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In a press conference, Zlatko Dalić admitted that he would ask his players namely Luka Modric and Ivan Rakitic how to stop Lionel Messi.
A win would see Croatia qualify for the Round of 16, a feat which they have not achieved since finishing 3rd in the 1998 France World Cup. On the previous occasion, The Blazers won just a single match and failed to advance.
As for Jorge Sampaoli's men, they were humbled by Iceland and managed to get away only with a point. This leaves them in a disadvantageous position, but not all hope is lost. It will be vital to see how his players respond to this match after the draw.
Given the strengths of his side, Sampaoli will surely choose to go all out and attack. Hopefully, Messi and his team can get an early goal in the game.
In the four times that both sides have met each other, Croatia lost twice and won just once. They last faced each other during an international friendly in 2014 and Croatia was beaten 2-1 by their opponents.
Histories aside, this World Cup has been filled with surprises and it could be anybody's game before the final whistle is blown. Here is a look at five players who could change the game.
#5 Cristian Pavon
The 22-year-old right winger is expected to start against Croatia according to latest reports. He made his senior debut in November last year. Since then, he made six appearances in total and created two assists for his team.
In the previous match against Iceland, Pavon came on as a substitute for the last 15 minutes. However, he and his team were unable to break Iceland down and had to share a point with their opponents.
The Boca Juniors player made 31 appearances in all competitions last season, creating 17 assists in the process. As a result of his impressive performances, the youngster has attracted attention from Arsenal and Barcelona.
Pavon has an eye for making key passes and is capable of dribbling and holding onto the ball for a long time. The Argentine could replace his compatriot Angel di Maria on the pitch. Sampaoli is keen to utilize Pavon's pace and hopefully he can aid the forwards in the match.
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#4 Luka Modric
The Croatian captain has made over 100 appearances for his nation and is undoubtedly one of the most experienced players in the match-up. His side cruised past Nigeria and is certainly up to the task as they face the Argentinians.
According to Croatia's manager, Zlatko Dalic, the match against the South Americans would be the 'easiest' for his side as they had nothing to lose. It would be the ideal time for the Real Madrid midfielder to shine once again.
The central midfielder is particularly strong in dribbling and passing. He has been instrumental in helping his team both attack and defend.
Modric won't be unfamiliar to Messi's style of play, considering that both of them are regular players for Real Madrid and Barcelona respectively. It will be interesting to watch which side will win the midfield battle as it could easily decide which way the game could go.
However, previous matches have shown that having a higher possession does not mean getting a better scoreline.
As seen from Argentina's first match against Iceland, the Scandinavian country spent the entire second-half defending and had no shots at all but they managed to equalize from a counter-attack effort in the first 45 minutes.
Modric would have to take advantage of his skills and expertise, then combine with his team members and make use of every chance given to them.
#3 Ivan Rakitic
Rakitic has struck up a good partnership together with Modric. The Barcelona man knows that his side needs to be wary of Messi and in recent games, Rakitic has taken on the role of a defensive midfielder.
Should Croatia plot to stop Argentine's attack, the 30-year-old would have a key role in stopping La Albiceleste right at the heart of the pitch.
Passing is one of Rakitic's biggest assets and the player has the ability to score directly from a free-kick. It will not be surprising if the game is actually a battle between him and his Barcelona team-mate.
The winner could then decide the result of the fixture. Both of them know each other far too well and they have huge responsibilities to bear in this game.
Together with Modric, the duo will hope to form a midfield axis, allowing their side to quickly transition from attack to defence and vice versa. Even the Nigeria football team's coach, Gernot Rohr had been impressed with their skills.
Croatia is certainly not the best team in the world, but they have got one of the best midfield pairings in the competition. Rakitic and Modric largely play in the same position, they are aware of their own strengths and weakness. This enables them to adapt and provide support for each other.
It could be another night of Rakitic running the show and he could change the game once he steps up.
#2 Sergio Aguero
Aguero scored his side's only goal in the match against Iceland. As proven in the English Premier League, the striker is extremely lethal in the box and is a great finisher. If Croatia wants to win, they would have to keep Aguero quiet.
The Argentine can find the net easily. Last season, he scored an average of 0.84 goals per match and had a shooting accuracy of 45 percent.
While the player did not score more during the opening match, it should be noted that he has scored in each of his last two matches for his nation. After making 85 appearances, the 30-year-old has scored 37 goals.
Over the last two editions of the World Cup where Aguero did participate, the Argentine had failed to find the net. His goal against Iceland was his first in the competition. It could encourage him to score more and power his side to the Round of 16.
#1 Lionel Messi
The limelight will be on him once the match kicks off. He has the duty of leading his nation to the next round. The midfield magician worked no wonders in the match against Iceland. For this match, Sampaoli would be hoping that his Captain can work something out.
In his trophy cabinet he has numerous titles and awards as a Barcelona player. However, things just seem not to work as well when he plays for his country.
With 64 goals in 123 games after representing his nation for 13 years, it is a pretty good record. However, time and again he has been let down by his team-mates.
The 30-year-old Argentine would have to attempt to get his nation back on track in the competition, else everything would be too late and they could soon be packing their bags and heading home.
There is no reason for Messi not to get his name on the score-sheet in the upcoming match. He certainly needs more help from his team-mates but then again, he has also shown that his solo efforts can make an impact on the game.
