March 15, 2020 - There are already several Croatian athletes and sports professionals who, due to various contacts, have been forced to spend two weeks at home because of the coronavirus outbreak.

Croatian sailors Sime and Mihovil Fantela arrived back in Zadar from Palma de Mallorca where the Princess Sofia Trophy was to be held. The World Champion sailors are safe, but self-isolating. 

Sime told HRT more:

“I must be with my wife and kid for two weeks at home. We will be careful; we will be careful not to go outside and simply wait for the news ahead. It is a little difficult, we are preparing for the Tokyo Olympics, which is our most important goal, and now we are practically without training for 15 days. It's not easy, but we will try to be patient and simply respond to the current situation.” You can see the video on HRT here.

The coronavirus also calmed down tennis for six weeks. Marin Cilic, like most of his colleagues, will enjoy an atypical March at home with family, reports Gol.hr.

"We are aware of the situation and it is certainly better to beware than to take the possible risks so here - now I have more time at home. It was the perfect time for me to be with my family, enjoy and have a little more time to rest, and hang out."

A month and a half ago, Cilic welcomed his first child, Baldo.

“I will definitely be more awake overnight, which will make Kristina’s life much easier.“

However, family rewards are the reason why the world's 37th best tennis player in the world takes the prevention of coronavirus as seriously as possible.

"Of course I'm afraid most of all because of Baldo, because he's still very small. I am even avoiding going to the gym, where there are bigger gatherings, and maybe I'll even do more outdoor workouts."

A few days ago, Cilic met with the Sinkovic brothers on Jarun Lake for an outdoor training session. He said he is in contact with other Croatian athletes, too.

"I heard from the NBA guys; they told me that this is unique and everything is under alarm. They do not know what is going to happen, or if they will return home or stay there, so we are still on the edge of our seats, waiting for what will develop, but most importantly, we are all healthy and this is under control. "

But Cilic does not doubt that the world of sports will certainly feel the consequences.

"Who knows what the Olympics will be like, but luckily for tennis, the positive is that our season is so long, it lasts until the end of November. The problem is that the points will be affected, with other tournaments being canceled - but these are less of a concern."

Several prominent HNS members, including President Davor Suker and coach Zlatko Dalic, are also in self-isolation, reports T.portal.

They all attended the UEFA Congress and the Nations League draw in  Amsterdam on March 2, which included the president of the Serbian Football Association Slavisa Kokeza, who was diagnosed with the coronavirus.

The Croatian delegation was not in close contact with Kokeza, but out of precaution, they are in self-isolation, and so far, no one is showing any symptoms.

“They were in the same place he was 12 days ago. We checked, none of them had close contact with him, if any. However, because of the precautionary measures and because they are responsible people, they are behaving responsibly in this situation, so we agreed to reduce contacts for 14 days, that is, if you want to call it that, they will be in self-isolation,” Croatian Football Federation doctor Zoran Bahtijarevic told RTL.

“Of everyone who was there, no one has symptoms. The likelihood of being infected is extremely low, but it is not good enough for us. We act responsibly and, as a last resort, send everyone a message to act responsibly,” said Bahtijarević.

Although the initial information was that Kokeza contracted the coronavirus in Amsterdam at the UEFA Congress, he had contracted it in Milan.

“Slavisa Kokeza is holding up well, feeling good. Everything happened in Milan, there are a lot of viruses from that city,” said Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic at a press conference.

After the anticipated Doha friendly tournament was canceled due to the global pandemic, where Croatia was to play against Switzerland and Portugal, the Federation’s leadership and coach Dalic agreed that there would be no national team meeting this month. HNS informed the clubs of all the invited national team about this decision.

The decision was made keeping in mind the current situation in Croatia and Europe, that is, the global pandemic of the new coronavirus, to protect the health of the national team.

"It is the position of the Federation and the professional staff, headed by coach Dalic, that it is safest for national team members to stay in the cities where they reside, in quarantines or under other measures in force in certain countries," HNS said.

