• Each team is facing pressure at this stage of the tournament, but Croatia has this label "Golden Generation" which has unanimously won weight. This is the last chance for Mario Mandzukic's attacking lineup of Juventus (32), Luka Modric of Real Madrid (32), Ivan Rakitic of Barcelona (30), to play together at the World Cup in their the easy road to the semifinals just adds to the pressure.
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• The main task of Croatia? Slow down Artem Dzyuba, the 6-foot-4 striker who scored three goals in four games for Russia. This responsibility will mainly come from Dejan Lovren, the 6-foot-2 Croatian defender who plays for Liverpool in the Premier League, in what should be a tough physical battle throughout the game.