Croatia and Argentina face one another on Tuesday on the Lusail Stadium with a spot within the World Cup closing at stake. A have a look at among the key components within the recreation.

Messi or Modric magic?

The late-career evolution of Lionel Messi right into a intelligent creator working behind the entrance line has intensified at this World Cup. He illustrated simply how efficient he might be along with his excellent defence-splitting move to arrange the opening purpose within the quarter-final in opposition to the Netherlands.

Croatia are unlikely to place a particular man-marker on Messi, counting on what has been a stable defence and the most effective midfields within the event to achieve the higher hand. Marcelo Brozovic occupies the deepest defensive position within the Croat midfield trio and is prone to have probably the most work to do in nullifying Messi, 35, however Mateo Kovacic put in a robust defensive shift in opposition to Brazil and is prone to be requested for a repeat efficiency.

With the ball, Croatia have their very own diminutive veteran maestro in 37-year-old Luka Modric, whose capability to dictate the tempo, keep possession and take his workforce ahead into harmful areas is key for his nation’s hopes of reaching successive World Cup finals.

Croat resilience or tiredness?

Just as 4 years in the past in Russia, the place Croatia gained each knockout spherical recreation after extra-time – twice on penalties – earlier than the ultimate, Zlatko Dalic’s workforce have proven a outstanding capability to grind out outcomes past the 90 minutes. Croatia conceded the primary purpose in opposition to each Japan and Brazil however got here again to drive the sport into penalties and win.

Will that spectacular psychological energy show to be decisive once more or will these prolonged battles take a toll bodily? It will assist Croatia that Argentina additionally needed to go to penalties of their emotionally draining quarter-final win over the Netherlands and a vital issue on Tuesday shall be which workforce finds themselves more energizing for the duty.

Argentina’s twelfth man

If there may be one space through which Argentina can depend on a transparent benefit it’s within the stands, the place greater than 40,000 Argentine supporters vocally backed their workforce on the Lusail Stadium in opposition to the Dutch. The environment was such that the last-eight conflict was was a de facto house recreation for Argentina, with solely a smattering of followers in orange within the stadium, which has a capability of practically 89,000.

It will virtually actually be the identical story, on the identical stadium, on Tuesday, with Croatia’s a lot smaller group of followers drowned out by the songs and chants of the Argentine devoted. Will that influence the sport? Almost actually. Plenty of research have proven that enjoying in entrance of a supportive crowd does influence efficiency in a optimistic approach.

A putting likelihood?

With Messi in a deeper position, Argentina discover themselves within the uncommon place of not having a longtime world-class ahead and that’s additionally the case for Croatia. Dalic began the semi-final in opposition to Brazil with Andrej Kramaric at centre-forward earlier than Bruno Petkovic changed him and went on to attain the essential equaliser.

Against the Dutch, Argentina began Manchester City’s Julian Alvarez as their principal striker with Inter Milan’s Lautaro Martinez approaching for him and inflicting loads of bother in extra-time.

It shall be attention-grabbing to see if both of these subs are given a begin within the semi-final or whether or not they’ll once more be requested to make an influence from the bench.

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