“Something that has never happened in the history of sports has happened. We need to be concerned about the health of athletes, fans and all other actors in football, but also in sports in general. This is an emergency that no one could have foreseen, but we have to deal with it. We have approached this problem with maximum responsibility, and it is not easy. This is a disaster for sports and the economy, but all human lives must come first,” Suker said in an interview, noting that his stance on Tuesday's UEFA video conference would be that the EURO does not take place this year.

"In any case, we will know more after Tuesday, human lives are paramount," Suker concluded.

The European Football Federation (UEFA) announced a major video conference next Tuesday with the leaderships of all 55 Member States and representatives of ECA, FIFPro and European leagues to discuss further steps European football will take in the context of a pandemic the coronavirus, with regard to both domestic and European club competitions, as well as EURO 2020.

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page. 

March 14, 2020 - With the decision of the Croatian Football Federation (HNS) leadership and coach Zlatko Dalic, the Croatia national team will not gather this March, HNS announced on Friday.

"After the planned Doha Friendly Tournament was canceled due to the global coronavirus pandemic, where Croatia was scheduled to measure their strength against Switzerland and Portugal, the Federation’s leadership and coach Dalic have agreed that there will be no national team meeting this month in the scheduled representative term.

HNS has informed the clubs of all the invited national team members about this decision.

The decision was made keeping in mind the current situation in Croatia and Europe, that is, the global pandemic of the new coronavirus, to protect the health of the national team. It is the view of the Federation and the expert staff, headed by coach Dalic, that at this moment, it is safest for the representatives to stay in the cities where they reside, in quarantines or under other measures in force in certain countries,” HNS announced on its website. 

The Croatia national team will only gather at the end of May ahead of the European Championships, and it will also be their first gathering after a friendly match against Georgia in November 2019. However, the Euro is under question.

President of the Health Committee of the Croatian Football Federation, prof. dr. sc. Dragan Primorac, was a guest on Dnevnik Nova TV, where he commented on the coronavirus pandemic and its impact on Croatian and European football.

Have all the measures taken by leading football organizations been taken on time? Hajduk, Dinamo and Rijeka have stopped training. Should all other clubs follow suit?

"At times when there needs to be a broader responsibility, when we see that the spread of the infection is unstoppable, I welcome this move and the recommendation of the HNS Health Commission is to go in that direction until the situation stabilizes."

How long can it take?

"Well, you see, most organizations in the world have made a recommendation every two weeks, and after that we will monitor what is happening and make the next decisions."

HNS has postponed all matches under its jurisdiction, with UEFA only this Friday. Should this have happened earlier?

"Well, look, sure, but it's not easy for big organizations to make decisions that have a huge impact, both financially and others, but thank God they recognized that the health of the players and the audience are far more important than any interest."

There were some Europa League games played on Thursday night. How risky is playing those matches?

"Here, when you look at some of the most famous coaches, including Arsenal and their players, contracting the coronavirus, it becomes clear that no one can circumvent this spread. This is one of the strongest messages; it needs to take preventative action rather than cure. And that's exactly why UEFA made that decision."

Next week, UEFA decides on possibly postponing the European Championship to 2021. L 'Equipe wrote that it has already been postponed. 

“It is the responsibility of both UEFA and FIFA. Because if the competition starts and the rapid spread of the virus happens, then you have direct responsibility. UEFA does not want this and no national Federation wants it, I think it is a wise path, and the final decision will be in the coming days. "

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page. 

March 12, 2020 - The Croatian Football Federation (HNS) has decided to suspend all football competitions until March 31, 2020.

