Doha: Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni on Monday dismissed allegations of poor sportsmanship as the South Americans prepared for their World Cup semi-final clash against Croatia.
After three weeks of blistering action in Qatar, only four teams are left standing in their home leg of the tournament.
Lionel Messi and Argentina face Croatia in the first semi-final on Tuesday, before 2018 champions France take on giant-killer Morocco the next day.
At the cavernous Lusail Stadium, Messi will attempt to lead Argentina to the World Cup final for the second time in eight years.
Messi, seeking to crown his career with a win on soccer’s biggest stage, was a key figure in Friday’s stormy quarterfinal victory over the Netherlands when tempers flared from both sides and a record 18 yellow cards were shown.
A bad-tempered contest ended with Argentina’s players taunting their distraught Dutch opponents before walking away to celebrate after the penalty shootout victory.
Even the normally polite Messi was mired in bitterness, appearing to hurl abuse at unknown Dutch players during a post-game interview.
But Scaloni defended his players’ conduct at a press conference on the eve of the game on Monday, insisting his team had nothing to apologize for.
“The game on the second day was played correctly by both teams. That is football, ”said the 44-year-old Argentine coach.
“I don’t buy the idea that we don’t know how to win. The game was played the right way.
Messi, who tasted defeat in the 2014 final against Germany, has one last chance at the age of 35 to compete with compatriot Diego Maradona and win the World Cup.
Croatia coach Zlatko Dalić said he wanted the match to be remembered as “the greatest game” in the country’s history.
With a population of just 4 million people, Croatia have again overcome barriers on a pitch led by Luka Modric and stand just 90 minutes from the return trip to the final.
“To be among the four best national teams in back-to-back World Cups is an extraordinary success for Croatia,” Dalic said.
“However, we want more,” he said. “I am optimistic and I have full faith in our players. They have shown their great quality and strength of character, and deserve to reach the final.”
Croatia, which beat Japan and held Brazil in a penalty shootout to reach the last four, has not won a knockout game in normal time at a major tournament since coming third at the 1998 World Cup.
But Dalik said exhaustion is not even discussed in Qatar, despite the energy-intensive sports.
“We are still going strong, with energy and enthusiasm, without a doubt,” he said. “We are going to give it our all, just like we have done in previous games.
“We will do the same against Argentina, we will give everything. We don’t have any injury problems. They don’t feel tired.”
France are favorites to beat Morocco and moved a step closer to defending their title on Wednesday after beating England in the last eight.
But the African team’s run to the semi-finals has captured the imagination of a continent and they have been vociferously supported by legions of fans in Qatar.
Morocco, which beat Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal in the final round, is the first African or Arab team to qualify for the World Cup semi-finals.
The match will have spice – France was Morocco’s colonial power and hundreds of thousands of people with Moroccan roots live and work in the country.
Demand has grown so much that Royal Air Maroc has announced it is launching an additional 30 return flights to transport enthusiastic fans to the Gulf state.
France defender Raphael Varane has insisted there will be no complacency on the part of the World Cup holders.
“We know that Morocco is not here by chance,” he said. “It’s up to us experienced players to make sure everyone is ready for another fight.”