"It's a perfect storm" for Croats after years of heartbreak: Bilic

Spain and Croatia begin their Euro 2024 campaigns on Saturday with a rematch of last year's nervy UEFA Nations League final as they kick off the action in Group B, which also includes European champions Italy and surprise package Albania.

With memories of a heartbreaking shootout defeat by Spain still fresh in their minds, captain Luka Modric's perennial overachievers seem ready to again challenge the pre-tournament odds in their quest to finally win a major trophy.

After reaching the 2018 World Cup final and making the semi-finals four years later, having fought back to eliminate five-times champions Brazil on penalties at Qatar 2022, the Nations League final loss to Spain was a tough pill to swallow.

It also raised questions of how long the country's 'golden generation' can keep on writing one of the great underdog stories in recent soccer history.

Yet Croatia go into the tournament still relying on a midfield trio of Modric (39), Marcelo Brozovic (31) and Mateo Kovacic (30), who gave a taste of their competitive hunger on Saturday when they handed Portugal a 2-1 defeat in Lisbon.

The result did not reflect the visitors' dominance against Roberto Martinez's side, who were subdued despite being almost at full strength with Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva, Vitinha and Ruben Dias in the starting 11.

The win gave Zlatko Dalic's side a boost for their Euro 2024 debut against old rivals Spain - one of the few elite teams giant-killers Croatia have regularly failed to slain.

Spain are partly to blame for Croatia's failure to hit the same World Cup highs at the European Championship in which their best result has been reaching the quarter-finals twice.

It will be the fourth straight Euros in which their paths cross, with Jesus Navas' late goal in the 2012 group stage giving Spain a 1-0 victory and a place in the quarters, while they also won 5-3 after extra time in the last 16 at Euro 2020.

Croatia did, however, beat Spain 2-1 in the group stage at Euro 2016 to top the group ahead of them.

"We played them many times and we know what kind of football Spain like to play, they like possession and lulling the opposition to sleep," Croatia striker Ante Budimir told a press conference on Wednesday.

"They can be very quick and vertical at any time. As a team, they are nice to watch and easy to enjoy. (Midfielder) Rodri is very important for them. They have a lot of young players who can make a difference. A very talented and dangerous team..."

Since taking over the Spain job from Luis Enrique after the 2022 World Cup debacle, when they were knocked out in the last 16 on penalties by surprise package Morocco, manager Luis de la Fuente has been blending the country's young and ascending talent with experienced players very successfully.

Veteran defenders Dani Carvajal and Nacho, with Rodri in the middle and captain Alvaro Morata up front, provide the foundation and balance to allow Spain's skilled youngsters Lamine Yamal, Nico Williams and Pedri to create their magic.

Will that be enough to keep their winning run alive against gritty Croatia?

"We didn't come to Germany on vacation, on a tour trip, we are here to win and we'll do our best to do that," 16-year-old winger Yamal told reporters on Wednesday. "Saturday's game against Croatia is probably the most important of my career.

"They are a very strong team, very difficult to beat because they grow in these competitions. They have a lot of experience and it's clear to us that it's going to be one of the most difficult matches we will face."

Legendary German footballer and a member of FIFA's Technical Study Group (TSG), Jurgen Klinsmann, opined that Brazil made a mistake by not sending their best penalty takers in their quarterfinal defeat against Croatia. 

Rodrygo and Marquinhos missed their two spot-kicks while Casemiro and Pedro converted their as Croatia won the quarterfinal in penalty shootout 4-2. Neymar, Brazil's all-time joint leading scorer, however did not get the chance to take the fifth spot- kick.

"For Brazil, they should have maybe put their best shooter first, set the tone with the best penalty taker you have and then go down the rankings," Klinsmann said today at a press conference of the TSG at the Main Media Centre in Doha.

The 1990 World Cup winner with Germany also felt Brazil didn't have time to recover from the shock of conceding a late equaliser in the second half of extra time. Neymar had given Brazil the lead at the end of the first half of extra time, but substitute Bruno Petkovic equalized with three minutes remaining.

"After conceding the equaliser in the 117th minute, Brazil had no time to switch gears. From the disappointment of conceding a last minute goal to the penalty shootout, there was no time to settle and approach the shootout positively," Klinsmann added.

Klinsmann also made a comparison between that game and the one between Argentina and Netherlands, where the former came through after an equally intriguing penalty shootout.

"With Argentina, they had extra time to play, even with the shock of the (Wout) Weghorst equaliser in the last minute," Klinsmann said. "They had 30 minutes more to play. At the end of the game they were far more clearer (in the head) going into the penalty shootout."

Morocco may have seen their dreams of a maiden World Cup final crushed at the hands of defending champions France, but coach Walid Regragui is happy to have guided his side to the stage, which was beyond the wildest imagination of the most fervent supporters before the tournament.

Having only been charge for three months of the Atlas Lions, regarded as rank outsiders to emerge from a group that also involved Croatia, Belgium and Canada, Regragui not only guided his side to the top of the group but also took them to the semis, eliminating Belgium, Spain and Portugal on the way.

