The Croatian disaster against Spain has consequences: Pongracic and Brozovic, on a tight rope

The painful and big defeat against Spain raised blisters within the concentration of Croatiathe old one Albania It has the kind of final to keep its chances of making it to the round of 16 and where there are two players who could drop out of the starting eleven: Marin Pongracic and Marcelo Brozovic.

It was the steamroller Spain at the premiere of ‘Group of Death’ a woman was caught off guard Croatia which, overnight, saw his confidence erode. He arrives at the European tournament, the one he has historically underperformed, with a better result in the 2008 quarter-finals without a round of 16, with the security of a finalist at the 2018 World. Cup, a semi-finalist in the 2022 World Cup and finalist of League of Nations.

Lose to Spain He could enter the possibilities, but not the way he did. A blow dislocated inside, a situation already Zlatko Dalicthe coach, didn’t try to hide it.

“Against Spain, we entered the game not well, we were too far from the players, we arrived late in all the duels. Then we established control, possession, the game, but we conceded a goal in a situation that is not very common. I can’t help but have the feeling that we conceded three goals very easily, but Spain was very good for us,” he said this Sunday, at the regular press conference of Neuruppinneighboring town of Berlin wherein Croatia prepare the contest.

And a whole night has passed. He’s not hot, he knows what he’s doing when he says three goals are too cheap.

The three arrived at the middle lane. Place in Guardiol As a left back, he ensured that he was minimally controlled Lamine Yamal, but left the center orphaned, where lack of control reigned. In that sea of ​​doubts, Spain found oil. Morata with a pass into Fabián’s space; Fabián himself dances in the foreground; and Carvajal finishing alone in the middle of the area.

With two starting defenders, Josip Sutalo (Ajax) and Marin Pongracic (Lecce), The latter was the largest reported by the Croatian press. The Lecce center-back is making his debut in a great competition at an absolute level and is one of the few starters not at the last World Cup. His experience is limited to a small number of games in the Champions League with Borussia Dortmund. And noticed it. Guardiol can act as a center in his area.

Other great highlights of the Croatian press are Marcelo Brozovican Al Nassr player who also did not reach the standards. Mario Pasalic (Atalanta)intends to enter as his replacement.

Furthermore, far from extinguishing the fire, Dalic decided to create another pointing to Bruno Petkovic, who violated an internal rule and received a penalty when he caused it, something forbidden in the Croatian locker room; and, from the coach’s point of view, he could have scored a goal earlier.

“When I saw the video afterwards, I think he should have scored the goal. Maybe Rodrigo It was his turn, but I think he should have done everything to score that goal. That’s my impression. The goalkeeper rushed to the other side, everything was empty. “I think he needs to make an extra effort to score a goal,” he said. Dalic.

“Especially because he failed in League of Nations with both goalkeepers. Here in the national team there is no place for ego. Perišić or Majer “They should have shot…” he added.

Dalic He even admitted that he deleted it Modric and Kovacic at game time to give them a break, thinking about the next match.

Be that as it may, Croatia there is a chance to turn the situation around Albania and, who knows, to come with options of everything until the last day against Italy. Right now he has room for maneuver, but the sensations that come out of the preparation center of Croatia They are nervous and restless.