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It’s another semi-final stage.

The entire country of Croatia is paying attention.

After experiencing a series of wars, Croatia is very tired.

Public opinion from the outside world is also beginning to form.

The influence of the Croatian media is too small. Even if they are dissatisfied and question the schedule, they still cannot form a large scale.

But soon, Italy started to help.

Italian media is obviously more influential than Croatian media.

"L'Equipe" was the first to open a group meeting with FIFA, saying that the schedule had many unreasonable features.

Croatia may be at the mercy of FIFA's schedule.

Next came the English press.

This is surprising.

After all, no one expected that the English media would actually speak for Croatia.

But combined with their desire to join in the fun and chase the heat, it’s understandable.

After the two major European media began to form public opinion, it began to spread to the world.

An invisible storm of public opinion soon formed.

FIFA also urgently refuted the rumors, saying that the schedule was not manipulative in any way.

It's just that they are still vague about the sudden increase in the knockout draw, and they obviously haven't found a suitable reason.

The media is obsessed with this, and FIFA is also racking its brains to think of countermeasures.

Currently, Croatia is still playing in the World Cup, so there won't be much of a problem.

But once Croatia loses, this public opinion will create a big storm.

After all, after experiencing this World Cup, especially after the game between Croatia and Germany, Croatia's terrifying ability to attract fans has been demonstrated.

Suker, Modric and others also began to attract fans around the world.

Individual fans plus team fans, plus the media fanning the flames, this force cannot be ignored.

The German and Spanish media also wanted to join in the fun.

However, they are the ones who benefited, so they cannot come forward directly. They can only reprint the content of other media for the entertainment of fans.

July 8, Durban Stadium.

"Spain! Spain! Spain!"

"We are the Matador Legion!!!"

Spanish fans streamed towards the stadium from the street on the left.

On the right side, there are a large number of Croatian fans.

"Victory belongs to Croatia!"

"Victory belongs to Croatia!"

"Victory belongs to Croatia!"

Violent cheers and neat slogans.

Croatian fans welcomed their second World Cup semi-final in history with the most passion.

The buses of players from both sides also arrived at the stadium under the lens of the media and the gaze of fans.

The two buses arrived almost at the same time, which also feasted the eyes of the fans standing outside the stadium.

Fans from both sides were shouting the players' names loudly.

This makes the already hot weather even hotter.

All Croatian fans in South Africa came to Durban, which made the atmosphere even more lively.

In the short journey from the bus into the stadium, the Croatian players felt the fierce cheers from the fans.

"The semi-finals are the semi-finals!" Duimovich said with emotion, picking at his ears: "My eardrums are going to be broken!"

Others nodded in agreement.

The atmosphere in the semi-finals was completely different from previous games.

The enthusiasm of Croatian fans has also increased exponentially.

After all, they tied their historical record and reached the World Cup semi-finals.

This is especially true for young players like Perisic and Lovren.

Especially Lovren, he is not the main player in this World Cup. Although he has had opportunities to play, he is almost the role of the water dispenser keeper.

His current strength is not enough to become a starting choice.

But with this experience, for Lovren and other young Croatian players, their long-cherished desire to grow has become even stronger.

Rather than sit on the bench, they played.

They want to be part of this team.

One of the starting eleven!

They want to stand in the stadium with these Croatian heroes and accept the cheers of the fans.

It can be said that for these young players, this World Cup not only experienced the atmosphere of the World Cup and accumulated valuable experience, but also helped them create a heart that is eager to grow.

In the Croatian dressing room, Van Steyak directly announced the starting lineup.

Perisic got the chance to start, which made Lovren and other young people very envious.

They are all of the same age, but Perisic has started many times in the World Cup and scored goals.

Watching the starting players begin to change their jerseys, they walked out of the locker room in shorts to prepare for warm-ups.

The substitutes also immediately followed.

In the stadium, the cheers were still deafening.

On both sides of the court, Croatian and Spanish players were warming up.

Su Ke and other starting players wore shorts to warm up, and there were also dedicated coaches to take them through a thorough warm-up.

As for the substitutes, they all warmed up on their own.

But even so, they didn't dare to be careless at all.

After all, anything can happen during a game, so they need to be ready to play at any time.

During the warm-up, players from both sides frequently looked towards the opposite half, with fear evident in their eyes.

In the commentary box in Croatia, the host looked at the TV and said:

"For Croatia, this is a crucial game. Unfortunately, Kovac cannot play due to a red card, and Srna is also injured. The absence of these two people may cause us some problems." What does Mr. Besic think of this?"

As a guest commentator, Besic looked a little dazed.

His eyes were looking straight ahead, but in his head was the phone call that Davo Suk and Boban made to him.

I hope I can serve as the head coach of the Croatian national team.

Besic has previously served as the head coach of Dinamo Zagreb, and he has a very sharp vision in selecting players.

