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Home  » Sports » 'Eduardo will be sorely missed'

'Eduardo will be sorely missed'

May 28, 2008 12:25 IST
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Playmaker Luka Modric said on Tuesday the onus would be on Croatia's other goalgetters to make up for the absence of Eduardo da Silva at Euro 2008.

"Eduardo will be sorely missed but the strikers we have here are brilliant and I am sure they can do the job," Modric told reporters at the team's Catez training base in Slovenia.

"We will all have to pull some extra weight."

Arsenal forward Eduardo, who suffered a multiple foot fracture in February, was the second highest scorer in qualifying with 10 goals. Northern Ireland's David Healy finished top with 13.

Modric, who left Dinamo Zagreb last month for Tottenham Hotspur for a transfer fee of US $33.11 million, said Croatia are capable of beating anyone at the Euro finals.

"Our first priority is to progress from the group," he said of Group B rivals Germany, Austria and Poland.

"If we reach the last eight we will be very dangerous and capable of beating anyone. No one will start as favourites against us."

Modric is widely regarded as Croatia's key player because of his tireless running and outstanding vision.

"I am used to playing under pressure and my team mates have helped me a lot in my achievements," he said.

"I don't see myself as the team's outstanding player because we are a unit and team spirit has guided us to great results like the 3-2 [qualifying] win over England at Wembley.

"I hope we can repeat that kind of performance in Austria and Switzerland and I am really looking forward to the event after my transfer to Tottenham."

Croatia open their campaign against co-hosts Austria in Vienna on June 8.

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Source: REUTERS
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