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Croatia coach Otto Baric is confident his reshuffled side will beat Bulgaria in their last Euro 2004 qualifier on Saturday and clinch a playoff berth.
"I am not even thinking of the possibility of losing against Bulgaria. I have played 15 such games in my career and won all of them... We have great players," he told Monday's Jutarnji List newspaper.
Croatia share second place with Belgium in Group Eight with 13 points, while Bulgaria, on 17 points, have already qualified. Ticketmaster
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Croatia have a better head-to-head record with Belgium, who play Estonia at
home on October 11.
Baric said his team had to deal with two problems.
"First, we have to convince the players that Bulgaria will give nothing away. Secondly, our two key players lack match fitness," he said, referring to wingers Milan Rapaic, who is without a club, and Darijo Srna, who is not a regular at Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk. Ticketmaster
Liverpool midfielder Igor Biscan is likely to start after being out of the squad for two years. Two new strikers are Mladen Petric of Grasshoppers and uncapped Zoran Zekic of local side Kamen Ingrad, who is the league's leading scorer.
Kaernten striker Marijo Maric suffered a knee injury at the weekend and could be added to the list of first-team absentees, who include suspended defenders Stjepan Tomas and Josip Simunic, midfielder Niko Kovac and injured Wolfsburg striker Tomislav Maric. Ticketmaster
Should Croatia reach the playoffs, Baric said his side could do well against almost anyone.
"The only
team I would like to avoid is Spain," he said.