Suker, Modric, Mandzukic, etc.

These Croatian players were almost promoted by him.

It can be said that apart from Bilic, he is indeed the most suitable candidate to serve as the coach of the Croatian national team.

After all, he can handle the job seamlessly.

But he didn't think he was a qualified candidate.

Besic has a deep understanding of himself. He is not the type of coach who can open up new territories for Croatia.

It's okay to let him stabilize his results, but let him lead these young people to win the championship. He doesn't think he can do it.

Therefore, he declined the request.

But with Davor Suk's character, he shouldn't give up so easily.

Besic felt a little headache.

"Sir? Sir?"

Seeing Besic stunned, the host shouted several times before drawing Besic's attention back.

"Yes!" Besic coughed dryly and then said; "The absence of Kovac and Srna put our defense at a certain degree of danger. In addition, in the last game, Vukojevic Although he has returned from injury, his condition has not yet recovered, he is a little hesitant when handling the ball, and he has made more mistakes than before. These are all potential factors!"

After a pause, Besic continued; "Of course, we don't have no chance. I think our striker is better than Spain. Suker's scoring efficiency is still very high, and he is in hot form. Once the midfielder can help Suker opens up the attacking lanes and he can help us score goals."

"So I think the key is the midfield confrontation!"

Besic's words made the host nod in approval, and at the same time he conducted in-depth analysis again.

At the same time, in the stadium, players from both sides also completed their warm-up and returned to the locker room.

"This is the last game before entering the final. To get a ticket for the final and return to Johannesburg, everything depends on this game."

"I want to tell you, don't put too much burden on yourself, and play a game that you won't regret!"

Van Steyak shouted; "Come on! Guys, show your fighting spirit!"

The Croatian players roared and walked out of the locker room.

When they came to the players' tunnel, the Spanish players were already standing here.

Suk glanced briefly, but he didn't see Busquets.

really!

Bosque is worried about his targeting of Busquets in club games.

After all, Busquets' performance in the two Spanish Clasicos last season was almost negative.

Therefore, Busquets was directly placed on the bench for this game.

The starting lineups of both sides are as follows:

Spain (4-2-3-1):

Goalkeeper: Casillas.

Defenders: Capdevila, Pique, Puyol, Ramos.

Midfielder: Iniesta, Xavi, Fabregas, Xavi Alonso, Pedro.

Forward: Villa.

Croatia (4-4-2):

Goalkeeper: Pletikosa.

Defenders: Joel Luka, Simunic, Planic, Konezevic.

Midfielder: Rakitic, Vukojevic, Modric, Kranjca.

Forwards: Mandzukic, Suker.

The national anthem was played throughout.

Duimovic looked at Spain's midfield lineup with the corners of his mouth shaking crazily.

"Damn it! Four top midfielders, what a hell the Spanish lineup is!"

There is no doubt that the combination of Xavi + Iniesta is the most powerful midfield combination in the entire football world.

And Cesc Fabregas is also at his peak.

Xavi Alonso's performance in Real Madrid was also extremely outstanding. He won the La Liga championship and the Copa del Rey last season.

It can be said that this set is the combination of a championship midfielder.

The most critical thing is that Spain also put Busquets on the bench.

Obviously, they are also worried about the side effects of Busquets being interfered by Suker during the league period.

Spain is trying to avoid risks as much as possible while expanding its own advantages.

Suker stood on the court looking at Busquets on the Spanish bench.

‘These guys really don’t want to give me any chance! ’

Suk also had a headache.

Aren't you all inflated?

The outside world is hyping up the Matador Legion, can't you just give it a try?

It's just that Bosque's character is too stable and low-key, and he can't rise no matter what.

Players from both sides shake hands.

During the period, Suker also hugged Ramos, Casillas, Alonso and other club teammates one by one.

After all, it is a national team event, so they cannot show how familiar they are.

No matter how good his relationship with the club is, according to Ramos's character, this guy will never be vague about what he should do.

The captains of both sides guessed.

Croatia won the kick-off.

Players from both sides come to their respective halves.

Croatia wears a red and white home jersey.

Spain is wearing a black away jersey.

Suker and Mandzukic stood in the center circle waiting for the kick-off.

"A quick start?"

Mandzukic twisted his waist and said.

Suk nodded vigorously; "Give these Spanish guys some eye drops!"

Immediately, Su Ke turned around and said, "Charge!"

The other Croatian players nodded.

Since they decided to attack, they couldn't play so conservatively.

The shortcomings of the defense line have been compensated as much as possible, but the effect is unknown. After all, Planic has rarely played as a central defender, so this time he is a temporary strongman.

At the midfield line, Vukojevic and Modric trailed behind.

Suk is still very confident in the physical fitness of these two people.

Even if the state is unstable, as long as you can run.

What Spain fears most is being pestered, and Croatia will cling to Spain like a dog-skin plaster.

