France defender Axel Disasi said he had put behind him the injury to Morocco international Amine Harit that forced the striker out of the World Cup, and added that abuse on social media did not bother him.

As Monaco’s Disasi collided with Harit, who plays for Olympique Marseille, on Sunday during their Ligue 1 match, with the Moroccan suffering a ligament injury that ruled him out of the World Cup hours before he was due to board a plane to Qatar.

The uncapped Disasi, who got a last-minute call-up for the France team, said that while Harit’s injury was “tragic” it would not affect him at the World Cup.

“What happened on Sunday is tragic and very sad,” Disasi told a news conference on Saturday. “I cannot imagine being in his place. He was about to leave in a couple of hours and then he injured himself.”

Disasi received a torrent of social media abuse from angry Morocco fans but said neither the injury nor the attacks would preoccupy him in Qatar.

“On the pitch, I try not to think about it. I don’t fill my head with all that,” he said.

“On social media we see everything that was going on. Personally, it has not touched me and I had no time thinking about it. I am concentrated and focused on being on the French team.”

The world champions kick off their title defence against Australia on Tuesday and then also play Denmark and Tunisia in their Group D.

“We know Australia have big physical qualities and they are also a team that sticks together. We have to start this match really well and we know each team wants to play their best,” he said.

“There are no small or big teams, it is up to us to prepare well.”

Disasi made the squad after Paris St Germain centre-back Presnel Kimpembe was ruled out with an injury. With fellow France defender Raphael Varane in Qatar but still nursing an injury, Disasi’s time to play at the World Cup could come sooner than expected.

“I remember when I received the phone call. I was so happy and very proud. This (World Cup) is something else, another level. I am trying to improve and want to do the best that I can.”

Croatia take aim at doubters

Doha: Croatia forwards Bruno Petkovic and Marko Livaja said the team thrives on being considered underdogs and warned on Saturday that the 2018 World Cup runners-up have what it takes to reach the final again.

Coach Zlatko Dalic’s side were surprise finalists in Russia and lost 2-4 to France but few think the ageing team, led by 37-year-old talisman Luka Modric, will do as well in Qatar.

“We don’t really care about these predictions, we don’t listen to that or read that,” Petkovic said.

“We just need to take it step by step. At the end of the tournament, we will see who was right.”

Livaja added: “I think we have a very good chance of repeating something similar to what we did in Russia.”

Petkovic and Livaja will be playing at their first World Cup but they welcomed the challenge of representing the national team ahead of Wednesday’s Group F opener against Morocco.

Dinamo Zagreb striker Petkovic, 28, was part of Croatia’s Euro 2020 team that reached the last 16, while Hajduk Split’s Livaja, 29, is headed to his first major tournament.

“It’s a different feeling to the Euros which were held during the Covid-19 pandemic. The World Cup is an even bigger competition so we’re all very excited,” Petkovic said. “The competition for places in the team is very high (due to) the quality in our squad.”

Reuters

If not Spain, then Messi

Doha: Spain coach Luis Enrique has said that if his team cannot triumph at the World Cup in Qatar he would like to see Lionel Messi or Luis Suarez crowned with Argentina and Uruguay, respectively.

Luis Enrique, who coached Messi and Suarez in a successful stint with Barcelona from 2014 to 2017, said that the forwards deserved to retire with a world title under their belt.

“If we don’t win it, I would like Argentina. It would be very unfair for a player of Messi’s stature to retire without a World Cup. Also Uruguay for Luis Suarez,” Luis Enrique said in his Twitch streaming debut on Friday.

The 52-year-old coach also trusts his side to have a successful tournament despite Spain’s inexperienced base of players and said his team, who have been drawn in Group E with Germany, Costa Rica and Japan, is ready.

“I’m not worried about youth. Football has evolved, the young players have a lot of enthusiasm, the veteran players lead the group and the young players let themselves be led,” he said.

“Our aim is to finish top of the group. We already know who we would face in the last 16 and we would play someone from Brazil’s group in the semi-finals, but who said we were afraid?”

“Hopefully, it’s Spain who will be the surprise, although for me it wouldn’t be a surprise,” Luis Enrique added.

Defender Cesar Azpilicueta is also optimistic about a good show. “It is true that previous experiences were not the ones we dreamed of. Football is giving us an opportunity with a young team,” Azpilicueta, who is playing at his third World Cup, said.

Spain kick off their World Cup campaign on Wednesday against Costa Rica.

Written with inputs from Reuters