Croatian footballers are highly motivated and can’t wait for the match with Brazil because they want to prove themselvessaid defender Josip Šutalo in an address to the media in Orlando.
We are all highly motivated, we can’t wait for the meeting. We want to prove ourselves to ourselves and othersto show that we can handle such teamssaid the 26-year-old stopper in the hotel where the national team is staying.
Croatia and Brazil will play a friendly match in the American city of Orlando on the night from Tuesday to Wednesday, at 2 o’clock Croatian time.
Selectman Zlatko Dalić said that in Šutalo from Ajax and Duje Ćaleta-Car from Real Sociedad will play defense.
Šutalo, with 30 appearances for Croatia, has never played against Brazil.
That is my great wish, I would like to prove myselfhe said.
In the national team, the theme is playing defense with three or four in the back line. Croatia played with three defenders against Colombia, which they beat 2-1 last week.
Šutalo did not perform, and as a stopper, the new decision will fall on his back.
We are more in the national team used to playing with four because we played many games in that way, but I don’t have a problem with three because I played it before. I don’t carehe replied.
Šutalo says that he is preparing for the match with Brazil, the five-time world champions, just like for other matches. But there is still a special feeling.
When you play against bigger teams, it may come to the fore a little, but the preparation is always the samehe said.
Šutalo has never been to the US, nor has he played against any of the Brazilian players who will take to the pitch at Camping World Stadium. One day he had a headache, but he explains that it has passed.
I’m readyhe said.
He explains that the atmosphere among the players is good after the victory over Colombia.
Everything is great ahead of Brazilhe added.
He was asked what the value of the Croatian national team is today, 11th in the FIFA rankings.
No I know why this national team is constantly underestimated. We have serious quality and we have shown in recent years that we can handle everyone. We confirmed it with the results and we can continue with ithe stated.
“First we need to get through the group at the WC, and then we’ll see how far we can go”
In the last 20 games, Croatia recorded four defeats, against Spain at the last European Championship, and then against Portugal, Scotland and France. At the last two World Championships, she won a bronze and a silver medal.
The expectation is that we will pass the group at the upcoming championship, of course. We need to play it the best we can, and then we’ll see how far we can goŠutalo said a little more than two months before the World Cup.
The defender made 26 appearances this season for Ajax, who are in fourth place in the Dutch league. PSV escapes him by 20 points.
I had a few injuries in the beginning so I didn’t pass the preparations, but now I feel good. I played the whole second half of the season. As for the club, we didn’t get off to the best start. We expect to play six games to the best of our ability and enter directly into the Champions Leaguehe added.
Three years ago, he left Dinamo for Ajax. When asked if he was satisfied with what was made or if he expected more, he answered:
Certainly yes can always do betterbut it’s a path you can’t influence. Everything happens for a reason. Those situations made me stronger, I think it’s all normal.
Šutalo does not know if he will leave Ajax this summer, with whom he has a contract for two more years.
I have six more games, and my goal now is to do as well as possible, so we’ll see in the summer.
If he plays well at the World Cup, there could be more opportunities for a transfer.
I don’t like to think that farŠutalo concluded.
(Hina | Photo: Zvonimir Barišin/Pixsell)
