The draw on this EURO is a total cr@p. Spain - Italy in 1/8 looks to be a joke, when teams like (with all the RESPECT to them) Northern Ireland, Slovakia, Iceland/Hungary or even Albania will be playing in the ko stages. Increasing the teams to 24 was not the best idea. However they would never revert those changes, unfortunately.
What a fantastic game! This win is a big boost for us. To be honest, Croatia matches are by far the best in the tournament. Watch our games, you won't be disappointed. Hopefully we can be mentally prepared for some more "upsets". Don't forget, Croatia played with B team tonight without stars like Modrić, Mandžukić, Brozović...
@ibarix Croatia have been supposedly dark horses for ages, finally they're living up to that. Emerge of Baldej is a huge deal for them, he stabilizes midfield excellently. Periic has raised to their difference maker and team works brilliantly together. But I wouldn't call this a B team for them. I understand what you're saying, but bringing in some fresh legs surely didn't weaken them. Pjaca in my opinion is very close for them to start and was probably more suitable for this match than Brozovic who is deployed as extra midfielder when he plays. Kalinic played better than Mandzukic so far and is now in contention to start for them. Vrsaljko played badly and Strinic should return to starting XI for next match. Only real surprise was Rog who was probably chose /ahead of Kovacic) to give more protection for defense.
suprised really I'm. Spain was for me the team I would put money on to win the euros and quite easily if I might add. But I hope this game end the argument who the world best gk is. Ppl would not shut up why Courtois is better than Neuer or De Gea better than Neuer that include stupid pundit pau; mariner aswell. It took bad season from Chelsea this year to make Courtois camp shut heck up and now few more perfomances like make up de gea camp shut up. If you think I'm De Gea hater all of you are bloody dang wrong. I like him as gk and he is definitely great shot stopper. But my argument is you undersieged gk like De Gea at Man Utd does it make it you world best. If so why isn't Andreas Kopke was world best and better than Schmeichel as he under sieged at Nurenberg or at other clubs he played at. Plus actually had performed well inernational stage as well like euros 96 comes to mind. If anyone says that Neuer shot stopping is suspect and he is all sweeping keeping is dead wrong...
yeah da problem is neuer not being as good shot stopper as de gea is just ignorance. Well if you look at season in fc schalke 04 he not only stopped lot of shots but he great save percentage as well around 73 %. That too for 21 or 22 year old goalkeeper and considering we schalke 04 had dreadful magath and ragnick as coach we slipping in goals left and right and neuer was quite frankly the only last line of defence. In fact Neuer was responsible for schalke 04 going all way to semi-final in cl and also he made porto cried.
The thing on sweeper keeping it is not easy brothers let me tell you that. Roman Burki is decent gk. But you see bayern munich 5-1 dortmund match. Burki tried sweeping keeping and he conceded two goals all on his own. so its is definitely not easy.
So The point is Neuer is the best either at shot stopping or sweeping he is the best and de gea too is great keeper but people definitely overrate him.
@Ffaris- There aren't many in England who would say Neuer is anything but a great shot stopper. Anybody who saw his performance for Bayern at the Emirates and his performance in the Germany friendly against England would have to concede he is as good as it gets. De Gea is as good a shot stopper and is the only keeper in the world close to Neuer though. Where Neuer can sometimes fail, and an area where de Gea himself has improved immensely, is commanding the box at set plays. That's not to say he can't/doesn't, but he needs to learn when to come and when to let his defenders clear it themselves. It doesn't help having an unsettled back 4 at Bayern. All of the keepers who command the box at corners, free-kicks etc are those behind a good, settled back 4. The signing of Hummels will help Neuer develop his discernment I'm sure. I think comparing how good both were at the same age (25), de Gea is better but if I were to pick 1 keeper today, it'd be Neuer 100%.
France, Germany, Spain, Italy and England will probably play for the same spot in the final. So great games ahead and makes me wonder if Croatia will go all the way to the final!
@Castle- And if Croatia do indeed reach the final (realistically they'll have to play Belgium in the semis and they aren't exactly playing like the sum of their parts atm), and everybody is fit, they could be considered slight favourites purely because if Portugal finish 2nd in their group, whichever team progresses from that half of the draw will have had to play 3 extremely tough matches. It's about as hard as you'd expect in an international competition with one half of a draw containing countries who have won the world cup a combined 11 times and the Euros a combined 9 times.
@Castle well you will never know. Last time i remember at at euros 2008 crotia were pretty close to finals at least. That team was easily the beat the crap out of germany the only thing that stopped them into the final to face spain was quarter final loss to turkey and who lost to germany and germany lost to spain. I was pretty sure that if Crotia at that time had face germany they would been the victor and would have ultimately faced Luis Aragones Spain. Ah endless possibilites they were easily the second best side in 2008 euros.
Juanfran was responsible for both goals conceded, awful defending on the first and didn't even try to get back for the 2nd leaving Pique to deal with two players
Croatia played well in there first 2 games. Unlucky against Czech.
Spain is already qualified for the next round, but obviously they don't want to lose.
1-1
The draw on this EURO is a total cr@p. Spain - Italy in 1/8 looks to be a joke, when teams like (with all the RESPECT to them) Northern Ireland, Slovakia, Iceland/Hungary or even Albania will be playing in the ko stages. Increasing the teams to 24 was not the best idea. However they would never revert those changes, unfortunately.
@tar88s That's because it is not in their financial interest to do so. Football is a business first. A sport second.
What a fantastic game! This win is a big boost for us. To be honest, Croatia matches are by far the best in the tournament. Watch our games, you won't be disappointed. Hopefully we can be mentally prepared for some more "upsets". Don't forget, Croatia played with B team tonight without stars like Modrić, Mandžukić, Brozović...
