Serbs and Croats will generate heat in spiciest pool

The coaches of bitter rivals Serbia and Croatia are confident their teams will reach the 2014 World Cup finals in Brazil after they were drawn together.

The two states that emerged from a bloody conflict in the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s will lock horns for the first time as independent nations, having been drawn alongside Scotland, Belgium, Macedonia and Wales.

"I can't be overjoyed with the draw because it's a difficult and delicately balanced group with four teams vying for just one automatic berth in the finals," Serbia coach Vladimir Petrovic told Belgrade media yesterday.

"Apart from ourselves and Croatia, Belgium and Scotland are in with a realistic chance but Serbia is the only team in that quartet to have reached the 2010 finals in South Africa, and hence we will start as favourites.

"We must not underestimate Macedonia either, while Wales are surely the strongest bottom-seeded team, so every game in this group will be a real challenge. But the two matches with Croatia will be the pick of the lot because they are our biggest rivals and these clashes will have all the makings of a derby."

Petrovic's Croatian opposite number Slaven Bilic, who had earlier planned to step down after Euro 2012, did not rule out the possibility of changing his mind.

"Of course the idea of being in charge of Croatia against Serbia is thrilling but, right now, my only concern is to see that we qualify for the Euro 2012 finals in Poland and Ukraine," Bilic told Croatian media.

"Games like that will come to fans as much more than football for some time to come, because the atmosphere in the terraces is quite specific.

"It's a tough group and it shows why European qualifiers are the most unforgiving in international competition, but there is a reason why we are the top-seeded team in our group."

Bilic, who steered Croatia to the Euro 2008 quarter-finals, added: "It's because we are the best team in the group and we have no reason to fear anyone, so I am confident that we can get through it and qualify."

Croatian legend Robert Prosinecki has warned his country to beware of Scotland. The ex-Barcelona and Real Madrid star, now manager of Red Star Belgrade, reckons his countrymen can expect a tough group.

He said: "Croatia and Serbia are going to be the favourites to win the group, but it would be a mistake to underestimate the other teams. This is not an easy group at all. It's almost a pure Balkan group and that means these countries can expect to take points off each other. Scotland are improving and they never give up.

"Belgium are also regrouping and Wales should never have been bottom seeds."