Russia
WC Qualification Europe
Group Stage
Wed , Sep 01 , 2021 20:45
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Croatia
Russia
Croatia
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The battle of the top two from Group H of the WC 2022 qualifiers meet at the Luzhniki Stadium as Russia host world vice-champions Croatia. Read our reasons for Russia vs Croatia prediction and betting tips.
After a disappointing performance at the 2020 EURO, the Russian Football Federation decided to turn a new page. Instead of the longest-serving coach in their history, Stanislav Cherchesov, legendary player Valerij Karpin took the bench. Former coach of Rostov and celebrated football name, widely known from his playing time in La Liga. Karpin had a small amount of time to work with players and get connected with a group. Russia always has high expectations, but among the players and coaching staff, it is uncertain on what level they are currently. The first match could be very hard, as they welcome the second-best team from the latest WC, and Croatia will be very hard to beat, despite their problems. The 52-year-old Karpin cleared the team roster, Artem Dzyuba, for many years, was their first striker, now, he is no longer on the list of players.
His absence will change the style of play of the Russian national football team, which should now play with more ball at their feet. There are as many as nine new players in the national team who have never played for Russia before. Vedran Ćorluka and Ivica Olić, ex-national team players were for a long time in Russia, Ćorluka is a part of Dalić’s coaching staff, and Olić was a CSKA Moscow manager for two months. The duo knows their players perfectly and will be of great help to Zlatko Dalić. The Russians will be cheered on by 20,000 fans who will give a strong wind in the back of Karpin's team.
Russia: Safonov; Barinov, Diveev, Dzhikiya; Karavaev, Ozdoev, Zobnin, Golovin, Kuzyaev; Miranchuk, Smolov
Because Ćorluka and Olić Croatian national coach Zlatko Dalic is convinced that the hosts cannot surprise them. ‘’The Russians are playing differently than at the 2018 World Cup or this year's Euro. I talked a lot with Olic, Ćorluka, and Pletikosa, but we will still have a hard job ahead of us, but I believe that with aggression, fighting spirit, and energy, we can grab three points’’, Dalic told on a news conference on Monday. Due to an adductor injury, captain Luka Modrić cannot compete in matches against Russia and Slovakia. He may be ready for the match in Split against Slovenia (September 7). Ante Budimir will also miss the match in Moscow due to a groin injury. Dalić left out Rebić, Petković, and Brekalo from the list but he was ready to explain their absence. “I stand behind this, I have chosen players who play in their clubs and are in shape. I wouldn’t talk about names and specifically explain why I didn’t call someone, but no one was written off or crossed out.’’
Center forwards, Čolak and Livaja are playing well for their teams, Kramarić can also play in that position. It will be difficult without Modrić, it is almost impossible to replace him, but Croatia has very good solutions in the midfield, there are Brozović, Kovačić, Pašalić, Vlašić, Ivanušec, all playing and in a good shape. It will be an opportunity to adapt to life without Modrić on the national team because he is very close to retiring in a year or two. ‘’At this moment, the most important thing is to return undefeated from the visit to the main rivals in the fight for the first place in the group, from Russia and Slovakia", noted Dalić at the end of the press conference.
Croatia: Livakovic; Vrsaljko, Lovren, Vida, Gvardiol; Pasalic, Brozovic, Kovacic; Vlasic, Čolak, Kramaric
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The Russian team is new, they will try to exploit the start of the new era, with fans behind them, but Croatians are very difficult to beat and they have high-quality players in the starting lineup. BettingKick’s Russia vs Croatia prediction is: Both teams to score.
