possession but Croatia easily broke up their attacks, which were pedestrian at best.
For 20 minutes, the game was almost at a standstill and then Austria found some impetus and started to dictate the tempo.

Austria, though, are not massive outsiders for nothing and although they forced the pace they failed to really threaten.

They almost made the breakthrough when a swerving shot from Korkmaz was parried by keeper Stipe Pletikosa and at the death, Kienast flicked a header narrowly wide.

But they ultimately paid for having a lack of real quality in the final third.

Yet the same could be said of Croatia, who look far from potential winners of the tournament and appear to have no-one to replace injured striker Eduardo da Silva.



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Austria: Macho, Prodl, Stranzl, Pogatetz, Aufhauser, Saumel (Vastic 61), Standfest, Gercaliu (Korkmaz 69), Ivanschitz, Harnik, Linz (Kienast 73).
Subs Not Used: Manninger, Ozcan, Katzer, Garics, Patocka, Hiden, Fuchs, Leitgeb, Hoffer.

Booked: Pogatetz, Saumel, Prodl.

Croatia: Pletikosa, Corluka, Robert Kovac, Simunic, Pranjic, Srna, Nico Kovac, Modric, Kranjcar (Knezevic 61), Olic (Vukojevic 82), Petric (Budan 72).
Subs Not Used: Galinovic, Runje, Simic, Vejic, Rakitic, Pokrivac, Leko, Kalinic, Klasnic.

Booked: Robert Kovac.

Goals: Modric 4 pen.

Ref: Pieter Vink (Holland).



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Rater man of the match: Croatia's Luca Modric 7.51 (on 90 minutes).



TRIVIA
Luka Modric's winning penalty for Croatia was the fastest ever spot kick in the history of this tournament. The previous fastest penalty was awarded to Italy in their match against Germany in 1996, when Gianfranco Zola failed to convert in the ninth minute of the match.

Following Switzerland's defeat on Saturday, Austria are now the sixth host nation to lose their opening match at a European Championship tournament.

The result marked Croatia's first European Championship victory, since a 3-0 win over Denmark on 16 June 1996, ending a five match winless streak.

At the age of 22 years and 273 days, Modric became the youngest Croatian goalscorer ever at this tournament. He broke Goran Vlaovic' record who was 23 years and 309 days old when he scored against Turkey in 1996.

Austria v Croatia

Austria v Croatia




UEFA EURO 2008 GROUP B

Date: Sun 8 June Kick-off: 1700 BST Venue: Ernst Happel Stadion, Vienna




Austria have yet to name their team, but captain Andreas Ivanschitz says they will start with two forwards.

Croatia defender Vedran Corluka has shaken off a knock on his Achilles tendon, which he picked up on Friday.

And coach Slaven Bilic sprung no surprises in his team selection, and will send out his side in their traditional 4-4-2 line-up.

In the absence of the injured Eduardo da Silva, Croatia's attack will be led by Mladen Petric and Ivica Olic.

Croatia's defence is considered a weaker part of their team and Ivanschitz made it clear Austria will try to take advantage of that percieved frailty.

He said: "Their central defence is vulnerable. With our fleet-footed strikers, we can hurt them."

However, Croatia's midfield is rated as very strong with skilful playmakers Luka Modric and Niko Kranjcar pulling the strings.

Dario Srna - the main supplier of crosses - and veteran captain Niko Kovac will provide able support.

Up front Petric has scored nine goals in 21 appearances for Croatia, while Olic has hit nine in 51 internationals.


Head-to-heads

Austria and Croatia have met three times before, all encounters were friendlies.

Croatia won all three matches, most recently on 23 May 2006 when they won 4-1 in Vienna. Ivan Klasnic (2), Bosko Balaban and Marko Babic scored for the visitors. Andreas Ivanschitz scored the only goal for Austria.


Team facts - Austria

Are making their European Championship debut. Four nations have won this tournament on their debut. They are: Soviet Union (1960), Spain (1964), Italy (1968), West Germany (1972). The last host nation to win this tournament was France in 1984.



