There is no doubt in Slaven Bilic mind that following the straight wins over the Austrians, the Germans and the Poles which gave his Croatia team first place in the group (B), they will confound all those doubters who think Croatia do not perform up to standard when handed the favourites tag, as they have in their up-coming game against Turley in the Euro 2008 second quarter-final.  Bilić knows that the pressure starts here but he insisted that it is positive pressure which can only motivate the team, not detract them.

The two sides met in what were both their inaugural appearances in Euro finals, at Euro 96 in England in a game which Croatia ran out winners thanks to a late goal, but more recently it has been the Turks who have been chalking up the late winner’s with astonishing comeback wins over the Swiss and the Czechs.  

Bilić is aware of how strong they are and admires their fighting spirit and warns that his team will have to concentrate fully for the entire ninety minutes of the match. While admitting the Turks morale is good at the moment and that they never give up a lost cause, he conversely thinks it shows their weaknesses as no team wants to have to make a comeback after trailing in a match.

Croatia have yet to fall behind in a game in Euro 2008 and are almost certain to put out the same team that beat the Germans 2-1, with both Darijo Srna and Ivan Rakitić back training with the squad again after sustaining minor knocks. Two players who are out for the rest of the tournament though are Dario Knežević and Igor Budan, both of whom picked up serious knee injuries. Their opponents on the other hand, are in disarray when it comes to absences with no less than four players out injured (Emre Güngör, Servet Çetin, Emre Belözoğlu and Tümer Metin) and two (Volkan Demirel and Mehmet Aurélio) out through suspension. On a brighter note for Turkey, Emre Aşık and Gökhan Zan have both recovered from injury and will partner each other in central defence.