Ex-Croatia Manager, Slaven Bilić : Croatia-Nigeria The Most Difficult Game

Former Croatia and West Ham manager Slaven Bilić has admitted that the fixtures in the group stage of the World Cup have not been kind to Croatia after they were drawn to face Nigeria in their opener.

The 1998 World Cup bronze medalists are also up against two-time world champions Argentina and Europe's Cinderella team Iceland, a tiny country that showed their strength at Euro 2016.

''It seems to me that it is not sufficiently recognized the weight of our group and especially the negativity of the schedule. We have a difficult group and the worst possible match schedule,'' Bilić told Sportske Novosti.

''Nigeria at the start when it is, by tradition, the strongest and most difficult. Argentina have a decisive squad, and it would be better if it was in the third when we might have already settled the placement.

''The Icelanders are the third rival, but they have a mentality that even if they have already crashed out, and perhaps just because of that, playing as if their life depends on that encounter. ''

Nigeria and Croatia meet at Kaliningrad Stadium, Kaliningrad on June 16.

Igho Kingsley