Croatia arrived in Rio de Janeiro on the second day of the match, and the entire trip was quite tight, with almost no time for rest.
This was also considered so that specific adjustments could be made upon arriving at the final venue.
Croatia had already secured a World Cup final spot, and their opponent would be determined in tonight's match.
The match between Germany and Argentina was bound to be a clash of titans!
In the original timeline, this would have been the final, but now it was happening earlier. Both Germany and Argentina possessed formidable combat power in this World Cup, and their confrontation and match would inevitably be intensely competitive on many levels.
However, for Croatia, this was all good news.
After all, no matter who made it to the final, they would definitely have some Consumption in the semi-finals.
"Ha~~~"
In the cafeteria, Mandžukić walked over to Suker, yawning, and sat down.
There wasn't much food on his plate; clearly, his appetite wasn't great.
And from his sleepy expression, it seemed he hadn't slept well.
"It's not that I didn't sleep well, it's that I didn't get enough sleep!" Mandžukić seemed to read Suker's expression and grinned, "After that match, I'm always so sleepy, like my body has reached some kind of critical point!"
With that, he gently patted his cheek and said, "Just activate my body during training later."
"Who do you think will win tonight's match?"
Rakitić leaned over and asked.
Modrić: "I feel it will be Germany. Germany has performed very well in this World Cup, their offense and defense are handled very steadily. It would be difficult for us to break through their defense even if we faced them, and if the rhythm is pulled into an offensive and defensive confrontation, the threat might be even greater!"
"Argentina should not be underestimated either!" Rakitić shook his head and said, "I've watched several of their matches, and they do very well in midfield connections. Especially since Messi started playing as a number 10, his position is elusive; he can make vertical breakthroughs, deliver key passes, and also score goals!"
"Argentina doesn't lack top strikers; they lack someone to create opportunities, and now that Messi is taking on this role, it indirectly means that Argentina's frontline has been activated!"
Mandžukić took a bite of sausage and said, "But it won't be easy for them to tear open Germany's defense!"
He took a sip of water and added, "Germany's strength lies in its balance!"
"Who do you think it will be?" Modrić looked at Suker, and the others also turned their heads.
Suker shrugged: "Why think about these things? Facing which opponent and using which tactics is the coaching staff's job. We just need to adjust our condition, ensure our performance in the match doesn't falter, and unleash everything on the field!"
Hearing this, Modrić and the others smiled.
Suker's confidence always inspired many people.
Moreover, this confidence was not blind, but based on Suker's own ability, and thus could provide great morale to his teammates.
In the afternoon, the entire Croatia team went to the training base for a simple training session.
As the big match was approaching, there wasn't much training content, nor was the intensity high; it was just to adjust their condition.
Back at the hotel, after dinner, everyone gathered in the meeting room, waiting to watch the match between Germany and Argentina.
In this match, Germany wore their white jersey, and Argentina wore their blue away jersey.
The camera panned across many important players, including Klose, Messi, Özil, and Lahm.
Undoubtedly, both teams had top-tier lineups and were highly competitive.
However, once the match began, things started to feel a bit off.
"Germany is actually controlling the ball; isn't their possession rate higher than Argentina's?"
Rakitić said with some surprise.
In traditional impressions, German football was always of the aggressive, hard-charging type, which is where the nickname "German Panzer" came from.
They excelled in simple and aggressive match modes, while Argentina was the representative of the delicate South America football.
For this reason, many people believed that the match would primarily feature Argentina dominating possession and offense, with Germany playing a defensive counter-attacking style.
But in fact, from the moment the match began, Germany had already started to control the midfield.
Relying on players like Kroos, Muller, Özil, and Schweinsteiger, they were actively suppressing the midfield.
"If you think the Germans are still those rough old men, then you are greatly mistaken!" Mandžukić shook his head.
Vukojević next to him also nodded: "Ever since their youth training became a great success, and they further absorbed Guardiola's pass-and-control football, this Germany team, based on Bayern Munich, has already completed its transformation. It's no surprise that they are suppressing Argentina; it's just that we, based on traditional notions, believe Germany should play defensively."
In fact, many teams in this World Cup also made incorrect judgments, all products of inertial thinking.
But Germany's tactical changes and the match mode they adopted were still surprising.
Suker didn't speak; he was still focused on the match.
Unlike the pre-match predictions, the current match trend was Germany being proactive and Argentina being passive.
Germany was very strong in midfield control, but Argentina's defense was also surprisingly solid.
It could be said that both teams in this match exceeded audience expectations, showcasing different aspects of their abilities.
And this unpredictability gradually increased the excitement of the match.
In the original timeline, both teams played to a 0:0 draw in 90 minutes of regular time, and in the final extra time, Götze became the last straw that broke Argentina's back!
However, that being said, from a certain perspective, there was still some gap in strength.
After all, Germany had always been in a suppressive mode, while Argentina failed to break that situation.