“In accordance with the recommendation of the Central State Office for Sport on the postponement of all international and national sports competitions at all levels, taking into account the recommendations of the Civil Protection Staff and the new situation in the Republic of Croatia, i.e., the increase in the number of infected, the Executive Board of the Croatian Football Federation and the competent authorities have decided to stop all football competitions in Croatia - men's, women's, futsal all HNS leagues, inter-county and county leagues, the Croatian Cup, or all matches of youth, seniors and veterans - until March 31, 2020.

For training, it is recommended to adhere to all the hygiene and safety instructions of the National Civil Protection Headquarters in order to be conducted in the safest possible conditions for the health of the athletes.

As before, HNS will closely monitor the development of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus epidemic and, as recommended by the public health institutions, determine new measures, taking into account, in particular, the health of football players, spectators and all other football actors. The football family and the public will be informed in due time of any further measures,” HNS announced on its website.

Recall, the management of the Croatian Football Federation (HNS) adopted a new measure on Wednesday aimed at protecting spectators, clubs, players and competitions during the coronavirus outbreak.

The statement from the Croatian Football Federation is transmitted in full below:

“Taking into account the emerging circumstances regarding the epidemic of the new SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, today the leading people of the HNS and the relevant bodies of the Federation have re-analyzed the current situation and decided that all matches in competitions under the jurisdiction of the HNS will be played without spectators until March 31.

The new measure applies to the HT First League, Croatian Cup, 2. HNL, 3. HNL, 1. HNLŽ, 2. HNLŽ, 1. HMNL, 2. HMNL and all youth leagues under the auspices of HNS, as well as the upcoming UEFA qualifying matches that take place in Croatia.

In these competitions, only teams with their staff, senior management and officials of clubs and HNS, technical staff and a certain number of media representatives will be able to attend the matches until further notice, with all the usual measures for organizing matches.

The HNS also recommends that all county associations take the same measure in competitions under their jurisdiction.

As before, the HNS will closely monitor the development of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus epidemic and, if necessary, determine other measures to which the football family and the public will be informed in due time. The decision shall enter into force immediately and shall be valid until March 31 or the end of the representative break. The Federation will make a timely decision to continue or discontinue this measure, taking into account developments, recommendations from public health institutions, and considering, above all, the health of spectators, football players and all other actors in football."

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page.

March 12, 2020 - Due to the coronavirus outbreak, the international Qatar Airways tournament in Doha, featuring Croatia, Portugal, Switzerland and Belgium, will not be played this month, the Croatian Football Federation announced.

HNS reports that the Croatian football team was due to play in a friendly tournament in Qatar's capital Doha at the end of March and measure its strength against the national teams of Switzerland and Portugal as part of preparations for the 2020 European Championships.

However, given the emerging health circumstances around the world, the tournament was canceled. In addition to Croatia, Switzerland and Portugal, the current top-ranked national team by FIFA was due to perform - Belgium.

The Croatian Football Federation will subsequently inform the public of the plans of the first team during the national team break.

A few days ago, Qatar authorities imposed a mandatory 14-day quarantine for all travelers arriving or staying in Italy for the past two weeks, after which they closed schools and universities, so a tournament delay was expected.

Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic hoped to have two quality matches in Doha, and planned to give all players a chance and try out some systems.

“The plan is to give everyone a chance and to see the condition of all players, especially those who have been injured. The most important thing for me is to have seven days of  being together because there won't be much time later,”  the coach said Monday after releasing the player list for Doha.

This news comes after the Croatian Football Federation announced that all Croatian league games in the country would be played without fans until March 31. 

“Taking into account the emerging circumstances regarding the epidemic of the new SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, today the leading people of the HNS and the relevant bodies of the Federation have re-analyzed the current situation and decided that all matches in competitions under the jurisdiction of the HNS will be played without spectators until March 31.

The new measure applies to the HT First League, Croatian Cup, 2. HNL, 3. HNL, 1. HNLŽ, 2. HNLŽ, 1. HMNL, 2. HMNL and all youth leagues under the auspices of HNS, as well as the upcoming UEFA qualifying matches that take place in Croatia.

