No surprises in Croatian World Cup squad

Croatia coach Zlatko Kranjcar yesterday announced an expected 24-man squad for the World Cup in Germany next month where he said he hoped his team would reach the second round at least.

"I earlier said I would pick the players who carried the burden of qualifying so I've had a pretty clear picture of who to choose for some time," Kranjcar told a news conference.

He will send his official 23-name list to FIFA but will also take Dinamo Zagreb defender Marijan Buljat to Germany as injury cover as injured players can be replaced up to a day before teams' first matches.

In the group stage Croatia face Brazil, Australia and Japan and Kranjcar said he saw his team progressing.

"I can feel a great team spirit in the squad and I think we're well capable of doing it," he said.

In an earlier interview to Reuters, Kranjcar said that reaching the quarter-finals would be a great success.

Croatia will play four friendlies ahead of the World Cup.

They first play in Vienna against Austria on May 23 followed by a home game against Iran on May 28. Then come Poland on June 3 in Wolfsburg, Germany, and Spain on June 7 in Geneva.

The squad:

Keepers: Butina (Club Bruges), Pletikosa (Hajduk Split), Didulica (Austria Vienna).

Defenders: R. Kovac (Juventus), Tomas (Galatasaray), Simic (Milan), Tokic (Austria Vienna), Simunic (Hertha Berlin), Tudor (Siena), Buljat (Dinamo Zagreb).

Midfielders: Leko (D. Kiev), Kranjcar (H. Split), N. Kovac (H. Berlin), Babic (B. Leverkusen), Srna (S. Donetsk), Leko (Club Bruges), Modric (D. Zagreb), Vranjes (Werder Bremen), Seric (Panathinaikos).

Forwards: Prso (Rangers), Klasnic (Werder Bremen), Balaban (Club Bruges), Olic (CSKA Moscow), Bosnjak (Dinamo Zagreb).