Croatia Plays Portugal in Euro Warm-up

It will be a wonderful moment for Cristian Ronaldo to meet up with his former Real Madrid teammate Luka Modric as Portugal and Croatia play a warm-up game ahead of Euro 2024. 

The high-profile warm-up game is already getting hyped by the fans who are already looking out for UEFA Euro 2024 tickets. Scheduled to be played on June 8 in Lisbon, it will be the final game before the finals kick off in Germany. 

Zlatko Dalić will manage Croatia and undergo preparations in Rijeka, including a friendly match against North Macedonia on June 3, before their encounter with Portugal. 

Dalić stressed the importance of playing a team like Portugal as it will clearly indicate Croatia’s readiness for the finals. 

Croatia Football president Marijan Kustić expressed his pleasure in reaching an agreement to play Portgual before the Euro 2024. He believes this will set the team to perform in Germany, whatever the result. 

Croatia has always been the underdog when it comes to high-profile tournaments. The 2018 finalists who brought out a stellar show have continued delivering. 

In the recently concluded FIFA World Cup in 2022, Croatia were semifinalists, who later finished as 3rd place winners, defeating Morocco. 

Luka Modric has been an inspiration throughout the last decade, carrying the team from the front. In 2018, he won the Ballon d’Or for his exceptional talent showcase for club and country. 

Even at 38 years old, he is still bringing stellar performances for Real Madrid and will expect to do the same at the Euros. 

This might also be his final international tournament for Modric, and he will want to finish it on a high. The footballing world still fondly remembers the FIFA World Cup 2022 performance and will be rooting for Croatia to excel. 

Additionally, the team will play two more friendly matches in March. The team will play in the International W Cup in the UAE, featuring top sides such as Egypt, Tunisia, and New Zealand. 

This is the redemption run for Portugal, who faced a disappointing exit in the World Cup. Fernando Gomes, president of the Portuguese Football Federation, expressed gratitude to Croatia for honoring the invite to Lisbon. 

The return to Jamor, a symbolic venue for the Croatian team, is set to be a grand event, with fans with UEFA Euro 2024 tickets also expected to attend. 

This friendly is an early opportunity for the fans to get a first glimpse of the side and put in their wagers for the rest of the competition. 

Roberto Martinez, the ex-Beligum coach, acknowledges Croatia’s presence and expects the friendly to be a tester for both sides. 

For Portugal, it will be interesting to see their forward combinations and to get a sense check of what coach Roberto Martinez has in store for the finals. 

The return of Cristiano Ronaldo has livened up the dressing room, with Martinez opting to go with Ronaldo as a starter. But, at 38 years old, Ronaldo showcases that he is physically fit and can take on any challenge. 

Scotland Prepare for Euros with Friendlies 

After a thrilling qualification run, Scotland is back in the European Champions for the second successive occasion. 

And Steve Clarke wants to ensure they get everything right to make it count this year. In line with the preparations, Scotland is expected to play friendlies with Gibraltar and Finland. The first encounter will be against Gibraltar in Portugal. 

The game on June 3 will be a good opportunity for the team to gel in just before the Championship and even try out a few replacements. 

But the game on June 7 will be the final rehearsal for Scotland before they head to their first group stage match. Coach Clarke would expect to see his complete playing XI in this game and have the match-day plan ready. 

Scotland will play hosts Germany on June 14 and then later Switzerland and Hungary. 

Fans with UEFA Euro 2024 tickets from Scotland will be slightly demotivated to look at the group that their team is in. Scotland must win at least two games to stand a chance to enter the Round of 16. 

Even with a single win, there is still a chance for Scotland to make the Round of 16, with the third palace finishes also getting the lifeline to proceed, but that will all come down to the nitty-gritty. 

Hence, Scotland will plan to get their game wins sorted so that they automatically make the next round. 

But it will be tough. Although they play hosts Germany in the opener, the Scotts will have the upper hand. While thousands of fans with UEFA Euro 2024 tickets flock to the stadium, Scotland will be mentally ahead. 

With their new coach, Julian Nagelsmann, Germany is still figuring out their winning strategy, and the side will be under tremendous pressure to get the opening win. The tournament kicks off with the Scotland-Germany clash. The hosts will play Hungary and Switzerland next. 

This could be Scotland’s chance to pull through. 

The team’s base camp in the Euros will be in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. The camp at Obermuhle, a 120-room luxury resort, is set against the backdrop of Germany’s highest peak, Zugspitze. 

The team will train close to the hotel and is expected to provide a comfortable space for the players and staff during the tournament. 

Scotland manager Steve Clarke was highly eccentric on his team’s preparations and highlighted good sentiments from the training camp. He emphasized the significance of having a preferred base camp, which is helpful for the side, and is looking forward to welcoming the local community in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

Graeme Jones, Scotland FA’s Performance Director, emphasized on the preparation ahead of the Euros. He praised Obermuhle for offering top-class facilities in a serene and picturesque setting. 

Euro 2024 Groups: 

Group A: Germany, Hungary, Scotland, Switzerland

Group B: Spain, Albania, Croatia, Italy

Group C: England, Denmark, Slovenia, Serbia

Group D: France, Austria, Netherlands, play-off winner A

Group E: Belgium, Romania, Slovakia, play-off winner B

Group F: Portugal, Turkey, Czech Republic, play-off winner C