Even though Regragui is sad at not making it to the final, the 47-year-old felt enough pride in what his team achieved.

"I told my players this is our seventh World Cup game. If you told any Morocco fan we would be playing our seventh game on Dec. 17, they would be proud.

"Morocco played six World Cup games in 20-odd years and now we've played six games in a month - this is priceless. It's as if we played two World Cups or even more, that's beautiful from an experience point of view," Regragui told a pre-match press conference.

Morocco and Croatia complete a full circle as these two teams kicked off their group with a goalless draw. As they meet each other again, the coach feels both teams will certainly want to end the campaign on a high.

"We knew Croatia were going to be one of the best teams in the competition. After the first game (where Morocco and Croatia drew 0-0 in the group stage) we knew the performance was very good," Regragui said. "There was a lot of hesitation for the first game... Both teams will want to win it (on Saturday) and it will be a great game." 

The coach said he would not make too many changes to the squad as that would upset the team balance.

Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic on Tuesday said his side "deserve more respect" for recent achievements, as they bid to bounce back from an opening Euro 2024 defeat by Spain.

The World Cup semi-finalists and Nations League runners-up are hoping to get their Group B campaign back on track when they take on Albania in Hamburg on Wednesday.

Croatia were rocked by three first-half Spain goals in their 3-0 loss at the Olympiastadion, but are confident they can still reach the knockout phase for a fifth straight major tournament.

"It wasn't a pretty sight to see and watch, but we are always the dark horse, we're always not among the favourites so nobody believed in us and in the last six years we've won three medals," Dalic told a pre-match press conference.

"After France, we're the only other team to do this. I always say we deserve more respect, England won (1966 World Cup) 50 years ago and they're a 'great team', but we're the dark horse.

"We have the results to show we're better than perceived. After this defeat there's a more negative outlook, but we're looking forward to the next match."

Dalic said there would be changes to his starting XI.

Croatian media reports have suggested he will break up his midfield trio of Luka Modric, Mateo Kovacic and Marcelo Brozovic, with the latter expected to miss out.

Albania showed in their opening 2-1 defeat by holders Italy -- when they scored the fastest ever European Championship goal -- that they will not be pushovers in a tough group.

"We have to be and feel alive until the end of the match," added Dalic.

"We cannot lose our heads and try to force things, but with our quality and our own play, do what we've envisaged because tomorrow we'll go for victory and three points, but patience will be the key tomorrow."

Albania are playing in only their second major finals, after a group-stage exit from Euro 2016 when they claimed a memorable win over Romania.

Head coach Sylvinho is still hopeful his men can pull off an even bigger shock in Germany.

"There's a beautiful path ahead of us," said the former Brazil left-back.

"I think we played quite a good match (against Italy). We didn't collapse, we were there until the very end and we had the chance to equalise and that's good...

"This is a very tough group, definitely, but I believe it can be true joy for us, because we're here playing against the best teams and we can learn from them.

"We'll give it our best shot. In football, anything can happen."

Croatia will not attempt to stop Argentina superstar Lionel Messi by man-marking him but instead will focus on immobilising the entire team in their World Cup semi-final on Tuesday, they said.

Croatia are bidding to make it to the final for the second World Cup in a row after losing in the 2018 showcase match to France.

They stunned tournament favourites Brazil in the quarter-finals after going a goal down in extra-time but dug deep to bounce back with a late equaliser and force a penalty shootout that they ended up winning.

"We don't have a specific plan yet for stopping Messi and usually we don't concentrate on stopping one player but the entire team," striker Bruno Petkovic told a news conference on Sunday.

"We will try to stop them as a team and not with man-marking. Argentina are not only Messi, they have a number of great players. We have to stop the entire Argentina team," he said.

Seven-time Ballon D'Or winner Messi has so far been the driving force for the Argentines, who also needed penalties after squandering a two-goal lead against the Dutch in their quarter-final.

With no players suspended and no injury concerns following the return of Croatia defender Borna Sosa, Zlatko Dalic's team is brimming with confidence and ready for more.

Their midfield comprising captain Luka Modric, Mateo Kovacic and Marcelo Brozovic will be key to dictating the pace, as they did against Brazil, and defender Josip Juranovic said the three were utterly dependable.

"Mateo, Luka and Marcelo are the best Croatia midfield in history. I don't think it can be repeated. When you pass them the ball it is safer than having your money in the bank," the defender said.

Super-sub Petkovic scored the 117th-minute equaliser against Brazil to force penalties, with Croatia having now won all four of the shootouts they have taken part in at World Cups.

"I think many people who are not professional footballers can take successful penalties," Petkovic said. "The difference is how mentally tough you are. There is huge pressure you have never experienced before. But it also helps when you have a world class keeper."

Keeper Dominik Livakovic saved one spot kick against Brazil after also saving three in their Round of 16 shootout against Japan.

But it was Petkovic's dramatic equaliser after Brazil's extra-time lead that carried them to the shootout.

"I am becoming more and more aware of the magnitude of this goal with each passing day," Petkovic said. "Maybe I'll experience something similar in the semi-final or beyond."