"They're so skittish!"
Perhaps it was Modrić's illusion, but he felt that many teams in this World Cup were displaying a sense of impatience in their games.
high pressing is indeed the most popular tactic nowadays, and it is also very effective for breaking down possession-based football.
However, high pressing emphasizes coordinated action, not a tactic based on anxious recklessness.
Greece's inherent strength shouldn't have been so poor, but after the group stage and facing Brazil in the knockout stage, their overall mentality had already changed.
There's nothing wrong with giving it your all, but this kind of effort requires a more stable mindset.
But Greece clearly failed to do that, so it's not surprising that they lost the match.
The opening match of the Round of 16 ended in a relatively uneventful manner.
After 90 minutes, Brazil defeated Greece 3:1.
Although Greece scored a goal at the end, it was merely a consolation goal, more like Brazil allowing a goal.
Throughout the match, Greece's performance was not particularly outstanding, nor did they pose much threat to Brazil.
Of course, this was also due to Brazil playing well.
At the very least, compared to the original timeline, Brazil's performance in this World Cup was significantly better.
There were two matches in one day, and the second match was between Colombia and Mexico.
The match between these two teams was more intense.
Both teams showed a strong desire to win, and the match was incredibly fierce, with extremely fast transitions between offense and defense.
However, Colombia ultimately proved to be superior, laying the foundation for victory with a goal from Rodríguez in the 78th minute.
And Rodríguez also scored his fourth goal in this World Cup!
This goal once again made Rodríguez the focus of attention; a young player performing like this in his first World Cup was truly a sensation.
It could be said that many teams were already interested and had started to discuss transfer issues with Rodríguez.
Even major European agents began to act, wanting to secure Rodríguez's European agency contract, but they were a step too slow; Rodríguez had already been signed by Zorancic.
The first day of knockout stage matches, compared to the group stage, showed a more rigorous tactical system.
Many of the absurd mistakes seen in the group stage were greatly reduced, and the matches became more disciplined, with a very tight rhythm.
The group stage was a filtering period; those in poor form or lacking strength would be filtered out.
And being able to enter the knockout stage meant either strong ability or excellent form.
It could be said that once the knockout stage was reached, there were no so-called weak teams anymore.
Of course, even in confrontations between strong teams, there are still distinctions in strength.
The night passed uneventfully, and the next day, Rio de Janeiro was still exceptionally hot.
Brazilian flag colors of red and green were visible everywhere on the streets, and walking in this country, one could always feel the passion, with people singing, dancing, and drinking joyfully.
On the streets, Croatian fans were everywhere; based on their three excellent group stage performances, more and more Croatian fans were arriving from all over the world.
With their performance in this World Cup, they also had a premonition that the Croatia National Team could achieve something significant.
If that were truly the case, it would definitely be a history-making event, and one of the highest honor.
How could they miss such an opportunity? They absolutely had to be there.
Even though it was daytime, several hours before the evening match began, they were still excitedly discussing the game.
As a South American team, Chile was definitely not a weak opponent.
But Croatia was no longer the second-tier European team it once was; they were now at a world-class level, and for this, they were confident they could defeat their opponent.
What's more, the Croatian players were in hot form, and Suker had already shown excellent performance in the group stage.
All of this indicated how excellent Croatia's form was.
There was a cordon around the hotel where Croatia was staying, and as the match approached, the security level there was also being raised.
As the host, it was impossible for them to allow any accidents during the match preparation.
This would be a major international embarrassment!
The entire Croatia team also did not leave the hotel, but prepared for the match there.
While it was called preparation, it was more about tactical explanations, as everything that needed to be prepared had already been done; now it was more about maintaining their state and understanding the tactics.
"Let's go, it's lunchtime!"
After Suker stood up, Srna and other teammates also followed suit.
Due to the evening match, they couldn't eat dinner, so they had to eat a full lunch to ensure their energy intake.
Of course, lunch was also very particular.
During the match, the stomach must not be in a full state, as this would only degrade athletic performance.
Being 70% full was considered the best state, and by evening, it would likely be mostly digested.
"Chile shouldn't be underestimated; Sanchez and Vidal are very capable players," Modrić said while eating.
Sanchez, who played for Barcelona, would be transferring to Arsenal this year, and during his three years at Barcelona, he played a total of 88 matches, scoring 47 goals and providing 34 assists.
He created 81 goals for Barcelona, performing quite well.
However, his tactical positioning at Barcelona was very ambiguous, and he was never able to secure a starting spot, which was also why he left.
In terms of ability, this guy was still very good.
Vidal played for Juventus and was a contributing midfielder; his active running and calm decision-making always created opportunities for his teammates.
It could be said that both of these players were very capable individuals, and they could enhance Chile's lineup.
"As long as our midfield suppresses them, we'll be fine!" Srna said.