Was this not a kind of gap?
"They're so damn patient!"
Watching Germany's numerous passing lane choices, Rakitić couldn't help but grimace.
They clearly had opportunities to cross, but Germany stubbornly refused to, insisting on finding the absolute best chance, unwilling to easily surrender possession to Argentina.
Sometimes, the Germans' persistence seemed a bit obsessive.
But sometimes, this very quality could also be a headache!
Just like in this match, if Rakitić were playing in Kroos's position, he didn't know how many through balls he would have sent out.
Not every one would succeed, but it could create some chaos.
But Germany stubbornly refused to do so, choosing instead to wear down Argentina.
However, this approach indeed made Argentina increasingly uncomfortable to play against.
Didn't Messi even retreat already!
"Argentina's current problem is that when they try to push forward, they always fail to break through Germany's high pressing, and someone needs to get the ball out!"
"So Messi retreated!"
"But in this way, Germany will focus on Messi, and without worries about their backline, they will only press even more intensely!"
But just then, Messi received the ball in his own half, and through his exquisite technique, he continuously shifted and turned within a small area, managing to extract the ball from a triple-team. Not only did he get it out, but he also passed it forward to Higuain.
"Oh my God!"
Rakitić clutched his head.
Messi's few moves to escape made his scalp tingle.
There wasn't overly complicated technique involved; it was just simple changes of direction and shifts in center of gravity, yet he managed to dribble past one player after another, literally carving his way through.
"Higuain is going up!"
The Little Pipita sprinted forward, hoping to break this terrible situation.
However, Germany's pursuit was also swift, quickly overwhelming Higuain.
"He's not passing?"
"Too late, he should have passed earlier!"
"This guy is too selfish!"
The Croatia players complained. If this were their teammate, they would have cursed him out.
But Suker and Modrić didn't speak; they saw it very clearly.
It wasn't that Higuain didn't want to pass, but rather that there weren't many good passing options.
Germany had already cut off Higuain's horizontal passing lanes in defense, forcing him to pass back or go it alone.
If he passed back, he would definitely lose rhythm.
Therefore, he could only go it alone!
But in doing so, he was double-teamed by Germany!
"Germany's defensive coordination is very good!" Bešić said solemnly.
Van Stoyak next to him said seriously, "This is no longer just 'good'."
He felt it was already close to perfect.
This feeling was somewhat similar to Real Madrid in 2012, with mechanized defensive coordination, strict discipline, every player able to run to their position, and together constructing this large defensive net.
It could be said that facing this kind of defensive coordination, the only way to break through was with absolute speed, by brute force.
Breaking through in the simplest and most direct way at the moment before Germany could converge, there was no other way.
Even top technical players like Suker and Messi couldn't guarantee possession when facing this level of double-teaming.
Unbeknownst to them, 30 minutes had passed.
The score remained 0:0.
But none of that mattered; what mattered was Germany's choice.
Inside the Croatia tactical room, it was quiet.
"Those Germans hide their cards well!"
Modrić pursed his lips.
In this match, Germany fully demonstrated what meticulous game control meant.
Despite no goals, their professional player instincts told them that Germany was slowly draining Argentina's energy.
Although both sides seemed to be playing back and forth.
Currently, Germany had three shots on goal, while Argentina had four.
However, all three of Germany's shots were on target.
Argentina, on the other hand, had zero shots on target!
From this alone, it was clear that Argentina's counterattacks seemed to have a big bark but little bite!
Each counterattack appeared fierce, but failed to hit Germany's vital points.
Their shots were all very forced!
Germany, meanwhile, was slowly, step by step, pushing the game into its comfort zone, gradually eroding Argentina's rhythm.
Even Messi, who tried several times to break free from this situation with his individual ability, was stubbornly pushed back by Germany.
"It feels like Germany is about to speed up!"
Modrić said.
Suker also nodded slightly.
In the original timeline, Germany's progression wasn't fast, but that was due to it being the final, where Germany needed a stable victory, so they patiently pushed the situation into their most comfortable environment.
But this match was different; it was only a semi-final, and even if they won this game, Germany still had to play Croatia.
Therefore, once the advantage was gradually established, they lost patience with slowly grinding out the rhythm and instead opted for a quick resolution, ending the match swiftly.
This was also the feeling Germany was giving them at the moment.
The most obvious sign was that Muller began to constantly run horizontally across the front field, supporting Klose and creating opportunities for other teammates.
If Argentina focused too much on this constantly moving Muller, they would lose sight of others.
But if they didn't mark Muller, given his off-the-ball movement, by the time they noticed him again, he would be putting the ball into the net.
"He's so damn annoying!"
Vida couldn't help but complain.
His remark was directed at Muller; Muller's style of play was the most irritating for defenders.
He didn't even hold the ball, just constantly moved in front of you, yet you couldn't ignore him.
"This guy is very annoying!" Vukojević also sighed; "Not just his personality, but his playing style too!"
