Mikel González (Bilbao, 1987) is the current director of NK Istra, a Croatian first division club that belongs to Alavés. Nobody better than him to analyze the round of 16 match of the European Championship that this afternoon faces Spain and Croatia.
Do you see Spain superior to Croatia?
It's going to be an even game, but I think Spain is the favorite, yes. Croatia has great individualities but at a collective level and in terms of the idea of the game, Spain is currently a step above.
There is a lot of talk about young Spaniards but Croatia also has young emerging ones. Is there a lot of young Croatian talent?
It is a country where very young boys are constantly being projected in the First Division to be transferred to economically stronger European leagues. The regulations of the Croatian federation, in the Second Division, require you to put three U-20 players in the starting lineup every game. In the First Division that law does not exist but clubs need to sell players to be economically profitable, so the player with grassroots potential is exposed very early in professional football or is nourished by those young people who stand out in the Second Division. Croats are very powerful physically from an early age, with good rhythms and adapt faster to the physical demands of the First Division.
Who would you highlight from the young people?
In the senior team Gvardiol stands out, from Dinamo Zagreb, generation 2002, left-handed side or central although he is ambidextrous. He has played all three starting games on the left back. Physically he is very powerful, he has been transferred to Red Bull Leipzig. Also having minutes is Luka Ivanusec, a very vertical winger with technical handling, from Dinamo Zagreb, generation 98. The Croatia Under-21 team was eliminated by Spain in extra time in the quarterfinals of the recently played European Championship. Center-back Mario Vuskovic of Hajduk Split, 2001, has many options to be transferred this summer to one of the major European leagues. Bosko Sutalo, Atalanta, central or right back, 2000. Nikola Moro who is already at Dinamo Moscow. Lovro Majer, from 98, of Dinamo Zagreb, who has been in the senior squad and saving the distances, has many similarities to Luka Modric, both in play and in physical profile. I love Stipe Biuk, I think he is a player to make a difference in the medium term in European football, a winger from the 2002 Hajduk Split. Tall, strong, powerful, transitions, very good one on one, he solves well in final meters …
Dani Olmo always speaks wonders of Croatian football. How is the level in that league?
It is a very interesting league because it only has ten teams, there are four rounds, 36 games in total. The fact that there are so few teams makes it very competitive because out of every nine matches per round, you play four against teams that are competing in the Champions or Europa League, 45% of your matches. In the 20-21 season it was not possible due to COVID but normally, in any stadium of the Croatian First Division, there are scouts of the most powerful clubs in Spain, Germany, Italy, Austria, France … The profile of the Croatian player adapts very quickly to any league because in addition to the physical and technical capacity (perhaps less tactical level) they have, then it is a profile of A player who works very well, they are very self-demanding on a day-to-day basis and also have a great facility for languages, especially English, which is spoken by everyone.
In what position do you think Istra would be in Spain?
To compare it in level. Dinamo Zagreb would compete to enter Europe. The Osijek, Rijeka and Hajduk Split, could be in a middle zone. The other six teams, including ourselves, I think we would be a competitive team in the Second Division.
What do you think of this new Dalic selection?
I like it more on an individual level than on a collective level. In the three matches of the Eurocup, he has had a lot of discontinuity in the game. At times they are dominating and they hurt you, especially because of the talent he has in the three midfield players and on the outside with five wingers in the highest level call-up. Any player from this selection could play in the Spanish First Division.
What are the strengths and weaknesses of this Croatia?
With the ball it is a level team, it dominates you, it subdues you, technically they are very good, the inside players give continuity to the game, they have long possessions, outside they have vertical, powerful, fast players who dominate transitions. In the defensive phase, it is a fairly reactive team, that in the loss they are not able to squeeze and recover quickly, they go long and in the attack-defense transition they suffer.
How can they be harmed and how can they harm Spain?
They usually play 4-1-4-1 or 4-2-3-1 (with the Czech Republic). I think they will make it 4-1-4-1 trying to be strong inside with Brozovic, Kovacic and Modric. Up they will have verticality and talent on the outside with Rebic or whoever replaces Perisic on one side, Vlasic on the other side to give them an inside game, have the ball, continuity on the inside, and at the top I have doubts because Bruno Petkovic is playing but he has very little defensive work and sacrifice so he is still looking for more work and the ability to go to spaces with Kramaric. If Spain is capable of imposing its idea of the game, I think they have many options to pass if they are right up front. I think Spain has to defend itself with the ball, have long possessions, be well prepared for the loss and not allow Croatia to pass with Rebic, Ivanusec, Brekalo or Orsic. Then when he recovers, I think he has to be daring and vertical, have a deep player on the outside and up and make quick transitions, Croatia without the ball suffers and in the loss and retreat they are not good. Croatia can do damage with spaces with very vertical and fast players on the outside, and then because of the sheer individual talent they have, that in any situation, they score a goal. In the games against the Czech Republic and Scotland, when they were at their worst and they looked outside the round of 16, the talent of Perisic (who will not be there this time) and Modric in individual actions appeared.
Apart from Modric … What other names to follow are there?
On an individual level, it has top European players in key positions. Goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic (Dinamo) has played three good games, he has a very high level. In midfield you have Brozovic (Inter), Luka Modric, Kovacic (Chelsea), Pasalic (Atalanta) and Nikola Vlasic (CSKA Moscow) who can play behind the striker or outside, generating superiorities inside, he is very good in the last meters, in turns, in handling, in last pass. On the outside, they are extremely dangerous. Josip Brekalo (Wolfsburg) gives work and speed, Luka Ivanusec (Dinamo) who I think will be a winger to make a difference in Europe and Mislav Orsic (Dinamo) who has not yet entered any game, which surprises me because I think that He is the most differential player in the entire Croatian league (in the knockout round of the Europa League that Dinamo eliminates Mourinho's Tottenham, he scored a hat-trick in Zagreb). In the center-backs, right-back and on the front, it is perhaps where they lower the level a bit, even with very good players such as Vida, Caleta Car, Lovren (sanctioned this time), Vrsaljko, Kramaric, Budimir, Petkovic …
Has the level dropped a lot with respect to the group that was runner-up in the world? Only 13 of that remain …
The starting eleven I think may be very similar to that of that World Cup, although with key players with four more years. In goal you do change with Livakovic for Strinic, although they still win in the change; the defensive line can be the same with Vrsaljko, Lovren (who loses it by suspension), Vida and the change in the left-handed side of Gvardiol by Strinic; Those inside, repeat Brozovic and Modric and Kovacic enters for Rakitic; Perisic continues on the left, their loss will be sensitive, they do lose the level that Mandzukic gave at the top but they have solutions with Petkovic, Budimir, Rebic or Kramaric. It is a high-level team and it is going to make things very difficult for Spain.
Style wise, they like to have the ball. Will they be daring against Spain?
I think they must be if they want to harm Spain because they will not be able to be subjected for 90 minutes and without leaving their own field. We will see a great game.