In these competitions, only teams with their staff, senior management and officials of clubs and HNS, technical staff and a certain number of media representatives will be able to attend the matches until further notice, with all the usual measures for organizing matches.

The HNS also recommends that all county associations take the same measure in competitions under their jurisdiction.

As before, the HNS will closely monitor the development of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus epidemic and, if necessary, determine other measures to which the football family and the public will be informed in due time. The decision shall enter into force immediately and shall be valid until March 31 or the end of the representative break. The Federation will make a timely decision to continue or discontinue this measure, taking into account developments, recommendations from public health institutions, and considering, above all, the health of spectators, football players and all other actors in football.

You can find the Croatia Football Federation's statement in Croatian here.

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow. TCN's dedicated page.

March 11, 2020 - The management of the Croatian Football Federation (HNS) has adopted a new measure aimed at protecting spectators, clubs, players and competitions during the coronavirus outbreak.

The statement from the Croatian Football Federation is transmitted in full below:

“Taking into account the emerging circumstances regarding the epidemic of the new SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, today the leading people of the HNS and the relevant bodies of the Federation have re-analyzed the current situation and decided that all matches in competitions under the jurisdiction of the HNS will be played without spectators until March 31.

The new measure applies to the HT First League, Croatian Cup, 2. HNL, 3. HNL, 1. HNLŽ, 2. HNLŽ, 1. HMNL, 2. HMNL and all youth leagues under the auspices of HNS, as well as the upcoming UEFA qualifying matches that take place in Croatia.

In these competitions, only teams with their staff, senior management and officials of clubs and HNS, technical staff and a certain number of media representatives will be able to attend the matches until further notice, with all the usual measures for organizing matches.

The HNS also recommends that all county associations take the same measure in competitions under their jurisdiction.

As before, the HNS will closely monitor the development of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus epidemic and, if necessary, determine other measures to which the football family and the public will be informed in due time. The decision shall enter into force immediately and shall be valid until March 31 or the end of the representative break. The Federation will make a timely decision to continue or discontinue this measure, taking into account developments, recommendations from public health institutions, and considering, above all, the health of spectators, football players and all other actors in football.

You can find the Croatia Football Federation's statement in Croatian here.

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page.

March 10, 2020 - A closer look at how the coronavirus outbreak is effecting Croatian football.

Following the announced measures of the Croatian Civil Protection Staff from March 9, the relevant bodies of the Croatian Football Federation (HNS) issued instructions for playing football matches in the following period.

The following instructions have been determined by the leadership of the Croatian Football Federation, headed by President Davor Šuker and Executive Director Marijan Kustić, HNS Executive Board, HNS Medical Commission with President prof. Dr Dragan Primorac, HNS Competition Commission led by President Ante Vučemilović-Šimunović, Commission of Football Referees with President Anto Kulušić, HT First League Competition Commissioner Josip Brezni and HNS Security Commissioner Miroslav Marković:

1. It is obligatory to adhere to all decisions, measures and recommendations which he has prescribed and which will be prescribed by the Civil Protection Staff of the Republic of Croatia or other competent state institutions.

2. Considering the HNS competition calendar, all competitions under the HNS's jurisdiction shall continue with or without spectators.

3. Match organizers are obliged to fully respect and implement the measures of the Civil Protection Staff of the Republic of Croatia.

4. We emphasize the obligation of the organizers to obtain the consent of the County Civil Protection Headquarters and the competent Institute of Public Health regarding the fulfillment of the prescribed conditions for the organization of the match before the matches.

The Croatian Football Federation will continue to closely monitor the situation with the epidemic of the new SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus and will, if necessary, determine new measures and issue new instructions, which will be notified to the football family and the public promptly.

In accordance with the recommendation of the Civil Protection Staff, the opinion of the County Institute of Public Health of Istria County and the decision of the Croatian Football Federation to continue the competition, Istra 1961 announced that its 27th and 28th round HNL games, scheduled on March 14 and 21, will be played without spectators.

