Croatia Against Austria, Germany and Poland

[Mislav]

The draws for the European Championship groups was good for Croatia and placed them in a group they we hoping for.

The Swiss city of Lucerne today was the host of the draws for the European Championship 2008 in Austria and Switzerland groups. Croatia was among 16 national teams, which earned the right to take part among the best European teams through long and tiring qualifications. Four groups were made, and the only thing that was already decided before the qualification was that Switzerland and Austria were placed in position A1 and B1.

The draws first decided in which group the other two national teams from the first pot, Greece and Netherlands, were to play. After that followed the common draws of the fourth pot in combination with the second in which Croatia was. Along with Croatia, in the second pot were Italy, Czech Republic and Sweden, which meant that these three national teams could not have been Croatia’s adversaries in the group.

The third pot was made by Romania, Germany, Portugal and Spain, while the fourth featured Poland, France. Turkey and Russia.

Most of the national teams wanted to fall into the group B which featured Austria, considered by many the weakest team in the competition, and this wish eventually came true for Croatia. Just to mention that the groups A and B, and C and D will cross in the second round.

Among the many guests there were also president of UEFA Michel Platini and president of FIFA Sepp Blatter, and the Croatian delegation was led by Slaven Bilic and by presiden of Croatian Football Federation (HNS) Vlatko Markovic.

The hosts of the ceremony were the Austrian tv host Rainer Pariasek and former miss Switzerland Melanie Winiger.

The inauguration of the programme was opened by Vienna Boys, and after them, all the guests were thrilled by the voice of on of the highest tenors in the world Jose Carreras.

The best tennis player in the world Roger Federe indroduced the Swiss hosting cities, and the legendary Austrian skier Herman Maier did the same with the Austrian hosting cities.

Based on an idea of Platini, on the stage appeared the captains of all the teams that have won the European Championship until now.

[Pierce]

Luka Modric’s potential transfer to the Barclays Premier League moved a step closer to reality last night after the Dinamo Zagreb president arrived in London for talks with several clubs. Zdravko Mamic plans to hold talks with Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea in a bid to sell the Croatia midfield player when the transfer window opens on Tuesday.

Mamic, who oversaw the move of Eduardo da Silva, the Croatia forward, to Arsenal in the summer, claims to want up to €25million (about £18.2 million) for the player. Modric, 22, was instrumental in helping his country to beat England 3-2 in the European Championship qualifying match at Wembley in November.

His vision, control and passing ability at the heart of the Croatia midfield earned praise from many observers. But he can also play on the left side of midfield and as a playmaker behind the forwards.

His possible departure may have been hastened by Dinamo’s exit from the Uefa Cup after defeat by SV Hamburg at the start of this month, when an Arsenal scout was in attendance. Dinamo, who are top of the Croatian league, have prepared for the sale by considering a move for Maor Buzaglo, a midfield player on loan from Maccabi Haifa to Bnei Sakhnin.

Avram Grant, the Chelsea first-team coach, watched the midfield player appear for his country in their defeat by Macedonia last month.

Chelsea have held talks with Zagreb in recent weeks, while Tottenham have told the club that they are “very serious” about bidding, as Juande Ramos, the first-team coach, attempts to reshape his team with his first opportunity to bring in players since he took charge two months ago.

Ramos is also monitoring Aleksandr Kerzhakov, the Russia forward, whom he signed for Seville a year ago. There are doubts at present about the future of three of Tottenham’s forwards, Dimitar Berbatov, Jermain Defoe and Darren Bent.

[Pierce]

Luka Modrić is the only locally-based player in Slaven Bilić's 20-man Croatia squad for the friendly against the Netherlands in Split on 6 February.

Transfer target
The 22-year-old NK Dinamo Zagreb captain has been receiving the attentions of a number of top clubs but still remains in the Croatian capital. Bilić has decided against calling up Igor Budan and Ivan Klasnić as they recover from injury and a kidney transplant respectively. "I expect a lot from all the players," said the coach. "We will try to give a chance to more players. This match will provide a real picture of where we are after a two-and-a-half month break since [beating England 3-2 at] Wembley and four months before UEFA EURO 2008™." Mario Galinović, Dino Drpić, Ognjen Vukojević, Nikola Kalinić, Boško Balaban and Mario Mandžukić have been placed on standby in the event of any withdrawals.

Croatia squad
Goalkeepers: Stipe Pletikosa (FC Spartak Moskva), Vedran Runje (RC Lens).

Defenders: Dario Šimić (AC Milan), Robert Kovač (BV Borussia Dortmund), Josip Šimunić (Hertha BSC Berlin), Hrvoje Vejić (FC Tom Tomsk), Vedran Ćorluka (Manchester City FC), Dario Knežević (AS Livorno Calcio).

Midfielders: Niko Kovač (FC Salzburg), Jerko Leko (AS Monaco FC), Marko Babić (Real Betis Balompié), Darijo Srna (FC Shakhtar Donetsk), Niko Kranjčar (Portsmouth FC), Luka Modrić (NK Dinamo Zagreb), Danijel Pranjić (SC Heerenveen), Ivan Rakitić (FC Schalke 04), Jurica Vranješ (Werder Bremen).

Forwards: Mladen Petrić (BV Borussia Dortmund), Ivica Olić (Hamburger SV), Eduardo da Silva (Arsenal FC).