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Petrić Ready For Germany Pressure

Mladen Petrić is relishing the pressure being heaped on his shoulders ahead of Thursday's game with Germany, insisting that the Croats can shock the opposition as they did at World Cup 1998 in France...

Mladen Petrić toiled against Austria during hotly-tipped Croatia's opening game, but will draw confidence from his Wembley qualifying winner in November ahead of Thursday's tasty meeting with Germany.

The 27-year-old Borussia Dortmund forward struggled with a back injury late in the season and looked sluggish against the co-hosts, but hopes to rediscover form in the winner-takes-all clash with the Germans.

On his winner in the 3-2 victory over England, he told the official Euro 2008 website: "That was one of the most important games for us, because we proved to ourselves that a small country like Croatia can beat a big team like England, with all their good players.

"That was a huge self-confidence injection for us, and for me personally that goal meant a lot. If not the most important, it was the most popular goal I've ever scored."

Quality and Experience

Arsenal man Eduardo da Silva's injury piles more pressure on Petrić, who insists he relishes the challenge.

"I like it when people are expecting a lot from me," he insisted. "That's positive for me. I don't think of it as pressure because it proves to me that I'm a good player and that I've already reached a high level.

"I feel good, I'm really self-confident and I hope I can show this."

Not only that, he wants to bag early Croat qualification against Germany in Klagenfurt, adding: "The Germans are always favourites – and not only in the group.

"It could be possible that our last game against Poland will decide who's going to the quarter-finals, but I hope we can secure our passage before that. We're confident in ourselves, we know we're strong enough, and we have the quality to beat any team."

Croatia shocked Germany 3-0 in Lyon in the 1998 FIFA World Cup. In the squad that day were boss Slaven Bilić and coaches Aljoša Asanović, Robert Prosinečki and Marijan Mrmić.

Petrić admits that their experience is key, saying: "Of course they are an inspiration. Their experience is so precious and their results are great. We can learn a lot from them and we would love to be as successful as they were in 1998."

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