On Saturday, March 14, Rijeka will visit Pula to play Istra, while a week later, Hajduk will visit Aldo Drosina Stadium.

"Both games will be played without the presence of spectators and there will be no ticket sales," the first-league team from Pula said.

The Istrian Institute of Public Health on Tuesday issued special recommendations to prevent the coronavirus epidemic, which, among other things, delays all outdoor and indoor gatherings, from children's events and birthdays, to sports, cultural, business and other events.

The Istra decision was only the first since Rijeka and Varazdin later came forward. Both have suspended ticket sales for their next home games.

Varazdin will host Dinamo on Sunday, March 15, and three days later, Rijeka will host Osijek in the Croatian Cup semi-finals. Both Varazdin and Rijeka have stopped selling tickets for those duels.

Lokomotiva will host Osijek at Kranjceviceva stadium on Friday from 6 pm.

'According to the published measures of the Civil Protection Headquarters of the Republic of Croatia, NK Lokomotiva, as the host of the match, will adhere to the maximum extent and implement all instructions, measures and recommendations regarding the organization of the match by the County Civil Protection Headquarters and the Institute of Public Health.

The maximum number of viewers will be 1,000.

NK Lokomotiva will provide checkpoints with disinfectants and urges viewers to refrain from the usual non-verbal communication that involves shaking hands and avoiding closer social contact.'

The club also urges fans with respiratory illness and/or fever (greater than 37.5 C) not to attend the match.

Tickets are purchased exclusively at the stadium ticket office on the day of the match, two hours before the start of the meeting (from 4:00 pm). 

Hajduk will play against Inter Zapresic at Poljud on Sunday at 3 pm as part of the 27th round. It is the first of two championship matches to be played in front of the empty stands because of the penalty that HNK Hajduk received for violations committed during the Hajduk - Dinamo match played on March 4.

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page.

March 9, 2020 - Croatia national team coach Zlatko Dalic has announced the list of players to compete in the Doha tournament against Portugal and Switzerland.

Three months before the upcoming Euro 2020, Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic has announced the first player list this year. There are two strong friendly matches ahead of Croatia this month, against Switzerland (March 26) and Portugal (March 30) at the tournament in  Doha, Qatar.

The tournament plans to go ahead, even though the spread of coronavirus around the world has already delayed many sporting events. While everything is going to plan, Croatian footballers playing in Italy may not be able to play in Qatar. Qatar, in fact, has introduced a two-week quarantine for all those coming from the countries most affected by the coronavirus alongside China.

Marcelo Brozovic, Mario Pasalic and Ante Rebic play in Lombardy, which has become a major quarantine, as well as Milan Badelj. Cristiano Ronaldo would not be allowed to play in Qatar either, and the real question is what the organizer will decide in the end.

"They are on the list, so they are going, but the situation is being monitored," HNS spokesman Tomislav Pacak said. 

Dalic put the strongest forces on the roster and said that they were acting as if everyone would be able to play and that the tournament would go according to plan.

"I sincerely hope that this will happen, that there will be no cancellation, but we will follow the course of the situation and act accordingly. We put a lot of players on the callup list if something that we can't influence happens."

Dalic said he is not bothered by the coronavirus at the moment. 

“I am not bothered and am acting like it's going to be OK. If it isn’t, then we'll react."

What does Dalic expect to see in these two games?

"I plan to give everyone a chance to play, to get minutes and to reunite, to see the players and in what condition they are. The agreement with Kalinic is that if he does not defend, we will replace him with Grbic. We'll try some systems and see what we can do. We don't have much time later and we have to make the most of it."

Croatian footballers have much better minutes this spring than in the fall.

"We have a better situation, and we cannot change it. The most important thing is that everyone is ready for the Euros.”

If the tournament in Qatar is delayed, does Dalic have a plan B?