Just then, Kroos suddenly threaded a diagonal pass.
This pass pierced through Mascherano and Zabaleta's right-side defense, even grazing Zabaleta's foot, directly penetrating Argentina's entire defensive line.
To make matters worse, Schweinsteiger had already appeared behind the ball, poised to cross.
"Oh no!"
Croatia players held their breath.
At this moment, Schweinsteiger sent a cross with precise placement towards the center.
Klose and Demichelis jumped simultaneously, but neither could win the header; the ball bounced off both their shoulders and continued to fly towards the far post.
Garay spread his arms and shouted, "I'll clear it!"
Just as he was about to clear, a figure flashed past him.
Before Garay could react, Muller leaped into the air.
But he had clearly overran it; even with his head down, he couldn't reach the ball, so he simply used his chest to head it.
Bang!
Muller headed the ball in an awkward and ugly posture, yet he managed to firmly put it into the goal.
Swish!
The ball hit the net!
In the 39th minute, Germany scored first.
Thanks to Muller's goal, Germany led 1:0 temporarily.
"Goooooooooooooaaaaaaaaaaaaaaal!!!!"
"Thomas Müller! He scored the opening goal for Germany! At a moment when Germany desperately needed to break the deadlock, he became the key player."
"Argentina still couldn't withstand Germany's offensive and conceded a goal in the final moments of the first half."
"This goal will put them in a very passive position overall!"
Listening to the Brazil commentator, Modrić shook his head: "It's more than just passive! Being behind isn't the problem; being suppressed is the fundamental reason."
"If Angel were here, he could still be effective on the wing!"
Suker also nodded.
If Di Maria could play, Argentina's threat on the wing would be even greater.
But unfortunately, Di Maria was injured, and Argentina's key player was absent, which was a significant reason for Argentina's diminished strength.
After all, Di Maria's performance in the finals was evident to all.
Messi had the same thought at this moment.
After conceding the goal, their emotions clearly became more agitated, wanting to quickly equalize.
But several attempts failed to break through Germany's defense.
After several passes, Messi couldn't help but miss Di Maria.
"If Angel were here, it would be great!"
Without Angel, Argentina, relying solely on Messi, always lacked a certain crucial quality.
The second half of the match was even more thrilling.
Argentina clearly started to fight desperately, and their overall counterattacks were quite terrifying.
They twice penetrated Germany's defense, but were saved by Neuer at the brink.
Another time, Higuain failed to seize the opportunity!
After missing two excellent chances consecutively, as the saying goes, prolonged attack leads to eventual loss. Capitalizing on a counterattack, Germany precisely found Klose making a forward run.
Klose headed the ball, putting it into Argentina's goal once again.
"Klose, his fifteenth goal in the World Cup. Unfortunately, Suker has already broken this record, otherwise he would have become the World Cup's all-time leading scorer!"
Klose didn't have time to think about these things. Compared to personal honors, winning this match was the key.
Therefore, he was still very excited after scoring.
Now, Germany led by two goals, significantly increasing their chances of winning.
"Missed two chances, their luck is too bad, right?" Rakitić shook his head.
Mandžukić: "Luck? I feel it's more like a difference in form!"
"Germany's form is clearly better, and their overall morale is more vigorous. As for Argentina, they always seem to stumble. Furthermore, the tactical arrangement for this match seems problematic; Messi's excessive deep retreats to get the ball lead to insufficient attacking power in the front, isn't that just allowing Germany to attack more brazenly?"
"So I feel that this seemingly evenly matched game actually has a significant gap between the two teams in terms of tactical execution, player form, and the ability to seize key moments!"
Upon hearing this, Suker and the others looked at Mandžukić in surprise.
Seeing his teammates' expressions, Mandžukić said discontentedly, "Do you really think I play without using my brain? Besides, isn't this situation very obvious!"
"Mario is right!" Modrić smiled, then nodded, "Argentina is in trouble!"
And so it was.
As the saying goes, a military defeat is like a collapsing mountain!
After Germany's second goal, Germany began to switch to a stable defensive mode.
They couldn't tear open Germany's defense before, let alone after Germany started actively setting up their defense, for Argentina to try to score again.
The game became quite dull!
Even the commentators didn't know how to smooth things over.
Anyone with an eye could see that Argentina's disadvantage was gradually expanding, especially as Germany switched to defense, the rhythm of the game became even more off.
It should have been a fierce battle, but unexpectedly, Germany cleanly defeated Argentina.
And this also implicitly stated that this Germany team had not yet fully exerted its strength.
The match between Croatia and Netherlands proved that Croatia had an almost unparalleled strong level in this World Cup!
And the performance shown by Germany in this match was also absolute dominance.
At the current pace, Germany would reach the final.
Croatia vs. Germany!
This would be a match with an intensity almost higher than any other game in this World Cup.
The strength displayed by these two teams was already on a different level from other teams.