Serbia coach Dragan Stojkovic said his side was ready to overturn their poor record against Denmark on Tuesday in order to keep their hopes alive of qualifying for the Euro 2024 knockouts.
Serbia, taking part in their first Euros as an independent nation, lost 1-0 to Group C rivals England in their opener.
A Luka Jovic equaliser in the fifth minute of stoppage time in Thursday’s 1-1 draw with Slovenia kept Serbia’s hopes alive going into the decider with Denmark in Munich.
Serbia have lost three matches out of three against Denmark but Stojkovic said: “We believe it’s time to change this history.
“The mood is good but why wouldn’t it be? A festival of football is waiting for us,” Stojkovic said Monday.
England, who face Slovenia, are top of the group on four points. Slovenia and Denmark are both on two, while Serbia has one.
“We knew that England and Slovenia were important games, but the most important match for us is Denmark.”
The 59-year-old added the Danes are “a really organised team who run a lot and sacrifice a lot”.
Stojkovic indicated Serbia would make some changes to their starting XI, having started slowly in both of their matches so far, but backed his squad’s depth.
He brought Jovic off the bench with just under half an hour remaining and the AC Milan striker made the crucial difference.
“You need a gun on the bench you can activate later. In modern football the bench is so important, even sometimes more important than the players who start.”
Stojkovic played 84 games for Yugoslavia and then Serbia and was part of the Yugoslavian side excluded from Euro 1992 in Sweden, which was won by Denmark.
Denmark coach Kasper Hjulmand said the Danes said they knew what to expect against Serbia.
“It’s obvious the way they play football and it’s been obvious for a long time. They’re style is transparent — and when they’re good, they’re really good.”
Whoever finishes first in the group will face one of the best third placed sides, while runners-up will take on hosts Germany. Hjulmand however said “we have one focus here and we can talk about scenarios after the game”.
Denmark midfielder Christian Eriksen will become the most capped player in the nation’s history with 133 appearances if he plays on Tuesday, just three years after suffering cardiac arrest while on the pitch at the previous Euros.
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg called Eriksen “a fantastic guy and a great player” and said “tomorrow he’s setting a milestone not only with Denmark but with himself.”