"As far as I know, there is no decision. I cannot take a stand on this because I do not know and I am not competent. I repeat, we are working as if everything will be fine."

Lineup 

?? #Croatia squad for Qatar Airways International Tournament in Doha! ??

??? (26/03)
??? (30/03)#BeProud #Family #Vatreni? pic.twitter.com/LFE27uTLS9

— HNS (@HNS_CFF) March 9, 2020

Goalkeepers: Dominik Livaković (Dinamo), Lovre Kalinić (Toulouse), Simon Sluga (Luton Town)

Defenders: Domagoj Vida (Bešiktaš), Dejan Lovren (Liverpool), Tin Jedvaj (Augsburg), Mile Škorić (Osijek), Duje Ćaleta-Car (Marseille), Borna Barišić (Rangers), Šime Vrsaljko (Atletico Madrid), Dario Melnjak (Rizespor)

Midfielders: Luka Modrić (Real Madrid), Ivan Rakitić (Barcelona), Mateo Kovačić (Chelsea), Marcelo Brozović (Inter), Milan Badelj (Fiorentina), Nikola Vlašić (CSKA Moskva), Mario Pašalić (Atalanta)

Attackers: Ivan Perišić (Bayern), Ante Rebić (Milan), Josip Brekalo (Wolfsburg), Andrej Kramarić (Hoffenheim), Bruno Petković (Dinamo)

Callups: Marko Rog (Cagliari), Filip Bradarić (Celta), Ivo Grbić (Lokomotiva), Josip Juranović (Hajduk), Domagoj Bradarić (Lille), Filip Benković (Bristol City), Mislav Oršić (Dinamo), Mirko Marić (Osijek) and Antonio Mirko Čolak (Rijeka)

Source: Gol.hr

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

March 5, 2020 - The 25th round of the Croatian First League was played mid-week, from March 3-4, 2020. This round featured the always exciting ‘Eternal Derby’ between Hajduk and Dinamo at Poljud Stadium in Split. 

Lokomotiva v. Slaven Belupo (3:0)

Lokomotiva and Belupo opened the 25th round on Tuesday, March 3, 2020, in Zagreb in front of 706 fans. 

While the first half went without goals, Uzuni scored at the start of the second half in the 59th minute for 1:0. An own goal by Jeffren made it 2:0 two minutes later, and Budimir sealed the victory for Lokomotiva with a penalty in the third minute of injury time for 3:0.

Lokomotiva is currently in 4th place with 43 points, while Belupo is in 7th with 23. 

Rijeka v. Inter Zapresic (4:1)

Rijeka and Inter met on Tuesday, March 3, 2020, at Rujevica Stadium in front of 3,376 fans. 

Colak scored the first goal for Rijeka early on in the 9th minute for the 1:0 Rijeka lead. Lepinjica increased Rijeka’s lead in the 41st minute for 2:0 at the half. Galovic made it 3:0 in the 66th minute, while Mamut gave Inter one goal in the 70th minute for 3:1. 

Muric scored in the 84th minute for the final score of 4:1. 

Rijeka is currently in 3rd place with 44 points, while Inter is in 9th with 17. 

Istra 1961 v. Osijek (1:0)

Istra and Osijek met in Pula on Wednesday, March 4, 2020, in front of 603 fans. 

Delic scored the only goal of the game in the 2nd minute for 1:0 Istra. 

Istra is currently in 8th place with 19 points, while Osijek is in 5th with 39.

Varazdin v. Gorica (2:2)

Varazdin and Gorica met on Wednesday, March 4, 2020, at NK Varteks Stadium in front of 1,411 fans. 

An own goal by Canadjija made the game 1:0 for Varazdin in the 31st minute. Benko scored three minutes later to make it 2:0 at the half. 

Lovric came back with a goal in the 65th minute for 2:1, and a penalty equalizer by him in the fourth minute of injury time made it 2:2, which was the final score of the game.

