PREVIEW - Croatia v Poland: CROATIA COACH Slaven Bilic said yesterday he was confident the makeshift team he will pick against Poland would live up to expectations.

Croatia have reached the quarter-finals as Group B winners and the Poles must win this evening's game in Klagenfurt by at least clear two goals to have a chance of joining them as runners-up.

"We have complete faith in the experimental side we will field because we play, practise and live as a compact unit so whoever is selected will have plenty of motivation," said Bilic. "We also have to reward our fantastic fans for their support, as I am sure they will turn up in numbers once again."

All the other sides in the group have a chance of facing Group A winners Portugal in the last eight, with Germany needing just a draw against Austria in Vienna to go through, although if the Germans lose second place goes to Poland or Austria.

The 39-year-old Bilic has other concerns, though, and wants to save his best team for Friday's quarter-final in Vienna against the Group A runners-up.

"It would be madness to field first-choice players who are on one yellow card and we also have a few with minor knocks and bruises who need a break," he has said.

Poland need to beat Croatia even if it only amounts to a graceful exit from the tournament, said defender Michal Zewlakow.

"We have let our fans down so far and they have been our driving force so we really have to do everything we can to give them something to cheer," Zewlakow said.

"Also if there is merely a one-in-a-million chance we go through to the last eight we have to fight until the bitter end to seize the opportunity."

Time: 7.45 in Klagenfurt