Austria's 5-1 win over Malta in their final warm-up match marked just their second win in the last 16 matches. They have not won any of their last six matches in the Ernst Happel Stadion.

Team facts - Croatia

Taking part in a European Championship for the third time. Their best performance came in 1996 when they reached the quarter-finals.

Coach Slaven Bilic played in all four of Croatia's matches that year. Bilic will be 38 years and 271 days old on Sunday, making him the fifth youngest coach in the history of this tournament. Slovenia's Srecko Katanec became the youngest coach ever at a European Championships. He was 36 years 333 days during the 2000 tournament.

Failed to win their last five matches at European Championships (two draws, three defeats). Their last European Championship win dates back to 16 June 1996, when they beat Denmark 3-0 in the group phase.

Player facts - Austria

Rene Aufhauser was Austria's top scorer with six goals during their two-year friendly campaign (24 matches).

Backup goalkeeper Ramazan Ozcan (Hoffenheim) joins Poland's Marek Saganowski (Southampton) and Germany's Oliver Neuville (Borussia Monchengladbach) as the only Euro 2008 players to have played their 2007-08 club football below the top flight.

If selected, Martin Hiden will be making his 50th international appearance for Austria.

Ivica Vastic is the only player in the squad who has ever played at a major international tournament. He played in three matches at the 1998 Fifa World Cup.

Player facts - Croatia

Dario Simic returns to a European Championship tournament for the third time, following Euro 96 and Euro 2004. He has played four previous matches at this tournament which makes him Croatia's joint record holder.

Hrvoje Vejic will turn 31 on the day of this match.

Eduardo da Silva was Croatia's top scorer in qualification with 10 goals. He will miss Euro 2008 after suffering a broken leg while playing for Arsenal in the Premier League in February.

Rising stars with Europe in their sights

Rising stars with Europe in their sights



Wayne Rooney, Petr Čech and Cristiano Ronaldo were just three of the names whose reputations were established on the biggest stage at UEFA EURO 2004™. Now four years on euro2008.com takes its pick of some the rising stars who hope to follow in their footsteps by shining this month in Austria and Switzerland.

Igor Akinfeev, 22, Russia
Igor Akinfeev travelled with Russia as an 18-year-old to UEFA EURO 2004™. He was his country's third-choice goalkeeper then but now, despite being restricted to just six qualifying appearances through injury, is firmly established again as Guus Hiddink's No1. A UEFA Cup winner in 2005, Akinfeev is among the most exciting young goalkeepers in the European game.

Alberto Aquilani, 23, Italy
Aquilani "could become one of the best players in the world" according to Italy captain Gianluigi Buffon. The AS Roma midfielder was a surprise inclusion for Italy's friendly against Belgium and showed why by setting up Antonio Di Natale in the Azzurri's 3-1 win. The complete midfielder, Aquilani faces tough competition in an experienced squad but could prove a wild card off the bench, especially when Italy need goals.

Karim Benzema, 20, France
Benzema needs no introduction after his 20 goals helped Olympique Lyonnais win the French title and established him as the youngest player to finish top scorer in France's top flight. That, though, is just the beginning for 'The Benz' who has already scored three times in nine appearances for France and will be more than just a foil for Thierry Henry.

Martin Fenin, 21, Czech Republic
Fenin may be the youngest player in the Czech Republic squad but expectations are rising fast, particularly with Milan Baroš far from the form that saw him top the scoring chart at UEFA EURO 2004™. Fenin shone in the team that finished runners-up at the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup and has continued to impress since leaving FK Teplice for Eintracht Frankfurt in January.

Mario Gómez, 22, Germany
Arguably the most exciting individual to have broken into the Germany fold since the last FIFA World Cup, Mario Gómez has scored 33 league goals in the past two seasons for VfB Stuttgart. Tall, two-footed and with a keen eye for goal, the 22-year-old is wanted by a host of top European clubs and could raise his transfer value considerably at UEFA EURO 2008™. Likely to start alongside Miroslav Klose.

