Péter Gulácsi: We have to fight until our last breath

Such was the media interest in Thursday's match, there was no room left in the Press room at the Gradski Stadium as Hungary's representatives prepared to speak to the waiting journalists. Rossi said first that his team was prepared for this evening's opponent.

"We know how much Croatian fans love football, we know the style of their national team and the power they represent.

Unfortunately, some of our regular squad members are missing due to injury or suspension. We don't have four of our team who played in the match in Budapest, three of them midfielders, so for this area of the team we will be in a different situation than we were at home".

Rossi then emphasised we can only trust that we can pose a problem for the home team if we are brave and, in a good sense, aggressive, because these World Cup silver medallists are a great group with outstanding personalities.

"Of course, they are favourites to win the game, but as I've said before, we won't be scared when we go out on the pitch and we will do our best to emerge victorious again. My minimum expectation is that even if we are beaten, we have given everything so that I, but especially the fans, can be proud, both of the way we've played and of the team's willingness to fight".

After Rossi came goalkeeper Péter Gulácsi, who stated he'd like to see a similar match to that which took place in Budapest:

"We need to defend in a very organised and compact manner, not giving the Croatian team much chance to develop any situations", Gulácsi explained. "It is vital that we make good decisions at crucial moments again and that we take advantage of our opportunities, of which we expect to have fewer".

Hungary's number 1 emphasised that his team will face a very difficult match, in which everyone must work until their last breath.

"No matter how many sprints I need to run or how many times I have to defend, the point is to end up with more goals next to Hungary's name on the scoreboard".

Meanwhile, the Croatian national team will be playing in Split for the first time in a long time, something which the hosts' head coach Zlatko Dalic is particularly pleased about, having earlier played there during his playing career.

"I ask my team to play wisely and not with the heart; this is what we will need tomorrow. Therefore, I also ask the fans not to be impatient if we do not score early in the match", Dalic commented to waiting reporters.