3-5-2
4-3-3
Russia
Croatia
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08.10.2021. | Russia | VS | Slovakia | 1-0 |
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07.09.2021. | Russia | VS | Malta | 2-0 |
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04.09.2021. | Cyprus | VS | Russia | 0-2 |
W
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01.09.2021. | Russia | VS | Croatia | 0-0 |
D
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21.06.2021. | Russia | VS | Denmark | 1-4 |
L
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16.06.2021. | Finland | VS | Russia | 0-1 |
W
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12.06.2021. | Belgium | VS | Russia | 3-0 |
L
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19.11.2024. | Russia | VS | Syria | 4-0 |
W
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15.11.2024. | Russia | VS | Brunei Darussalam | 11-0 |
W
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08.10.2021. | Russia | VS | Slovakia | 1-0 |
W
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07.09.2021. | Russia | VS | Malta | 2-0 |
W
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01.09.2021. | Russia | VS | Croatia | 0-0 |
D
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21.06.2021. | Russia | VS | Denmark | 1-4 |
L
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05.06.2021. | Russia | VS | Bulgaria | 1-0 |
W
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27.03.2021. | Russia | VS | Slovenia | 2-1 |
W
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14.10.2020. | Russia | VS | Hungary | 0-0 |
D
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11.10.2020. | Russia | VS | Turkey | 1-1 |
D
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11.10.2021. | Slovenia | VS | Russia | 1-2 |
W
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04.09.2021. | Cyprus | VS | Russia | 0-2 |
W
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16.06.2021. | Finland | VS | Russia | 0-1 |
W
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12.06.2021. | Belgium | VS | Russia | 3-0 |
L
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01.06.2021. | Poland | VS | Russia | 1-1 |
D
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30.03.2021. | Slovakia | VS | Russia | 2-1 |
L
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24.03.2021. | Malta | VS | Russia | 1-3 |
W
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18.11.2020. | Serbia | VS | Russia | 5-0 |
L
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15.11.2020. | Turkey | VS | Russia | 3-2 |
L
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12.11.2020. | Moldova | VS | Russia | 0-0 |
D
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11.10.2021. | Croatia | VS | Slovakia | 2-2 |
D
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08.10.2021. | Cyprus | VS | Croatia | 0-3 |
W
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07.09.2021. | Croatia | VS | Slovenia | 3-0 |
W
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04.09.2021. | Slovakia | VS | Croatia | 0-1 |
W
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01.09.2021. | Russia | VS | Croatia | 0-0 |
D
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28.06.2021. | Croatia | VS | Spain | 3-3 |
L
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22.06.2021. | Croatia | VS | Scotland | 3-1 |
W
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18.06.2021. | Croatia | VS | Czech Republic | 1-1 |
D
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13.06.2021. | England | VS | Croatia | 1-0 |
L
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06.06.2021. | Belgium | VS | Croatia | 1-0 |
L
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11.10.2021. | Croatia | VS | Slovakia | 2-2 |
D
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07.09.2021. | Croatia | VS | Slovenia | 3-0 |
W
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28.06.2021. | Croatia | VS | Spain | 3-3 |
L
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22.06.2021. | Croatia | VS | Scotland | 3-1 |
W
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18.06.2021. | Croatia | VS | Czech Republic | 1-1 |
D
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01.06.2021. | Croatia | VS | Armenia | 1-1 |
D
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30.03.2021. | Croatia | VS | Malta | 3-0 |
W
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27.03.2021. | Croatia | VS | Cyprus | 1-0 |
W
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17.11.2020. | Croatia | VS | Portugal | 2-3 |
L
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14.10.2020. | Croatia | VS | France | 1-2 |
L
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08.10.2021. | Cyprus | VS | Croatia | 0-3 |
W
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04.09.2021. | Slovakia | VS | Croatia | 0-1 |
W
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01.09.2021. | Russia | VS | Croatia | 0-0 |
D
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13.06.2021. | England | VS | Croatia | 1-0 |
L
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06.06.2021. | Belgium | VS | Croatia | 1-0 |
L
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24.03.2021. | Slovenia | VS | Croatia | 1-0 |
L
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14.11.2020. | Sweden | VS | Croatia | 2-1 |
L
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11.11.2020. | Turkey | VS | Croatia | 3-3 |
D
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07.10.2020. | Switzerland | VS | Croatia | 1-2 |
W
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08.09.2020. | France | VS | Croatia | 4-2 |
L
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Daniel Garcia is originally from Basque Country, and as a kid who grew up just a few streets from Mendizorrotza Stadium, the choice of Deportivo Alavés as his favourite club is more than obvious. Because of his studies, he moved to Madrid where he graduated in Sports Journalism. Daniel plays football on the weekends, but that does not stop him from watching all La Liga matches. He believes that the outcome of a match can be predicted if all the parameters are analyzed well, including form of the players and weather conditions. Currently he is living in Belgrade, and is in love with a Serbian girl who works as a journalist at one of the famous Sport Channels in Serbia.