Kovacic: Not Considering Modric’s Farewell Match, Focus Only on the Three Points

Croatia is under immense pressure to avoid elimination from the Euros, needing a win against defending champions Italy in Leipzig. Ahead of the crucial match, Croatian midfielder Mateo Kovacic stated that the team will give its all to defeat Italy and prolong the European Championship dreams for veterans like Luka Modric.

Despite their exhilarating performances in the previous two World Cups, Croatia has struggled in the first two group stage matches at this Euro, with the midfield coming under particular scrutiny. Kovacic acknowledged, “We know our midfield hasn’t functioned as well as before, and the compactness of our formation has suffered, affecting the team’s overall performance. We’ll improve our communication and aim to meet the standards we didn’t achieve in the first two games. We’re up against an excellent Italian side, and while we respect them, I believe we can face them in the right way.”

The average age of Croatia’s midfield is clearly on the rise, with Modric, who recently won the Champions League, now 38, and Brozovic having moved to Saudi Arabia for a lucrative, less-demanding role. Kovacic emphasized that the team isn’t dwelling on the possibility that this could be Modric’s last appearance in the checkered shirt. He said, “We’re happy to have Modric with us in these big tournaments, and we’ll show what we’re capable of. Our focus is on Italy, not on other thoughts.”

At 30, Kovacic, who played for Inter Milan from 2013 to 2015, shared that his time in Italy taught him valuable lessons. The Chelsea midfielder remarked, “I learned discipline in Serie A, both on and off the pitch, tactically, how to build defenses, and so on. I learned a lot from them; my defending wasn’t great back then, so it really helped improve that aspect of my game.”