Passing to Modric is safer than your money in the bank
JJ hails Croatian family led by Luka and insists they don’t fear Messi
JOSIP JURANOVIC believes he’s starring alongside once-in-a-lifetime Croatia heroes.
And the Celtic ace is convinced Zlatko Dalic’s ultra talented family unit fears nothing from Lionel Messi and Argentina.
Juranovic is full of belief ahead of tomorrow’s World Cup semi-final in Qatar.
And the Parkhead ace relates playing alongside Croat legends such as Luka Modric, Mateo Kovacic and Marcelo Brozovic as being as safe as putting money in the bank.
Juranovic said: “The secret is we are all a real family and we stick together. We breathe for each other from the first minute to the last and that is the secret of our success.
“We shouldn’t be afraid of anyone and we should look at ourselves.
“We will look at the analysis with the coach and decide how and what to play.
“Luka, Marcelo and Mateo is the best Croatian midfield, I don’t know when it will happen again. Passing the ball to them is safer than your money in the bank, it’s easier when you play with them.
“I’m lucky enough to share a dressing room with such players and buy that knowledge, I’m very happy to be there.
“We want to make our people happy, to come home proud and with our heads held high. Argentinians also want that and we are such a small country with a big heart.”
Juranovic also had huge praise for defensive mate Josko Gvardiol. The RB Leipzig star is on the radar of Chelsea with transfer figures of £70million being mooted.
Juranovic said: “I had the opportunity to play against him for my club [in the Champions League] as well. I lost.
“As a person, Josko is a boy who enjoys every moment, he likes to be on the pitches and he enjoys being in the national team and hanging out with all of us. I expect that he will have a great career.”
Croatia’s past stars are also having having an effect on the group with Russia World Cup 2018 hero keeper Danijel Subasic having been around the camp.
Juranovic said: “What can I say about Subasic? I didn’t play with him but we met in a hotel and talked as if we hadn’t seen each other in 100 years. That’s how he is.
“I watched him on TV in 2018, he is a cheerful man. We still hear from each other through messages, he wished us luck. We thank him for 2018 and he continues to support us.”
Superspy Nikola Jerkan reckons Modric’s honesty holds the key to Croatia lifting the World Cup.
At the age of 37, the Real Madrid magician remains the heartbeat of the Croat side and inspires in the way Lionel Messi does for their opponents.
Jerkan, who analyses opponents for boss Dalic, said: “We know what Luka is like.
“Against Japan, he asked to be substituted for the first time. He never asks for one. This means he was spent.
“But before Brazil, he himself said he felt much better, rested, which we saw on the field.
“The national team is one team with him and a different one without him and he knows that. He is aware of how important he is to us.
“When he plays for the national team, he makes an extra effort, also because of the players around him.”
We breathe for each other from the first minute to the last JOSIP JURANOVIC