Against Spain to enter the 'medal zone'

On Wednesday, early afternoon, from 2:00 p.m. and with the broadcast on HTV 2, the Barakudas will start the fight for a breakthrough to the semi-finals. In the so-called medal zone. In a match that is usually said to be the most important, the most difficult, the most important in every tournament, in every sport.
Of course, in sports every match has its own weight, every one is important, none of them are without significance, but the quarterfinals carry still something special. The victory 'pushes', carries it to the heights, to fight later for a medal, and the defeat... We will not talk about him as an option, nor is it in the minds of anyone in our camp.

Croatia will play the quarterfinals against an extremely strong opponent on Wednesday. , of Spain. The team that is the champion of Europe, the team that beat us in January in Zagreb in the final of the continental competition. But, on the other hand, the Spaniards also know how to play with the world champion. What a collision of water polo worlds! First in the continent against the best in the world. A couple worthy of the Olympic final, but due to circumstances they meet already in the quarter-finals of the Olympic Games.

- The previous match, against the Americans, was the last one in which, conditionally speaking, it was possible to screw up. Now in front of us is the one in which there are no more repairs. We know Spain very well, we will analyze it further. It will be a very interesting match. I think that the one who will play more collectively and with more enthusiasm will win this game. Spain is an out-of-series team. They played the entire group without a 'stain', but there is no looking back. What happened, happened. Good and bad. To them and to us - says before the match Maro Joković.

His teammate Ante Vukičević pointed out.
- We know that the Spaniards came to Paris with high ambitions, but the same applies to us. If we play the way we did in the second half against Greece, the first against Italy, then the one against Montenegro, and combine it all into one, I think we really have our chances and can hope to reach the semi-finals.

Loren Fatović added:
- I am sure that even the Spaniards are not too happy to play with us. I'm sure we have our chances. We played with them quite a few times. They are a top team, but I repeat, we have a chance if we are ready in our heads.

Finally, coach Ivica Tucak:
- We want to do 'something' here, and it is known and what. For such a thing, we should overcome this rival that is waiting for us at some point. Of course, I would prefer it at the end. Now we have to rise up heroically, show our true face, the character we have and show what we have been doing, looking for and dreaming of, all of us.

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Croatia – Spain

Ratio on OI

6   1  0  5  38:51

Total ratio

65 29 7 29 560:567