Erwin Hoffer, 21, Austria
Host nation Austria are pinning their hopes on rising star 'Jimmy' Hoffer who caught the eye at the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup, when his three goals helped fire Austria to an unexpected fourth-placed finish. The dynamic young front-runner further raised his profile by winning the Austrian Bundesliga with SK Rapid Wien this season. Speed is Hoffer's greatest weapon and Austria will need him at his best if they are to spring a surprise in Group B.

Luka Modrić, 22, Croatia
Much is expected of this central midfielder who has rapidly become key to Croatia's chances. One of the most technically gifted players in coach Slaven Bilić's squad, he can pull off passes other players might not even see, and though slim, his pace keeps him clear of more physical opponents. Reminiscent at times of Lionel Messi, he has even been compared with the great Johan Cruyff. Tottenham Hotspur FC fans will be watching their new signing with particular interest.

João Moutinho, 21, Portugal
João Moutinho has been around longer than his age suggests. He made his debut at Sporting Clube de Portugal at 18 and had already played 100 times for the club by the time he was 20. A versatile midfielder who is happy in both defensive or attacking roles, he first played for Portugal three years ago, and is now becoming increasingly influential in Luiz Felipe Scolari's plans.

David Silva, 22, Spain
David Silva may be slight of frame but his fearless attitude and quick feet make him a handful for any defence. Known for his dashes up the left touchline to deliver a dangerous cross, the Valencia CF player is also capable of drifting infield to provide assistance to his attackers. Represented Spain at the 2005 FIFA U-20 World Cup where he scored four goals.

Vassilis Torosidis, 22, Greece
Torosidis will celebrate his 23rd birthday on 10 June, when Greece kick off the defence of their title against Sweden. Nominally a right -back, he plays on the left for his country but is comfortable anywhere across the back line or even as a defensive midfielder. His rise has been rapid since he swapped Skoda Xanthi FC for CFP Olympiacos in January 2007 and his performances in the UEFA Champions League have drawn admiring glances from some of Europe's leading clubs.

Rosetti to referee opening game

Rosetti to referee opening game





An Italian will get the UEFA European Championship finals under way for the second tournament running after Roberto Rosetti was appointed to referee the opening game between co-hosts Switzerland and the Czech Republic in Basel on Saturday.

Rosetti honour
Four years ago in Portugal, Pierluigi Collina officiated when the hosts met Greece in the first fixture, now Rosetti will follow in his footsteps, assisted by compatriots Alessandro Griselli and Paolo Calcagno, with France's Stéphane Lannoy as fourth official. Dutch referee Peter Vink will be in charge for the first match in Austria on Sunday, meanwhile, when Croatia face the home nation in Vienna.

Appointments
Altogether the 12 referees have been assigned one match so far, each assisted by a team two compatriots with who they have been working in UEFA competitions this year, along with a selection of eight fourth officials. Slovakia's Ľuboš Micheľ, who took charge of last month's UEFA Champions League final, is one of two of the 12 UEFA EURO 2004™ referees involved this time around; he starts on Wednesday when Switzerland meet Turkey in Basel while Spain's Manuel Enrique Mejuto González, the other survivor from Portugal, will officiate Romania v France in Zurich on Monday. Further appointments will be announced later in the tournament.