Rakitić: "What if we suppress them but can't break through?"
Srna didn't speak, while Mandžukić, beside him, laughed and scolded, "Are you kidding me? If we can't break through, what's the point of having forwards?"
Suker also glanced at Rakitić.
The latter quickly waved his hand, "That's not what I meant. I just think it might be better to change tactics appropriately. We've always been playing around the midfield, but what we're truly good at is defensive counter-attacking. I'm afraid if we get too used to it and suddenly change tactics, we'll play stiffly and won't be able to adapt!"
Hearing this, everyone pondered.
Rakitić's point was not without reason.
Possession-based football is an active style of play, while defensive counter-attacking is a passive style of play.
In terms of enjoyment, it was certainly comfortable to dominate from start to finish with possession-based play, and suddenly switching to defensive counter-attacking mode might indeed feel uncomfortable.
"Leave it to the coaching staff, they know what to do!" Suker didn't say much more; he still had great trust in Bešić and Van Stoyak.
They should have their own ideas.
As night fell, the entire city sparkled with lights, and large crowds filled the streets, making it incredibly lively.
World Cup elements were everywhere, and various stalls selling football-related merchandise were booming.
People were fully enjoying this month-long football carnival.
The lobby of the Croatia hotel was filled with all sorts of people.
There were reporters, official personnel, organizers, and FA staff.
As they chatted, their eyes would drift towards the elevator, as if waiting for something.
A moment later, the elevator arrival light lit up, and when Bešić led the Croatian players out of the elevator in groups, the entire lobby erupted in excitement.
Wow!!!!!!!!!!
Everyone cheered loudly, and the reporters and media from Croatia were even more excited.
"Come on! First knockout match!"
"Luka! It's up to you!"
"Rakitić, show them what you've got!"
"Super Mario!"
They excitedly cheered on the players, wishing they could shout until their voices were hoarse.
And when Suker walked out, the entire lobby went even crazier.
Even the surrounding hotel staff couldn't help but join in the cheering.
The Croatian players also walked out of the hotel one by one amidst this passionate cheering and boarded the bus waiting at the entrance.
Once all the players were seated, the bus drove through the night towards the stadium.
Rio de Janeiro was very quiet at night.
Or rather, the road the bus was traveling on was very quiet; with police escort, there was no traffic around, clearly indicating traffic control.
Croatia's bus proceeded in silence.
Along the way, almost no one spoke, and even when they did, it was only a few words.
Perhaps it was because they had reached the knockout stage, but the overall atmosphere was much more tense than in the group stage.
They knew very well that losing one match in the group stage might leave room for recovery, but once they reached the knockout stage, any defeat would come at a heavy cost.
They had waited four years and prepared four years for this World Cup.
They would not let four years of effort go to waste.
Whoosh!!!!!!!!!!!!—
The moment they arrived at Maracanã Stadium, a tsunami of cheers swept over them. The Croatian fans gathered around discovered the bus and immediately erupted in loud shouts.
Even though the bus did not stop and drove directly into the stadium, they continued to cheer and shout tirelessly.
As the Croatia bus arrived, at the entrance on the other side, their opponent, Chile, also arrived at the stadium.
Both teams had arrived, indicating that the match was one step closer.
"This is the 2014 Brazil World Cup, and we are broadcasting this World Cup Round of 16 match from Rio de Janeiro. Today's first match is Croatia against Chile!"
"The two teams have not met many times in history, with the last encounter dating back to the 1998 World Cup, when Davor Šuker's Croatia narrowly defeated Chile 1:0."
"These two teams are facing each other again after nearly sixteen years. What kind of match will they present to us? Let's wait and see!"
At this moment, both teams' players had already begun to enter the field for warm-ups.
The camera switched back and forth between several players.
"Sanchez, Chile's number 7 player. Chile successfully broke through the group stage, and Sanchez's dribbling and breakthroughs were crucial!"
"Rakitić, also a technical midfielder. In the midfield organization orchestrated by Modrić, he always plays a role in vertical breakthroughs. His excellent footwork allows him to easily face the opponent's high pressing!"
"Vidal, Chile's number 8 player."
"Mandžukić, Croatia's center forward."
He introduced each featured player in turn, and finally, the camera focused on Suker.
The Brazilian commentator's expression brightened, and his tone involuntarily rose a bit.
"Suker!"
"The most watched and best performing player in this World Cup!"
"In four matches, Suker has scored four goals. He is only one goal away from tying Ronaldo's goal record."
"But similarly, Germany's Klose is also only one goal away. Which of these two players can break this record first?"
"At the same time, Suker is also the player with the most goals in this World Cup. He is tied at the top of the scorer list with Colombia's young player, James Rodríguez!"
"After three group stage matches, Suker's performance is evident to all. We even have reason to believe that Suker has not yet fully exerted his strength!"
