Bilić names side for Israel trip
Monday, October 30, 2006
Article summary
Croatia coach Slaven Bilić is expecting "a most difficult away match" after naming his squad for next month's Group E qualifying fixture in Israel.
Article body
Croatia coach Slaven Bilić is expecting "a most difficult away match" after naming his squad for the UEFA EURO 2008™ qualifier in Israel on 15 November.
No surprises
There are no surprises in the squad for the match in Tel-Aviv. FC Dynamo Kyiv defender Goran Sablić misses out as he is recovering from knee surgery while fringe players Danijel Pranjić and Marin Skender have been left out with midfielder Jurica Vranješ and forward Igor Budan, who has scored four goals in nine Serie A starts for Parma FC this season, coming in.
Israeli threat
"After a very good start we have plenty of points and lots of confidence but now we have a most difficult away match ahead of us," said Bilić, whose side are level with England, F.Y.R. Macedonia and Israel on seven points in Group E. "[In 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifying] they were in a group with France, Ireland and Switzerland, and no one managed to beat them. But we have built a good group and we hope we will be closer to our goal after match in Israel."
Croatia squad
Goalkeepers: Stipe Pletikosa (FC Shakhtar Donetsk), Vedran Runje (Beşiktaş JK).
Defenders: Dario Šimić (AC Milan), Anthony Šerić (Panathinaikos FC), Robert Kovač (Juventus), Josip Šimunić (Hertha BSC Berlin), Hrvoje Vejić (FC Tom Tomsk), Vedran Ćorluka (NK Dinamo Zagreb), Dario Knežević (AS Livorno Calcio).
Midfielders: Niko Kovač (FC Salzburg), Jerko Leko (AS Monaco FC), Marko Babić (Bayer 04 Leverkusen), Darijo Srna (FC Shakhtar Donetsk), Milan Rapaić (R. Standard de Liège), Niko Kranjčar (Portsmouth FC), Luka Modrić (NK Dinamo Zagreb).
Forwards: Mladen Petrić (FC Basel 1893), Ivan Klasnić (Werder Bremen), Ivica Olić (PFC CSKA Moskva), Boško Balaban (Club Brugge KV), Eduardo da Silva (NK Dinamo Zagreb), Igor Budan (Parma FC).
