Euro 2016: 'Interesting' Croatia now the the team to beat; and Luka Modric isn't even playing

For their final group match against Spain, the focus was entirely on Croatia’s players rather than their fans, and we instantly saw the best game of Euro 2016. One couldn’t resist thinking what could have been if not for the fan frenzy in their last match against Czech Republic. What if the violence had not distracted the players? They could have been the first team to win all three group matches and end the group stage with nine points. Even though that did not happen, Croatia still became the first team to beat Spain at the Euro Championships since 2004, when Portugal beat them 1-0 to knock them out at the group stage. On Tuesday, Spain didn’t have a bad game. They took an early lead through a goal that resulted from a fluid move in their own box. They did have their chances, most notably a penalty that Sergio Ramos missed. They had most of the possession, they passed the ball, and they looked like the holding champions that they are. The only difference was that Croatia looked like a team that could beat the holders. The Croats ran harder, had more shots on target and hit the post more often. And they did it all without their injured talisman Luka Modric, and with five changes to the line-up that started the previous two games. [caption id=“attachment_2848898” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Croatia players celebrate after scoring a goal against Spain. AP[/caption] When the 87-minute goal came from Ivan Persic — another entry to the long list of game-changing late goals at Euro ‘16 — it was not a surprise. Despite conceding an early goal to the one team which should not be allowed an early lead, given Spain’s ability to control the game for extended periods, Croatia never looked dejected or pegged back. It didn’t even look like they were a goal down. In fact, for about 20 minutes after the second half began, it was Spain who looked deflated and flat; its players trying to rest in possession, passing the ball sideways harmlessly. Croatia’s defence was not considered their strongest suit coming into this competition. With the squad’s only left-footed full-back in Ivan Strinic — he isn’t even a starter for his club side Napoli — on a yellow card, that was a tricky slot. Sime Vrsaljko tends to play at right-back, but his maiden outing on the left of the defence was not bad. Spain’s opening goal came from an area of the pitch he should have been patrolling, but nothing can be taken away from the quality of David Silva’s pass to Cesc Fabregas. Leverkusen centre-back Sime Jadvej replaced Domagoj Vida, who had handled the ball at the end of the game against Czech, conceding the penalty through which they equalised. Jadvej looked more assured, more in sync with Vedran Corluka. One of Croatia’s two most outstanding players was captain Darijo Srna. Nicknamed “Robocop” by former manager Slaven Bilic for his relentlessness, Srna’s solid performance at the right of the defence was bettered only by his attacking runs. He thundered down the flank and crossed with precision, twice finding his target in the box. In Modric’s absence, a lot of the distribution was coming through Srna, especially in the second half, even as he scurried back to intercept and tackle. He won six of the seven tackles he attempted. The defence got great help from the two wide attacking midfielders, who got back on either side of the two central midfielders, giving Croatia a 4-4-2 shape. Dinamo Zagreb midfielder Marko Pjaca, 21 years of age, was an unknown quantity before the tournament, but he merits mention here. In interviews, he had mentioned Brazilian playmaker Ronaldinho as his footballing idol; it showed as he ran at the Spanish defence with style and gay abandon and occasional menace. One of those runs came close to winning a penalty in the 62nd minute. Meanwhile, on the left flank, Perisic lit up the show with a man-of-the-match winning performance. But for the support he provided to Vrsaljko, Spanish playmakers Silva and Fabregas would have damaged Croatia on the left. Perisic has a great appetite for transition, and he was key to Croatia turning Spanish pressure into their biggest weapon: The counter-attack. The Spanish defence seemed tattered by his marauding runs, his ambidexterity, his skill. Croatia’s equaliser came after he turned Juanfran, got on to his right foot, and crossed delectably. Centre-forward Nikola Kalinic got on to the end of it, even as Ramos and Spanish ‘keeper David de Gea failed to. Perisic’s athleticism and muscularity has won him a range of new supporters in a competition where many major stars have disappointed. Kalinic returned the favour to assist Perisic’s winning goal, in which the Inter Milan midfielder showed what his left foot can do. Kalinic looked better up front than regular starter Mario Mandzukic had in the previous two games. He harried Ramos and Gerard Pique throughout the game, and it was his pressure that led to de Gea scuffing a clearance, the ball falling to Rakitic for a fine chip that hit the woodwork. Manager Ante Cacic’s preferences are known to only him, but Croatia’s second choice No 9 made a pretty strong claim to start the next game. The Croatian midfield was always going to be tested against the magicians from Spain. Modric’s replacement, surprisingly, wasn’t his Real Madrid teammate Mateo Kovacic. It was 20-year-old Marko Rog of Dinamo Zagreb. His primary job, it seemed, was to keep Andres Iniesta occupied, which he did; he managed to control space and fill the blanks. But the spine of this Croatian team — and its most pleasant surprise in France — has been Milan Badelj. The defensive midfield slot has long been a problem for Croatia, which doesn’t lack attacking flair. It’s the steel which has gone missing. Marcelo Brozovic was touted to fill up that role, but Cacic fielded him on the right of the midfield in an attacking role in the first two games. Badelj has filled up the hole in front of the defence with strength and physicality. In all three games, his ball-winning ways have been key to recovering possession and launching counter-attacks. Against Spain, he intercepted, he tackled, he blocked and, when needed, he fouled. A question now looms from the dugout. Is manager Cacic — considered this team’s greatest weakness — the unmeasured strength for this team? The X-factor? All his tactical choices have come good, even against Spain, even with Modric injured. When Modric returns, the possession statistics will go up naturally, as will the quality of passing. The counter-attack and the muscularity and fitness are already there. Croatia’s victory against Spain registers their presence as genuine contenders and the most watchable team yet at the Euros (the Spanish manager Vicente del Bosque said as much in the pre-match press conference). Before this game, Croatia was an interesting, watchable team. Now, they are the team to beat. The true stars of Euro ‘16. Will the Croatian fans now lay off their violent tactics and just enjoy their sparkling, sizzling performers who are winning over the neutrals?