Don't let them hold the ball comfortably, and don't let them throw the ball comfortably.

Beep!

As the whistle blew, the game began.

"The game begins! The game begins! This is the 2010 South Africa World Cup semi-finals, Spain VS Croatia!"

"After going through rounds of knockout rounds, the two teams gathered on the stage of the semi-finals to compete for the only remaining ticket to the finals."

"Will Croatia win, or will Spain get its revenge?"

Amid the roaring cheers of the audience, Suk and Mandzukic rushed forward.

Suker got directly into the opponent's back line.

On the other hand, after Mandzukic ran forward, he began to actively retreat.

Usually it is Suker who retreats, but this time it was Mandzukic.

Seeing this scene, Harvey Alonso frowned slightly.

He did not raise his position, but made a downward gesture towards Puyol, asking him to stay in the back line to restrict Suker, and let Alonso get close to Mandzukic.

boom!

Modric stepped forward directly.

After Croatia started the game, they passed the ball directly to the frontcourt.

Suker suddenly stepped sideways, preparing to put Puyol behind him, but at this moment, Puyol stretched out his legs, squeezed Suker behind him, and at the same time hit the ball with a lion's head. Got out.

Roar! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ——

Puyol roared, venting his inner frustration.

damn it!

Still doing this?

Do you think I don't want to be taught a lesson?

During the game against Real Madrid, Suker used this trick many times to sneak into the side after the opening.

But this time, Puyol learned his lesson. After the start, he was very focused and grabbed the first place where the ball landed.

Croatia conceded the goal.

However, this also officially kicked off the wave of this offensive feast.

"Go up!"

"Grab it!!!"

"Surround us! Surround us!"

"Fuck him!"

The Croatian players rushed forward screaming.

Despite many hard battles, his physical fitness has declined.

But they are ‘kidney fighters’!

Have you ever seen a Croatian player unable to run?

"The boys began to press fiercely, which also forced Spain to touch the ball urgently."

The Spanish players used continuous touches to pass the ball through the gaps.

The Croatian players did not slow down.

What we are fighting for now is resilience!

Did you make mistakes first under pressure, or did we fail to run first?

Mandzukic kept running. Even if the opponent moved the ball away, he still chased it without giving up.

"Rush! Charge! Keep rushing!"

"Pressure! Pressure!"

"Let them make mistakes! Let them make mistakes!"

"Keep pressing!"

All the Croatian players were running wildly.

Not only Mandzukic, but also Suker, Kranjca, Rakitic, Modric and others are constantly running and pressing.

"Control your position! Pay attention to distance and make full use of the width of the field!"

Harvey kept shouting, he was reminding the players to maintain the accuracy of passing.

But at the same time, sweat began to form on Harvey's forehead.

These Croatian guys are determined to keep their mouth shut!

"Danger! Take it out! Take it out!"

Harvey yelled.

boom!

Cesc Fabregas's pass to Iniesta was slightly stronger.

This caused Iniesta to lift the ball into the air when he stopped the ball.

Seeing this scene, Su Ke's eyes lit up.

"Fuck him!"

After shouting, the Croatian players rushed over.

Seeing such impressive Croatian players, even Iniesta felt a little flustered.

He reluctantly flicked the ball that landed on the ground with the instep of his outside foot, intending to pass it to Harvey.

But the force of the ball is too small.

Harvey quickly started to catch the ball. At this moment, Suker suddenly crossed over, got ahead of Harvey, and poked the ball to Rakitic on the side.

Rakitic passed the ball directly back until it was safe. After losing the ball, Croatia used fierce pressing to regain the ball again.

Whoops! Whoops! Whoops!

Mandzukic took several breaths and then smoothed his breathing.

These Spanish guys are too stable on their feet.

If it were any other person or team, Croatia would have been crushed.

But they persisted until now.

It's so suspenseful that they can't rush forward at first.

Fortunately, Spain still made a mistake and Croatia regained the ball.

"Beautiful! A very fierce press. After the opening, our boys used the fierce press to continuously apply pressure and force Spain to make mistakes. This is a very rare thing. Even though Spain has many outstanding midfielders, they Still lost the ball!”

Van Steyak clenched his fist hard on the sidelines.

That's right!

That’s it!

For Croatia, with such an intense pressing rhythm, they could not maintain the entire game.

Therefore, the offense must be compressed in the first half, and they must score goals in the first half.

This can be regarded as Vansteyak's desperate tactic.

On the other side, in the Spanish coaching bench, Del Bosque touched his chin and suddenly raised his eyebrows.

"So that's the plan!"

Bosque suddenly understood.

Thinking of this, he walked to the sidelines and shouted: "Harvey! Control the rhythm and try to delay as much time as possible."

Since Croatia will win in the first half, Spain will delay time. Anyway, their passing control is the best weapon to delay time.

It is too easy for Spain to delay time without attacking!