Croatia and Albania shook hands 2-2 in a marquee match in last night's UEFA Europa League group stage, which coincided with Croatian striker Kramaric's birthday. After the match, he expressed his disappointment with the result in an official interview with the Europa League, while also revealing his strong confidence in the future.
Kramaric confessed that he had not expected his birthday to be celebrated with such a draw. He said it would certainly be the best birthday present if his team could take all three points and keep the winning form until the last minute. He exclaimed, "This is soccer, full of uncertainty. Sometimes you score at the last second and become a hero, and sometimes you can concede a goal at the last minute and let your previous efforts go down the drain."
For the upcoming showdown with Italy, Kramaric showed a tough will to fight. He said that the Croatian team is always accustomed to facing difficulties and fighting hard until the last moment. He said, "We are now well aware of the next challenge and we will meet it in the most difficult way, fighting persistently."
Kramaric showed both respect and challenge when talking about Italy as a formidable opponent. He believes that Italy may be the strongest team in the group, but the Croatian team has the confidence to replicate the energy shown in the second half today and strive to take three points in order to successfully advance from the group.
