Spain 3-0 Croatia - Saturday 15th June, 2024

[Michael]

Spain's Dani Olmo comes on for Pedri.

[Stan]

That looks like a huge dive. 

[Michael]

I think Petkovic tripped himself up there, but the penalty is still given, i guess there was slight contact from Rodri. Anyway penalty for Croatia. Petkovic's penalty is saved excellently by Simon, but Perisic got to the rebound and he crossed to Petkovic who scored from close range. But the goal is disallowed because the Croatian players encroached in the box when the penalty was taken. There's nothing going right for Croatia today.

[Stan]

Amazed it was given/confirmed by VAR. 

Justice perhaps done as Croatia score after Petkovic misses the penalty, but there was encroachment. 

[Michael]

3 minutes ago, Stan said:

That looks like a huge dive. 

Petkovic tripped himself up it looked like.

[Stan]

Just now, Michael said:

Petkovic tripped himself up it looked like.

Which would equate to a dive. 

[Michael]

Perisic has a long range effort saved by Simon.

[Michael]

1 minute ago, Stan said:

Which would equate to a dive. 

Well yeah, but whether it was intentional or not, we won't know. Not sure if there was a slight clip from Rodri before Petkovic tripped himself up. Either way, Spain are in control.

[Michael]

It finishes 3-0 to Spain and it was a well deserved result. I think a lot of teams will look at this Spanish team and know they will be up there with the other contenders to win this title. Croatia will have to really improve on this performance if they want to have a successful run in this competition, as they have done in the past. I personally don't think they are good enough to go far in this competition. I suggested this before they kicked off their campaign, but I think today's performance confirms it to me.

Spain 3-0 Croatia

[Devil-Dick Willie]

6 hours ago, Michael said:

Didn't I say this Spanish side are way underrated and that Croatia are overrated?

Spain have been much better, they look quality to be fair.

God I agree. For some reason all the English football hipsters gluck gluck on Croatias dong. Probably because they beat England in the WC

[Devil]

The players Croatia have lost over the last five years is insane. The quality just isn't there in their replacements.

The lack a really good striker really badly.

[Michael]

8 hours ago, Devil-Dick Willie said:

God I agree. For some reason all the English football hipsters gluck gluck on Croatias dong. Probably because they beat England in the WC

Yeah, I've been saying this for a while now. Many were saying how dangerous this Croatia side are and I think it's based on their good performances in recent World Cup's, semi-finalists at the 2022 World Cup and finalists at the 2018 World Cup. But one has to look at the current team when analysing teams. For me, they have way too many older players in the team. Like I pointed out earlier, 5 of their 6 midfielders and attackers that started for Croatia yesterday, were in their 30's. This to me showed against Spain, as the Spanish were first to most of the 2nd balls. Also, Croatia's centre back pairing of Pongracic and Sutalo are just not good enough at this level for me. You're not going to win or go far at a major international competition with that centre back partnership in your team. 

I think Ukraine for example, would smash that Croatia team that started yesterday, yet many have been raving about Croatia before this competition started, but no mention of the likes of Ukraine. I might be called bias, but I am sure Ukraine would take that Croatia team apart, just how Spain did yesterday.

As for Spain, they should have been named as one of the favourites to win this competition at the start. Yet somehow they seem to have been overlooked by the pundits and general public.

38 minutes ago, Devil said:

The players Croatia have lost over the last five years is insane. The quality just isn't there in their replacements.

The lack a really good striker really badly.

I personally think it's to do with the fact that they have way too many older players in the offensive half of their team. They need to have more of a balance between the older players and younger players. Modric and Perisic for example are 38 and 35 years old respectively, and they both played yesterday. Christ, Spain had a 16 year old out on the field yesterday, who had electric pace, he was leaving many of the older Croatian players in his wake.

I think Croatia still have the quality in the midfield and attack, they just need to find more of a balance in there and have more younger players in those positions for a bit more pace. It's only really Lovro Majer who is the much younger player in those positions, the rest are in their 30's. 

