Atletico Madrid manager, Diego Simeone, has given his verdict on Group D teams that include Argentina, Nigeria, Croatia and Iceland ahead of this year’s World Cup in Russia.
Simeone said Croatia will be Argentina’s toughest opponent in the group, adding that Nigeria would have already qualified for round of 16 before facing the La Albiceleste.
The Argentine World Cup star said that the Super Eagles would have accumulated at least four points before they face off with the South Americans, which makes their final match of the group a must win fixture.
”The danger in the area is how the games are played, I do not like the order of the matches. Because it happened to us, it happened to us in Japan,” Simeone told Argentine Newspaper La Nacion
”Nigeria was the weakest and the first, Sweden was better and in the middle was England, the most powerful. The same as now. Iceland, in theory, all imagine that it will be the easiest rival. If Croatia and Nigeria draw their first game, then a win against Croatia in the second game is mandatory. I explain?
”What happened to us in Japan: we won the opener against Nigeria. But England and Sweden tied. Everyone was happy, but then Sweden beat Nigeria and we were going to the field to play against England and we knew that we could not lose that game. And it happened. Now, of course, if you win the first two games, it will be much easier and none of these accounts will make sense.
”But it is clear that Croatia will be the toughest opponent and that they are in the middle I do not like. You can get to play on the last date against Nigeria, the two with four points or even them with four and we with three, and we know that between the two always the obligation will be Argentina.
”It can go wrong, we already know it. But I explain further: if Nigeria beat Croatia and we beat Iceland; then the second group match with Croatia is dicey because for them it is key, and Nigeria would beat Iceland to add six points.”
Super Eagles will clash against La Albiceleste for the fifth time in a group game at the World Cup on June 26, at Krestovsky Stadium, Saint Petersburg.
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