Two new faces named in Croatia squad to face France
- by croatiaweek
- in Sport
Croatia to meet France this month
Croatia coach Zlatko Dalić haas named two debutants in his squad to face France in the Nations League quarterfinal this month.
21-year-old striker Franjo Ivanović, who plays for Union Saint-Gilloise in Belgium, and Rijeka midfielder Toni Fruk have both been called up for the first time.
New Faces in Dalić’s Squad
“Ivanović and Fruk have consistently performed well and earned their place in the senior team. We believe they will add even more competition to an already strong squad.”
“With minor adjustments, we have remained loyal to the squad that secured this phase. Many players are in great form, which is encouraging. I’m especially pleased to have Josip Juranović and Josip Stanišić back after their injuries,” said Dalić.
“Reaching the quarterfinals is a success. Croatia is once again among Europe’s best, and only top teams remain in the competition. France, the 2018 World Cup winners and 2022 runners-up, are an incredibly strong opponent, and I have great respect for them and their coach Didier Deschamps.”
“However, we have already shown in the previous Nations League that we can compete with France. I believe in our quality and team spirit, and in front of a packed Poljud, we will aim for a positive result before the return match in Paris.”
The quarterfinals will take place on 20 and 23 March 2025.
The first leg is set for 20 March at 20:45 at Poljud Stadium in Split, while the return leg will take place three days later at Stade de France in Saint-Denis.
Croatia squad
Goalkeepers: Dominik Livaković, Ivica Ivušić, Dominik Kotarski
Defenders: Joško Gvardiol, Josip Juranović, Duje Ćaleta-Car, Borna Sosa, Josip Šutalo, Josip Stanišić, Marin Pongračić
Midfielders: Luka Modrić, Mateo Kovačić, Mario Pašalić, Nikola Vlašić, Luka Sučić, Martin Baturina, Kristijan Jakić, Petar Sučić, Nikola Moro, Toni Fruk
Forwards: Ivan Perišić, Andrej Kramarić, Ante Budimir, Franjo Ivanović
On call: Marko Pjaca, Mislav Oršić, Martin Erlić, Marco Pašalić, Nediljko Labrović
The quarterfinals are:
Netherlands v Spain
Denmark v Portugal
Croatia v France
Italy v Germany
If Croatia beat France, they will play either Spain or Netherlands in the semifinals.
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