Beijing time on June 19, after Croatia and Albania drew 2-2 in the second round of the group stage of the UEFA Europa League, Croatia's core player Modric accepted a media interview. He emphasized his team's determination to win the upcoming match against Italy and reflected on his team's performance in tonight's match.
Modric admitted that Croatia's performance in the first half was not ideal, and the opening mistakes led to an early loss of the ball, making the game extremely difficult. He mentioned, "We really didn't play as well as we should have in the first half, and the poor start put us in a passive position. After conceding an early goal, the game became very difficult for us."
However, Modric also pointed out that the tactical adjustments made by the coach in the second half had a significant effect and the team's form improved. He regretted, "But in the last five to ten minutes of the game, we somehow retreated a bit and gave our opponents two to three chances, which they eventually capitalized on to score."
On the upcoming showdown with Italy, Modric said it will be a very tough game. He praised the strength and organization of the Italian team, stressing that they have a great coach. Nonetheless, Modric remains positive, saying that Croatia's fate depends on itself and that the team knows exactly what it must do to win.
