In addition to sports, Croatia and Russia face diplomacy, energy and economy

For Croatia, this is an opportunity to repeat or overcome the World Championship successes that they had experienced in 1998, when they finished in third place. In the semifinals, they lost from France.

The last time Russia was in the quarterfinals was 48 years ago, and it was 1966 when they ended up in fourth place. The Russians have never won against Croats.

However, football is just one element where Moscow and Zagreb co-operate in other areas.

Diplomacy

Although Croatia has imposed a package of similar sanctions with other members of the European Union Russia, however, this fact has changed since October last year.

Vladimir Putin hosted Croatian President Colin Grabar-Kitarovic in Soci, at a meeting that was full of positive emotions, especially expressed by Grabar-Kitarovic. Seeking to build a special relationship with Putin, the Croatian president continued to congratulate among the leaders' first for Putin's victory in the last presidential election, said “b92”, Periscopi broadcasts.

Economy

Croatian economic pride “Agrokor” only days before the World Cup quarterfinals match became Russian. The creditors of this company agreed that Russian and V Sberbank TB Bank will receive almost 47 per cent of the failed giant's property.

“The agreement has been embedded in the fact that Russian banks cannot reach 50 per cent of Agrokor's ownership for any contract, and there is a formal obstacle because the European Union has sanctions against Russia”, tried to ease anger in an interview for “Novi TV” to calm the Croatian government's general director for Agroko Fabris Perusko. However, it is clear to all that Russians with 47 per cent are the most powerful individual factor to determine the future of the company.

Energy

Although more and more Russians visit the Croatian coast, the island of Krk is interesting for another reason. The project of building a gas transport terminal is already a multi-year project. The idea of Southeast Europe, but the European Union, through this terminal, taking on gas that is not Russian, does not like Moscow. How important at least Europe's partial release from full dependence on Russian gas is the fact that US President Donald Trump was also concerned about the issue during a brief meeting he had with the Corate presidents, Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic.

Sports

No year has passed since Croatia and Russia's last major match, but in the basketball field. At the European Championship in Turkey in 2017, Russians in the eighth finals convincingly defeated Croatians 101: 78.

The expectations of the public are still high now analysis of the Russian national team's performance and the admiration of the Croatian national team dominates the media. That's why emotions are positive or negative. /Periscopi/