@ibarix Croatia have been supposedly dark horses for ages, finally they're living up to that. Emerge of Baldej is a huge deal for them, he stabilizes midfield excellently. Periic has raised to their difference maker and team works brilliantly together. But I wouldn't call this a B team for them. I understand what you're saying, but bringing in some fresh legs surely didn't weaken them. Pjaca in my opinion is very close for them to start and was probably more suitable for this match than Brozovic who is deployed as extra midfielder when he plays. Kalinic played better than Mandzukic so far and is now in contention to start for them. Vrsaljko played badly and Strinic should return to starting XI for next match. Only real surprise was Rog who was probably chose /ahead of Kovacic) to give more protection for defense.
Fantastic game! And this Croatia side looks like a classic.
suprised really I'm. Spain was for me the team I would put money on to win the euros and quite easily if I might add. But I hope this game end the argument who the world best gk is. Ppl would not shut up why Courtois is better than Neuer or De Gea better than Neuer that include stupid pundit pau; mariner aswell. It took bad season from Chelsea this year to make Courtois camp shut heck up and now few more perfomances like make up de gea camp shut up. If you think I'm De Gea hater all of you are bloody dang wrong. I like him as gk and he is definitely great shot stopper. But my argument is you undersieged gk like De Gea at Man Utd does it make it you world best. If so why isn't Andreas Kopke was world best and better than Schmeichel as he under sieged at Nurenberg or at other clubs he played at. Plus actually had performed well inernational stage as well like euros 96 comes to mind. If anyone says that Neuer shot stopping is suspect and he is all sweeping keeping is dead wrong...
yeah da problem is neuer not being as good shot stopper as de gea is just ignorance. Well if you look at season in fc schalke 04 he not only stopped lot of shots but he great save percentage as well around 73 %. That too for 21 or 22 year old goalkeeper and considering we schalke 04 had dreadful magath and ragnick as coach we slipping in goals left and right and neuer was quite frankly the only last line of defence. In fact Neuer was responsible for schalke 04 going all way to semi-final in cl and also he made porto cried. The thing on sweeper keeping it is not easy brothers let me tell you that. Roman Burki is decent gk. But you see bayern munich 5-1 dortmund match. Burki tried sweeping keeping and he conceded two goals all on his own. so its is definitely not easy. So The point is Neuer is the best either at shot stopping or sweeping he is the best and de gea too is great keeper but people definitely overrate him.
@Ffaris- There aren't many in England who would say Neuer is anything but a great shot stopper. Anybody who saw his performance for Bayern at the Emirates and his performance in the Germany friendly against England would have to concede he is as good as it gets. De Gea is as good a shot stopper and is the only keeper in the world close to Neuer though. Where Neuer can sometimes fail, and an area where de Gea himself has improved immensely, is commanding the box at set plays. That's not to say he can't/doesn't, but he needs to learn when to come and when to let his defenders clear it themselves. It doesn't help having an unsettled back 4 at Bayern. All of the keepers who command the box at corners, free-kicks etc are those behind a good, settled back 4. The signing of Hummels will help Neuer develop his discernment I'm sure. I think comparing how good both were at the same age (25), de Gea is better but if I were to pick 1 keeper today, it'd be Neuer 100%.
De Gea should have never been played. He is physically there but not mentally.
France, Germany, Spain, Italy and England will probably play for the same spot in the final. So great games ahead and makes me wonder if Croatia will go all the way to the final!
@Castle- And if Croatia do indeed reach the final (realistically they'll have to play Belgium in the semis and they aren't exactly playing like the sum of their parts atm), and everybody is fit, they could be considered slight favourites purely because if Portugal finish 2nd in their group, whichever team progresses from that half of the draw will have had to play 3 extremely tough matches. It's about as hard as you'd expect in an international competition with one half of a draw containing countries who have won the world cup a combined 11 times and the Euros a combined 9 times.
@Castle well you will never know. Last time i remember at at euros 2008 crotia were pretty close to finals at least. That team was easily the beat the crap out of germany the only thing that stopped them into the final to face spain was quarter final loss to turkey and who lost to germany and germany lost to spain. I was pretty sure that if Crotia at that time had face germany they would been the victor and would have ultimately faced Luis Aragones Spain. Ah endless possibilites they were easily the second best side in 2008 euros.
i think spain didnt wanna win they passing was unusual like a kindergarden kid playing football
Juanfran was responsible for both goals conceded, awful defending on the first and didn't even try to get back for the 2nd leaving Pique to deal with two players
Adios Espana...Italy is going to smash you...
@moo13 lol dont be so confident.
@moo13 lol
Ramos and De Gea were just so poor, and Koke should've came on instead of Thiago.
Perisic was really on fire tonight ...
@neumi17 actually that was the the Spain defence who was on fire have to say, especially Juanfran
what is wrong with de gea?
Wait, why is Modric not starting?
@ryanzhang9 He got groin injury against Czech. Should be able to play later in tournament though.
I think morata will be the owner of Gloden Boot.
@mybesteighteen Bale is more likely to win the Golden Boot imo.
Spain is exploting them left n right.
morataaa
back Espanha intervalo
r u sure casillas is startin?
Naprijed Hrvatska!
Croatia played well in there first 2 games. Unlucky against Czech. Spain is already qualified for the next round, but obviously they don't want to lose. 1-1
@dynek You're close to get the score right :)
@Drifter 2-1!! even better! :D
@dynek *their ^^
Croatia is no match for Spain
@NuchalLine Well, do you even know who's playing for Croatia? Some guys from Real, Barca, Inter, Juventus, Fiorentina.... Yea, they're bad. LOL
@ibarix nice word mate
@NuchalLine Hahahahaha
Pure DRAW
Draw or Croatia win.