UEFA EURO 2008™ appointments for first 12 matches


Date Match Referee Assistant 1 Assistant 2 4th Official

Sat 7 Jun

Switzerland v Czech Republic - Roberto Rosetti (ITA), Alessandro Griselli (ITA),
Paolo Calcagno (ITA), Stéphane Lannoy (FRA)

Portugal v Turkey - Herbert Fandel (GER) ,Carsten Kadach (GER) , Volker Wezel (GER), Viktor Kassai (HUN)

Sun 8 Jun

Austria v Croatia - Peter Vink (NED), Adriaan Inia (NED), Hans Ten Hoove (NED)
Kristinn Jakobsson (ISL)

Germany v Poland - Tom Henning Øvrebø (NOR) , Geir Åge Holen (NOR), Jan Petter Randen (NOR) , Craig Thomson (SCO)

Mon 9 Jun

Romania v France - Manuel Enrique Mejuto González (ESP), Juan Carlos Yuste Jiménez (ESP), Jesús Calvo Guadamuro (ESP) , Olegário Benquerença (POR)

Netherlands v Italy - Peter Fröjdfeldt (SWE) , Stefan Wittberg (SWE) ,
Henrik Andrén (SWE) , Damir Skomina (SVN)

Tue 10 Jun

Spain v Russia - Konrad Plautz (AUT) , Egon Bereuter (AUT), Markus Mayr (AUT) , Grzegorz Gilewski (POL)

Greece v Sweden - Massimo Busacca (SUI) , Matthias Arnet (SUI) ,Stéphane Cuhat (SUI) Ivan Bebek (CRO)

Wed 11 Jun

Czech Republic v Portugal- Kyros Vassaras (GRE) , Dimitris Bozatzidis (GRE) , Dimitris Saraidaris (GRE), Kristinn Jakobsson (ISL)

Switzerland v Turkey - Ľuboš Micheľ (SVK) , Roman Slyško (SVK) , Martin Balko (SVK),
Damir Skomina (SVN)

Thu 12 Jun

Croatia v Germany - Frank De Bleeckere (BEL), Peter Hermans (BEL), Alex Verstraeten (BEL), Stéphane Lannoy (FRA)

Austria v Poland - Howard Webb (ENG), Darren Cann (ENG), Mike Mullarkey (ENG), Viktor Kassai (HUN)

How badly will Croatia miss Eduardo?

How badly will Croatia miss Eduardo?




He may not be here, but his face is everywhere. In the large team photos dotted around Croatia's Bad Tatzmannsdorf base, he is kneeling down in the front row, possibly soon to score one of the ten goals he racked up in UEFA EURO 2008™ qualifying. The journalists playing table football at the Croatia Media Centre cannot escape his gaze and nor, surely, can coach Slaven Bilić on his way to negotiate press conferences. He is, of course, injured striker Eduardo da Silva, and as a reminder of what Croatia are missing, his ghostly, almost life-size presence here seems close to cruel.

'Big blow'
"Losing Eduardo was a big blow for us," said Bilić yesterday, remembering the moment the Arsenal FC marksman suffered a compound double fracture of his left leg in February. "We're simply less good without him. I have other excellent strikers, but without Eduardo we're not the same team." Bilić is nonetheless convinced Croatia can triumph in Austria and Switzerland. So can his back-up strike duo of Mladen Petrić and Ivica Olić provide the goals they need, or will that duty fall to midfield dynamos Niko Kranjčar, Luka Modrić and Darijo Srna? Alternatively, will Eduardo's absence expose a team lacking firepower without him?

Modrić prepared to play to the crowd

Modrić prepared to play to the crowd




Croatia playmaker Luka Modrić feels confident he will whet a few appetites in north London during UEFA EURO 2008™ as he shows Tottenham Hotspur FC fans what they can expect from him next season.
'I'm confident'
The 22-year-old agreed terms with the White Hart Lane outfit in April, joining from NK Dinamo Zagreb for a €21m fee. That equalled Tottenham's highest ever outlay on a player and, with England not competing this summer after twice losing to the Croatians in qualifying, the club's fans are sure to be scrutinising their new signing's every move. "I'm confident I'll live up to their expectations," said Modrić, not yet comfortable enough to express himself in English. "Also, some of the players there have told me they'll now have someone to watch and cheer for. I think I'll do well, but the most important thing is the team."

