Kovač: "The players are devoted to the task, their desire is great"

On Friday, Croatian national football team will leave Bad Tatzmannsdorf and head for Osijek, to play a friendly match with Mali a day later.

"I feel satisfied. We have seen that the players are exhausted and slowed down a little, but they are devoted to the task and have shown a great desire. The atmosphere within the team is excellent, let it stay so", said head coach Niko Kovač.

After the Mali match, Niko Kovač will announce the 23 players to be travelling to Brazil.

"We have some strengths and some weaknesses. We are all trying to improve. First, we have to deal with Mali and Australia in friendly matches, and then we can start preparing for Brazil, Cameroon and Mexico", continued Kovač.

Champions League winner Luka Modrić will join the national team on Friday, but will not be in the starting lineup against Mali in Osijek.

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