"Fans who know Suker are well aware that the further into the second half of a match he gets, the better he performs. The more critical the moment, the more capable he is of delivering outstanding performances."
"And whether this state can be realized in this match is what we look forward to."
During the commentator's introduction, both teams' warm-up sessions concluded.
The camera scanned the faces of the Chilean players, revealing mostly solemn and serious expressions.
Clearly, they knew how difficult this match would be.
Among the eight group winners, if they had to choose the opponent they least wanted to face, it would undoubtedly be Croatia.
After all, their performance in the group stage truly gave a sense of despair.
Turning him into an opponent was inherently a very challenging task for the lineup.
But Chile didn't play well and failed to finish first in their group, so they had no choice but to tough it out against Croatia.
The pressure was genuinely immense now. Chile also knew that their chances of winning this match were slim, but they were still putting all their effort into it.
Croatia, on the other hand, was relatively more relaxed, and Bešić still deployed the same tactics.
It was still primarily focused on midfield control!
Croatia was indeed a team good at playing defensive counter-attacks, but the problem was that so far, no team had been able to threaten Croatia's midfield enough to force them to abandon the midfield and switch to defensive counter-attacks.
If it were Spain in 2010, Croatia would definitely play defensive counter-attacks without hesitation.
But in the three group stage matches and this knockout match, the composition of these midfields was not enough to make them give up the initiative.
It's not that Bešić didn't want to play defensive counter-attacks, but rather that the opponent was not strong enough to make them give up the initiative, which was also quite a helpless situation.
"Play on the left wing in the first half."
After a brief tactical arrangement, Bešić turned to Suker and said, "You should be more serious too."
Suker: "I am always serious!"
"I mean, you need to show more." Bešić: "The adjustment and adaptation period has passed. In the upcoming matches, both the pace and other aspects will accelerate!"
Suker nodded, indicating understanding.
Bešić's statement was not without reason. Entering the knockout stage, with the increase in match quality, Suker also needed to exert himself.
Moreover, Suker also needed to find that feeling of explosion, which would be more beneficial for the upcoming matches.
After all, if they won this match, they would face the host Brazil Team.
This was a true clash of titans!
In the player tunnel, both teams' players were already lined up, ready to enter the field at any moment.
The camera scanned from front to back, and it was not difficult to see the tense atmosphere of the match from their facial expressions.
Maracanã Stadium, with a capacity of 200,000, was packed to the brim, and the atmosphere of the entire stadium made one's heart pound faster.
Any team playing at Maracanã Stadium for the first time would show signs of discomfort.
But clearly, Croatia and Chile both had experience, so they would not be disturbed by this atmosphere.
Suker stood at the end, constantly jumping to warm up.
The Chilean players next to him occasionally looked at Suker. They knew very well that Suker would again be the super problem for them in this match.
"Ready to enter the field!"
The Referee in front turned and shouted.
Both teams' players also perked up.
Soon, both teams' players entered the field to intense cheers.
The starting lineup is as follows:
Croatia (4-2-3-1):
Goalkeeper: Subašić.
Defenders: Srna, Vida, Lovren, Pranjic.
Midfielders: Perisic, Brozović, Rakitić, Modrić, Suker.
Forward: Mandžukić.
Chile (3-4-3):
Goalkeeper: Bravo.
Defenders: Medel, Silva, Jara.
Midfielders: Isla, Aránguiz, Díaz, Mena.
Forwards: Sanchez, Vidal, Vargas.
"Another 3-4-3 formation?"
Suker couldn't help but raise an eyebrow slightly.
Chile had played this tactical system throughout the group stage, even after being continuously pressured and conceding four goals against Netherlands in the group stage, they still hadn't changed their ways.
The most crucial thing was that they still dared to use this formation when facing Croatia, wanting to contend for midfield control with Croatia.
Suker didn't know how to evaluate it. Should he say they were brave? Or just foolishly bold?
But no matter what, the tactics had been decided, and now it was up to the players' performance in the match.
"Chile is still using a 3-4-3 formation. I don't know what they are thinking. Shouldn't they increase some defense at this point?"
A single trick can work wonders, but it has to be strong enough!
Setting up a three-center-back formation just leaves space for Suker to perform.
Once Suker gets into form, Chile won't even have a chance to compensate.
On the sidelines, Bešić also looked at the field with some surprise.
He truly hadn't expected Chile to still deploy this formation.
As Van Stoyak would say,
"Looking for a beating!"
Van Stoyak shook his head directly. Wanting to compete with Croatia for midfield rhythm, this idea was fine.
But this three-man defense was a bit too overconfident.
Did they really think Croatia didn't have a top-tier attacking line?
In terms of attacking penetration and offensive capability alone, Croatia was absolutely second to none.
Therefore, in his opinion, Chile's formation was truly a death wish!