Bilić praise
Drawn alongside co-hosts Austria, Germany and Poland in Group B, Croatia will at least be targeting a berth in the quarter-finals. Much will therefore depend on how much magic Modrić can conjure up in his role behind the front two, particularly in the absence of injured striker Eduardo da Silva, a player capable of creating chances for himself. Modrić remains undaunted, however, citing coach Slaven Bilić for giving him the confidence to express his talents. "We've been working together for three and a half years and Mr Bilić trusted me from the start," explained the 2007 Prva Liga Player of Year. "He trusted me to show what I can do on the pitch. It's a pleasure to be able to work with someone like him." Tottenham fans will get their first glimpse when Croatia face Austria in Vienna on Sunday

Can Italy shoulder Cannavaro blow?

Can Italy shoulder Cannavaro blow?



Injuries have struck early at UEFA EURO 2008™. Croatia lost their key striker Eduardo da Silva months ago and then last Saturday Dutch forward Ryan Babel was ruled out with torn ankle ligaments. Italy's hopes of adding the Henri Delaunay trophy to their FIFA World Cup crown received a huge setback on Monday when captain Fabio Cannavaro suffered a similar injury to his left ankle.

Vieira doubt
France are likely to be without Patrick Vieira for their opening game against Romania as he is suffering from a thigh injury. Russia, already without talisman Andrei Arshavin who is suspended for the first two matches, are hoping that key marksman Pavel Pogrebnyak will be fit but the UEFA Cup's joint top scorer is suffering with a knee cartilage injury. Co-hosts Switzerland, meanwhile, may have to kick off the tournament without midfielder Tranquillo Barnetta.

Croatia grounding raises bouyant Bilić

Croatia grounding raises bouyant Bilić





"Look at our qualifying record" – that was the message from Croatia coach Slaven Bilić for anyone who doubts his team's ability to triumph at UEFA EURO 2008™.
Outside bet
Many have billed the Croatians as an outside bet to win the whole tournament, and their charismatic trainer wholeheartedly agrees after steering his charges to the Group E summit on the road to Austria and Switzerland. "We're not only hoping we can give anyone a decent game, we're expecting it," he said. "We have grounds for hope: we have a good team, a quality team. We qualified from one of the toughest groups, beating England twice. We also had to play Russia and [F.Y.R.] Macedonia and we were the first side to win in Israel for four or five years."

Testing group
The former international defender now has his guns trained on Group B at the tournament proper, which, for Croatia, begins against Austria in Vienna on Sunday. "It would maybe be better not to play Austria first because they are hosts," added Bilić. "But it certainly wouldn't be good to play Germany in the first game. And it wouldn't be good to play Poland either. So maybe it would be best to play San Marino in the first game, but unfortunately that's not possible, with the greatest respect to them."

Players ready
Josef Hickersberger's men it will be, then, and Bilić promised that his team will be in explosive shape for the showdown at the Ernst-Happel-Stadion. "At the start of our preparations, which took three weeks, things were a bit dodgy," he said. "Maybe 20 per cent of the players hadn't played enough for their clubs and another 20 per cent had played too much. But that's why we employed an excellent fitness coach. Players always say they are ten per cent better than they are, but we're watching them and we see. They're fit physically and they're fit in their heads. And that's why we're going into the EURO with belief."

Goalkeeping issue
Bilić also believes his team hold an advantage in the goalkeeping department, with a clear hierarchy running from regular No1 Stipe Pletikosa to Mario Galinović, via second-choice Vedran Runje. Hickersberger, on the other hand, has been reluctant to make a decision on who will stand between the posts this weekend. "I don't understand that," said his Croatian counterpart. "I wouldn't do that. All three will be nervous. Maybe they will have sleepless nights. But we will see. Perhaps the result will show he was right, or perhaps he will think he should have named his goalkeeper a year ago."

