“The match with Japan will be the most difficult for us in the tournament, I hope Lovren will show himself” – Croatian journalist

Croatian 24Sata journalist Tomislav Gabelic hopes that his national team’s defense led by Dejan Lovren in the match against Japan in the 1/8 finals of the 2022 World Cup will show its best qualities.

The 1/8 final match between Croatia and Japan will take place on December 5, starting at 18:00 Moscow time. Live broadcast can be seen on Match TV, MATCH PREMIER and Match! Football 1″.

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– Everyone believes in the victory of the Croatian team, but the match with Japan will be the most difficult for us in the tournament. The Asian team showed Germany and Spain how strong they are. Now it will be interesting what will happen today.

I am sure that Zlatko Dalic will not make changes in the composition. The exception is Sosa’s cold, who will be replaced by Barsic. All hope will be on the experience of our defenders. I hope that Dejan Lovren, as in previous matches, will show that the defense of Croatia with him in the squad is an impenetrable wall.

Can this Croatia reach the final? Everyone wants it, but the 2018 team has aged and changed a lot. There is a change of generations, new young players are coming. It’s too early to say yet, but today’s match with Japan will show whether the Croatian team is ready to repeat the success of the last World Cup and go as far as possible in this World Cup, ”Sport24 journalist said.