Croatia to play Saudi Arabia

Marcelo Brozović ((Photograph credit score: Антон Зайцев/CC BY-SA 3.0)

The Croatian nationwide soccer crew will play a pleasant match in opposition to Saudi Arabia in Riyadh on November sixteenth.

The match would be the final check for Zlatko Dalić’s aspect earlier than the World Cup in Qatar. 

Saudi Arabia is ranked 49 on the planet within the FIFA rankings, and are in Group C on the World Cup with Argentina, Mexico and Poland.

We’re comfortable to agree with Saudi Arabia, which will likely be a great final check for the ‘Vatreni’ earlier than the World Cup. We’ve got thus fulfilled the want of the coach and our employees to play a match close to Qatar, for the sake of acclimatisation. From the organisational standpoint, HNS will, as at all times, present most assist to the nationwide crew earlier than and in the course of the World Cup, which the world runners-up deserve. I consider that with the standard and togetherness, which the Croatian nationwide crew actually has, we are going to as soon as once more have motive to rejoice with the Vatreni,” mentioned the President of the Croatian Soccer Federation, Marijan Kustić.

“Given the unusually quick preparations for the World Cup, we needed to be within the Center East from the primary day of the gathering to acclimatise to the situations that await us in Qatar as quickly as doable, that’s the reason we see this match in Riyadh as a great cease for the final tune-up earlier than the World Cup. Saudi Arabia is an everyday participant on the World Cup, one of many historically finest groups in Asia, and we will likely be examined by a check in opposition to a non-European crew, in opposition to which we not often play, and which will definitely be motivated in opposition to the world runners-up,“ mentioned coach Zlatko Dalić.

“We’re very happy with the truth that we are going to play the final preparatory match earlier than the World Cup in opposition to the present world runners-up. We need to get essentially the most out of this recreation, in technical and tactical phrases. Will probably be a giant check for our gamers earlier than the primary recreation on the World Cup in Qatar.” mentioned the coach of Saudi Arabia, Herve Renard.

Croatia will collect on November 14, and after the match with Saudi Arabia on November 18, they are going to keep at their camp in Doha.

Croatia will open its World Cup in Qatar on November 23 at 11 am on the Al Bayt Stadium in opposition to Morocco, the second match will likely be performed on November 27 at 5 pm on the Khalifa Worldwide Stadium in opposition to Canada, and the third on December 1 at 4 pm at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium in opposition to Belgium.