Bilić keen to recapture spirit of '96

Bilić keen to recapture spirit of '96



There is pride in his voice as Slaven Bilić remebers EURO '96™. His generation was the first to represent Croatia in half a century and it was the first tournament his country had contested after the Balkan conflict. Ask him about the highs and lows of a career that spanned 14 years and included an appearance in a FIFA World Cup semi-final, and it is to that summer in England that he returns.

Šuker goal
"As a player I was happy just to be a part of [the tournament] once," he told uefa.com. "I played in England – that's the place to play. The saddest moment in my career was when we lost to Germany in the quarter-finals. I thought we were better than them. My best memory though was when [Davor] Šuker equalised to make the score 1-1 at Old Trafford. At that moment I felt like Manchester United [FC] were playing. There were a lot of German fans and a few Croatians but all the neutrals, when Šuker scored…" He pauses, recalling the moment. "That was the best memory of my career." Matthias Sammer would strike the winner for Germany eight minutes later, but by then Croatia had already set an example for future generations.

'World class'
Now coach of the national side, Bilić believes there are clear similarities between his current side and that team. "We similar character, spirit and skill. You could say that team had more world-class players because in midfield you had [Aljoša] Asanović, [Zvonomir] Boban, [Robert] Prosinečki and up front you had [Alen] Bokšić and Šuker. But we hadn't had a chance to play before because of the war in Croatia. Most of us were 27 or 28 when we played at EURO '96™ and the World Cup in 1998. This team is younger, unknown by the rest of Europe, but I'm positive it will have a similar number of world-class players. It is a different time, but we have a good team now as well."

England defeated
Croatia proved that in qualifying, when they finished top of Group E and knocked out England by winning at Wembley. For Bilić it was another important step in the progress of a youthful side. Bilić was named Croatia coach after the 2006 FIFA World Cup having impressed with the Under-21s, many of whom will be joining the 39-year-old in Austria and Switzerland this summer. "When I put three of them, [Luka] Modrić, [Vedran] Ćorluka, Eduardo [da Silva] straight into the first XI in my first game, a friendly against Italy in Livorno, people said I was crazy, that I was too brave. But I could do it because I knew them, because they were progressing with me, not only in football, but in life. I simply knew they were going to be good, that they were ready to play at the highest level. [Being U21 manager] helped me a lot because I simply knew those guys."

Confidence
The ties are strong in the Croatia squad. Four of his assistants, Prosinečki, Nikola Jurčević, Marijan Mrmić and Asanović played alongside Bilić at EURO '96™. They are all close friends and together have passed on the spirit forged at that tournament. "We're a really strong nation, we have a good character," Bilić says. "But you do have to work on it." Nothing helps build confidence as much as winning and Bilić's side are getting stronger with every game. Victory at Wembley went a long way to proving that Croatia should not be taken lightly. "We're never going to be treated like England, France, Italy, Spain or Germany, but we are good. But in some ways I would like this lack of respect to continue because maybe teams think they can beat Croatia quite easily. But I think players know we're good and they respect us a lot."

Greece example
Austria, Germany and Poland will pay due respect in Group B. Eduardo's horrific injury has cast a shadow over Croatia's preparations, but will not dent confidence. "All I can do is guarantee we're going to do our best, that we're going to progress, that we're going to play some good football. I can't guarantee the results but that should bring us to the point where we'll be able to play against any team with equal chances of beating them. I was happy for Greece in 2004 because Greece gave hope to the smaller nations like us that we can do it."

Guitar man
To achieve that goal, keeping relaxed as well as focused will be key. For Bilić that means playing the guitar. "Some guys play golf, some guys play street football, others play chess, others spend hours on the internet. I play guitar and I need it to do my job properly. Sometimes it's my charger and sometimes it relaxes me but I definitely need it and can't do my job without music." Hearing the Croatian national anthem come kick off against Austria in Vienna on 8 June would be the sweetest music of all.

