Zlatko Dalic is set to rest players at risk of suspension when Croatia face familiar foes Iceland in a game his counterpart Heimir Hallgrimsson expects will be a typically uncompromising affair.
Croatia and Iceland are well acquainted with one another after meeting in a qualifying play-off for the 2014 World Cup, a tie won 2-0 on aggregate by the Balkan team to deny the minnows their first appearance at the tournament.
They were drawn in the same qualifying group for this year s event, and both progressed, although it was Iceland who finished two points above Croatia in top spot.
Dalic s side have already secured passage to the round of 16 courtesy of victories over Nigeria and Argentina, meaning he can afford to protect the six players at risk of suspension for the knockout stages if they pick up a second yellow card, including Ivan Rakitic and Mario Mandzukic.
I d like to top the group, Dalic said.
But we have to take care because we have some players on yellow cards, so I will change the line-up.
I will not start those who are on yellow cards because it s too much of a risk, there are 22 players who can play.
Hallgrimsson, meanwhile, knows his players are likely to find themselves in a physical battle, as they seek to take advantage of Croatia s comfortable situation to sneak through in second spot, having drawn 1-1 with Argentina, before losing 2-0 to Nigeria in Volgograd last time out.
We ve played Croatia four times in four years, we ve often said we re like a married couple we re trying to get divorced, but we always meet up again, he said.
We know the scenario when we play Croatia it s [always] going to be really tough games.
Normally it s steel to steel, not a lot of chances, always a lot of yellow cards. In three games out of four, we ve had a red card.
The match will take place on familiar territory for three of Iceland s players, as Bjorn Bergmann Sigurdarson, Ragnar Sigurdsson and Sverrir Ingi Ingason play their club football for local team FC Rostov.
