Croatia have been given a major boost ahead of Wednesday's World Cup Group A clash against Cameroon with confirmation Luka Modric has fully recovered from a foot injury.
It was feared the 28-year-old had fractured a bone during Croatia's 3-1 loss to Brazil in the tournament's opener last Thursday.
He spent the following day in a Sao Paulo hospital before scans cleared the Real Madrid midfielder of serious damage.
At a press conference here Tuesday, Croatia coach Niko Kovac revealed Modric was certain to play at the Arena Amazonia stadium Wednesday.
"Luka is going to be 100 percent fit. He did well in training. There are no problems and he will be with us in Wednesday's clash," Xinhua quoted Kovac as saying.
Having lost their opening matches, both Croatia and Cameroon must avoid defeat to remain alive in the tournament.
But Kovac vowed his side would attack from the outset in the Amazonian city of Manaus in a bid to secure victory.
"They (Cameroon) may play for a draw, but we want to win," he said. "We want to play our game. They are a strong team that is high in quality, but we want to impose our own style of play.
"If we were to play in the same way we played against Brazil, I do not see why we can't progress (to the knockout phase). I know there is no such thing as a free lunch, but we will fight and I am confident we can win."
Croatia have been buoyed by the return of striker Mario Mandzukic from suspension.
The 28-year-old Bayern Munich forward could not hide his eagerness to help his team Wednesday.
"This is maybe one of the most important matches most of us have played in," Mandzukic said. "We are ready and personally I can't wait for it to start."
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