Croatia held by improving Hungary

Croatia held by improving Hungary




Hungary 1-1 Croatia
A week after defeating holders Greece, Hungary denied another UEFA EURO 2008™ contender as they held Croatia to a draw in Budapest.
First XI
Midfielder Niko Kovač scored at both ends – giving the visitors a 23rd-minute lead only to undo his good work by getting the last touch as Tamás Vaskó attempted to scramble an equaliser on the stroke of half-time. Croatia coach Slaven Bilić had said beforehand that his starting lineup would be the one to take the field against Austria on 8 June, but a number of players failed to deliver and he may be forced into a rethink.

Nervous
Croatia started brightly, an Ivica Olić run ending with the forward setting up Kovač whose shot was well saved by Márton Fülöp. The goalkeeper was not so confident when trying to collect a Darijo Srna corner midway through the half, however, and Kovač was on hand to head Croatia in front. Bilić's side also looked nervous at the back, and hesitation from No1 Stipe Pletikosa – combined with Vaskó's persistence and an unfortunate deflection – contributed to Kovač's 44th-minute own goal.

Skipper wary
Kovač, Croatia's captain, came close to nodding in another Srna corner in the 53rd minute, his effort striking both crossbar and post before being gathered by Fülöp, but a draw was a fair result as the teams traded late chances. Kovač said: "We played against a very good side who beat Greece. We have to be aware that Austria will also be strong in our first EURO match and that won't be easy."

Croatia: Pletikosa, Ćorluka, R Kovač (Knežević 62), Šimunić, Pranjić, Srna, N Kovač, Modrić, Kranjčar (Vukojević 62), Petrić (Klasnić 46), Olić (Rakitić 46).

Hungary: Fülöp, Bodnár, Vaskó, Juhász, Bodor, Gera, Dárdai (Szélesi 88), Vadócz, Dzsudzsák (Orosz 63), Hajnal, Huszti

Croatia packing a mean punch

Croatia packing a mean punch




How did they perform in UEFA EURO 2008™ qualifying?

• The most consistent performers in a competitive Group E, Croatia qualified with a game to spare thanks to Russia's defeat in Israel – news of which filtered through to the team halfway through their 2-0 defeat in F.Y.R. Macedonia.
• It was the only defeat suffered by Croatia during an impressive first campaign under former international defender Slaven Bilić.
• They began with a useful 0-0 draw in Russia and took off the next month with a 7-0 win against Andorra, Mladen Petrić's four goals helping Croatia equal their previous record win,7-0 against Australia in 1998.
• Four days later, on 11 October 2006, Croatia got an even better result, 2-0 at home against England.
• Having scored against England, Brazilian-born striker Eduardo da Silva netted a hat-trick as Croatia won 4-3 in Israel in their next game.
• With ten goals overall, Eduardo finished as the second top scorer in qualifying behind Northern Ireland’s David Healy.
• Croatia saved the best for last, their 3-2 win against England at Wembley on 21 November 2007 confirming first place in the section and ending their hosts' hopes of qualifying. "We are good – very good," said Bilić.

How did they perform in the 2006 FIFA World Cup?

• Croatia topped their group with seven wins and three draws from their ten 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. Although Sweden also finished with the same points total, the Croatians held the stronger record in direct matches involving the two group principals. In total, Croatia scored 21 times with five goals conceded.
• Their key victory came in their second match in the qualifying competition. Having dismissed Hungary's challenge with a 3-0 win in Zagreb in their opener after opposing defender Szabolcs Huszti was dismissed after eleven minutes, Croatia won in Sweden thanks to Darijo Srna's 64th-minute free-kick.
• Although Croatia would be held to draws at home against Bulgaria (2-2) and away against Malta (1-1), they won the return matches against those opponents as well as defeating Iceland home and away.
• This set up their crucial second meeting with Sweden in Zagreb in their penultimate fixture, a match the Croatians won thanks to Srna's 56th-minute penalty. Their final fixture ended in a scoreless draw away against Hungary, enough to confirm their first-place finish.
• Croatia lost 1-0 to Brazil before 0-0 and 2-2 draws against Japan and Australia respectively in the group stage of the finals.
• Josip Šimunić and Dario Šimić were both sent-off in Croatia's final game against Australia as they went out of the tournament at the first hurdle.

