Euro 2008 - Team news: Croatia v Turkey

Eurosport - Fri, 20 Jun 09:48:00 2008

Perennial underdogs Croatia bear the unusual tag of favourites going into their Euro 2008 quarter-final against a depleted Turkey side.

More StoriesMystic Matthaeus: Croatia to progress
Croatia coach Slaven Bilic has been boosted by the news that midfielder Ivan Rakitic is fit to return after a knee injury.

Rakitic, 20, shone in the 2-1 win over Germany and the 1-0 victory over Poland after being left out of the opening 1-0 Group B triumph over Austria.

Bilic declined to name his team but with Rakitic and winger Darijo Srna back to full fitness, Croatia are likely to use the 4-4-2 formation they employed against Germany before nine regular starters were rested against Poland.

Rakitic and Niko Kranjcar are set to link up again in a deeper role behind lone striker Ivica Olic while Srna and Luka Modric will be in midfield alongside 36-year-old captain Niko Kovac.

Srna said Croatia would tread carefully at the start.

"We certainly won't throw caution to the wind straight from the kick-off because Turkey have pulled off two impressive comebacks and we need to be cautious in the early stages," he said.

Turkey defender Servet Cetin has been ruled out, leaving coach Fatih Terim with just 17 players to choose from.

Emre Gungor is out for the rest of the tournament with a calf problem while goalkeeper Volkan Demirel and Mehmet Aurelio are suspended. Midfielder Tumer Metin will also miss the Croatia match due to injury.

And Turkey, who reached the last eight by coming back from 2-0 down to beat Czech Republic 3-2 in Group A on Sunday, have been without captain Emre Belozoglu because of a hamstring injury since their opening game.

Terim said there would be no change in the team's philosophy despite their problems.

"We have so far started playing a slow game in the first half and then start attacking in the second," Terim said.

"This is something that Croatia will experience as well because we will continue attacking so that we are the winning side at the end."
source :www.eurosport.yahoo.com