KRAMARIC: I move from the media scene, but I'll be brave … and bigger than me missed the penalty
Well, it's not that we missed this, many went through the head after Mike Maignan defended the penalty Andrej Kramaric In the eighth minute of the game. The whole situation lasted too long, the French goalkeeper complained of the lasers, obviously that he would take a moment more for concentration, and it seemed to interfere with our national team, who ran a slight step toward the ball and fired, but Maignan defended it slightly. It was his first unrealized penalty after two and a half years.
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Fans showed a big Croatian flag
Still, it did not disturb the Kram and 'fiery' who played a phenomenal match and demolished the world vice-champion (2-0) at Poljud in the first game of the quarterfinals of the League of Nations. Kramaric did not score, but he did a great task in the defensive part of the game where he participated in stopping by Kylian Mbappe.
The first match of the UEFA League quarterfinals between Croatia and France |
– Penal? I stood in front of you, I don't like to talk in recent years and move from the media scene. Today I will be brave, it's part of football. Much bigger players have missed in bigger games. It's football, luck, so we ended up with a positive outcome. I hope we will have a fun in Paris – Kramaric will say after a missed penalty.
What went through his head?
– You're sorry to miss, but you are returning focus to the game because you know who you play against. If you lose your focus, I can punish you. It was the most important thing to do the maximum, which I think I did well. The goal was to help the team …
The whole national team played perfectly, and announced by the coach Dalic ahead of the match that we can only collapse the French. We have come to a step to the semifinals, but there is still a lot of work ahead of us.
The first match of the UEFA League quarterfinals between Croatia and France |
– Most importantly, we did not receive a goal, they squeezed us the second half, but again we showed a great fellowship that we have shown for the last seven years. We endured to the end. Not the story is over, we all know what awaits us in Paris. A similar match as in the second half, we will be ready and we will do our best to endure the rush of perhaps the best players in the world. And to repeat today's game, I hope everything will turn out well – said Hoffenheim player.
The French media seemed to underestimate Croatian football players. They did not even mention the match against Croatia at a press conference.
– Surely it motivated us, but I'll be honest so I say I don't follow anything. I have no idea what they are talking about, I am focused on myself and I think the other guys are focused on us. Whatever they talk, I can only motivate us. We are aware and we know what awaits us in Paris, we are ready to withstand.
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