How did they perform in UEFA EURO 2004™?

• Croatia advanced to the UEFA EURO 2004™ final tournament via the play-offs after finishing second to Bulgaria in the qualification phase. With five victories and a draw from their eight matches, the Croatians trailed the group winners by a point, but finished ahead of Belgium due to their superior goal difference in the direct matches between the two teams.
• It was in their first match against Belgium, their third in the qualifying campaign, that the Croatians finally found their feet. Having opened the competition with a scoreless home draw against Estonia, the Croatians were then on the receiving end of a 2-0 defeat away against Bulgaria. Belgium then bore the full brunt of Croatian wrath in Zagreb as the home side ran out 4-0 winners thanks to goals from Srna (9), Dado Pršo (55), Tomislav Marić (70) and Jerko Leko (76).
• They would not concede a goal for 448 consecutive minutes before a brace from Wesley Sonck (35, 43) in Brussels helped Belgium to avenge their earlier defeat with Marco Rapaic (37) scoring Croatia's goal.
• The Croatians then held their nerve in their final game, defeating the already-qualified Bulgaria thanks to Ivica Olić's 48th-minute goal at Zagreb's Maksimir stadium.
• Their reward was a two-legged play-off against Slovenia, the Croatians winning 2-1 on aggregate, despite being held to a 1-1 draw at home in the opening leg. They took the lead through Pršo after five minutes only for Ermin Siljak to equalise midway through the half. But Croatia would go on to stun Slovenia in Ljubljana, Pršo scoring the only goal of the game shortly after the hour mark.
• Croatia failed to advance beyond the group stage in Portugal, recording two draws and a defeat from their three outings. Those draws came in their opening two engagements against Switzerland (0-0) and France (2-2) before they were outgunned by England (4-2) in their last match.

What is their best performance in the UEFA European Championship?

• Croatia's best performance to date came in their first involvement in the competition. Having topped their qualification round group for EURO '96™ with 23 points from ten games, the Croatians were pitched against Denmark, Portugal and Turkey in the final tournament group phase. Opening with two victories against Turkey (1-0) and Denmark (3-0), the Croatians qualification for the knockout phase was guaranteed prior to their 3-0 defeat against Portugal in their last match. Facing eventual winners, Germany, in the quarter-final phase, the Croatians exited following a 2-1 defeat.

Key facts
• Croatia have missed only one UEFA European Championship final tournament since independence, missing out on a trip to UEFA EURO 2000™.

All-time record
• Up until the end of qualifying for UEFA EURO 2008™, Croatia had appeared in the UEFA European Championship on four occasions, and had played 47 matches. In that time, they had won 28, drawn eleven and lost eight with 86 goals scored and 38 conceded.

CROATIA -Tournament fixtures

Tournament fixtures



08/06/2008 Croatia v Austria 18:00
12/06/2008 Croatia v Germany 18:00
16/06/2008 Croatiav Poland 20:45

CROATIA

CROATIA



Coach: BILIĆ

Squad list


Goalkeepers

»1 Stipe Pletikosa
»12 Mario Galinović
»23 Vedran Runje

Defenders

»2 Dario Šimić
»3 Josip Šimunić
»4 Robert Kovač
»5 Vedran Ćorluka
»6 Hrvoje Vejić
»13 Nikola Pokrivač
»15 Dario Knežević

Midfielders

»7 Ivan Rakitić
»8 Ognjen Vukojević
»10 Niko Kovač
»11 Darijo Srna
»14 Luka Modrić
»16 Jerko Leko
»19 Niko Kranjčar
»22 Danijel Pranjić

Forwards
»9 Nikola Kalinić
»17 Ivan Klasnić
»18 Ivica Olić
»20 Igor Budan
»21 Mladen Petrić