I wouldn't say that they lack really good strikers either, both Budimir and Kramaric are proven goal-scorers. Again, they weren't getting the necessary service yesterday and I put a lot of that down to the age and lack of pace in the team. Also as I mentioned earlier, their defensive pairing of Sutalo and Pongracic are just not good enough if you want to go far at a major competition for me. I can think of many teams at these Euros who have a stronger centre-back pairing than those two.

Edited June 16 by Michael

[Devil]

3 hours ago, Michael said:

Yeah, I've been saying this for a while now. Many were saying how dangerous this Croatia side are and I think it's based on their good performances in recent World Cup's, semi-finalists at the 2022 World Cup and finalists at the 2018 World Cup. But one has to look at the current team when analysing teams. For me, they have way too many older players in the team. Like I pointed out earlier, 5 of their 6 midfielders and attackers that started for Croatia yesterday, were in their 30's. This to me showed against Spain, as the Spanish were first to most of the 2nd balls. Also, Croatia's centre back pairing of Pongracic and Sutalo are just not good enough at this level for me. You're not going to win or go far at a major international competition with that centre back partnership in your team. 

I think Ukraine for example, would smash that Croatia team that started yesterday, yet many have been raving about Croatia before this competition started, but no mention of the likes of Ukraine. I might be called bias, but I am sure Ukraine would take that Croatia team apart, just how Spain did yesterday.

As for Spain, they should have been named as one of the favourites to win this competition at the start. Yet somehow they seem to have been overlooked by the pundits and general public.

I personally think it's to do with the fact that they have way too many older players in the offensive half of their team. They need to have more of a balance between the older players and younger players. Modric and Perisic for example are 38 and 35 years old respectively, and they both played yesterday. Christ, Spain had a 16 year old out on the field yesterday, who had electric pace, he was leaving many of the older Croatian players in his wake.

I think Croatia still have the quality in the midfield and attack, they just need to find more of a balance in there and have more younger players in those positions for a bit more pace. It's only really Lovro Majer who is the much younger player in those positions, the rest are in their 30's. 

I wouldn't say that they lack really good strikers either, both Budimir and Kramaric are proven goal-scorers. Again, they weren't getting the necessary service yesterday and I put a lot of that down to the age and lack of pace in the team. Also as I mentioned earlier, their defensive pairing of Sutalo and Pongracic are just not good enough if you want to go far at a major competition for me. I can think of many teams at these Euros who have a stronger centre-back pairing than those two.

I don't know much about Budimir but I've seen Kramaric lots of times and he's bloody bang average at best. If he's leading your line at International level you are low on quality.

I've always been a fan of Croatia but the reality is those older players are still playing because there isn't the quality pushing to take their spots. 

[Michael]

59 minutes ago, Devil said:

I don't know much about Budimir but I've seen Kramaric lots of times and he's bloody bang average at best. If he's leading your line at International level you are low on quality.

I've always been a fan of Croatia but the reality is those older players are still playing because there isn't the quality pushing to take their spots. 

I completely disagree with your claims that Kramaric is bang average. He has been a key player in this Croatian national team for the last decade. He has 28 international goals for Croatia and plenty of assists. He is also still banging in the goals both for the national team and at club level, including a hattrick this season against Bayern Munich. He is still quality on his day.

Budimir on the other hand is much more of a late developer. Budimir who is 32, was part of the Croatia squad at both Euro 2020 and the 2022 World Cup, but he only made very few appearances for Croatia at those competitions and only as a substitute. The Croat manager decided to start him against Spain and Budimir had a very poor match. Budimir is a centre forward who is decent in the air and who mainly scores in and around the 6 yard box. You will rarely ever see him score from outside the area, he's a decent penalty taker as well. But he would be one of the players I'd replace to be honest, if I was the Croatia manager.

I think the Croatia should bring in more younger players into the team to compliment the older ones. They need more youth and pace in the team in my opinion. Younger players like Ivanusec, Sucic and even Vlasic should be given more of a chance in the team in my view.

Edited June 16 by Michael

[Machado]

Spain the only side that was truly tested as they faced a supposedly strong side, and they sure passed the test.

Spain faithful to themselves. Beautiful pressing and passing with intent, never for the sake of it.