Varazdin is currently in 10th place with 17 points, while Gorica is in 6th place with 35. 

Hajduk v. Dinamo (0:2)

Hajduk and Dinamo closed out the 25th round on Wednesday, March 4, 2020, in the 'Eternal Derby' at Poljud in front of 22,436 fans. 

A red card in the 40th minute for Hajduk’s Ismajli completely changed the game, which was still 0:0 at the half. Dinamo took advantage of having a player more in the second half and Kadzior scored two minutes in for the 0:1 Dinamo lead. Ademi increased Dinamo’s lead to 0:2 in the 75th minute, which was the final score of the game. 

Hajduk is currently in 2nd place with 45 points, while Dinamo is in first with 62.

You can see the full HNL table here.

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page. 

March 3, 2020 -  The UEFA Nations League draw was held in Amsterdam on Tuesday. Croatia will play in Group 4 against Sweden, France and Portugal.

Following the football excitement that awaits us at Euro 2020 this summer, we can also look forward to the new edition of the Nations League awaits in early September. The matches will be played in September, October and November this year. 

Croatia will play in the elite League A against Sweden, France, and Portugal. 

The first-ranked team from the group will play in the Nations League final tournament, and the last-placed team falls out of the strongest class.

The Nations League starts at the beginning of September this year (September 3-5) and the remaining dates September 6-8, October 8-10, 11-13, and November 12-14, 15-17 this year.

Croatia will play against the current world and European champions. It is interesting to note that the national team will play friendly matches against both teams ahead of the Euros. The 'Vatreni' has never defeated France or Portugal in history.

Sweden is 17th in the FIFA rankings and no easy game, but it is clear that France and Portugal will be the biggest rivals in the fight for first place leading to the Final Four.

Recall, Portugal won the first edition of the Nations League in 2019.

"We got probably the strongest group that could have been. But it's very nice, we will play against the European and world champions," Zlatko Dalic said, adding:

"We knew we were expecting tough opponents, as the whole group was like that. This will be good preparation for what awaits us later, which is Qatar qualifications. I think the competition is tough, that's what suits us and that's what we want."

League A

Group 1: Poland, BiH, Italy, Netherlands

Group 2: Iceland, Denmark, Belgium, England

Group 3: CROATIA, Sweden, France, Portugal

Group 4: Germany, Spain, Ukraine, Switzerland

League B

Group 1: Romania, Northern Ireland, Norway, Austria

Group 2: Israel, Slovakia, Scotland, Czech Republic

Group 3: Hungary, Turkey, Serbia, Russia

Group 4: Bulgaria, Ireland, Finland, Wales

League C

Group 1: Azerbaijan, Luxembourg, Cyprus, Montenegro

Group 2: Armenia, Estonia, Northern Macedonia, Georgia

Group 3: Moldova, Slovenia, Kosovo, Greece

Group 4: Kazakhstan, Lithuania, Belarus, Albania

League D

Group 1: Malta, Andorra, Latvia, Faroe Islands

Group 2: San Marino, Liechtenstein, Gibraltar

More soon...

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

February 27, 2020 - In an interview with Gol.hr, Croatia U-21 coach Igor Biscan reveals the likelihood of a new superstar from Argentina joining the young Croatia national team. 

It’s no surprise that football coaches in Croatia closely follow the development of young Croatian footballers - and there are plenty of Croats abroad, especially in Germany. Now and then, someone memorable comes into the mix.

"I follow players a lot, wherever anyone pops up. Either I find myself following these platforms, someone notifies me or people come forward. The Federation also collects information well. There are many of us abroad, specifically, in this age group. We have now found a player in Argentina, who we are following,” Biscan said.

"The boy's name is Bajamic. It's quite interesting; we'll keep an eye on him. He plays in a club from the Second Argentine League. He plays as the striker or wing striker. He is very offensive-oriented. We are following him and maybe calling him at one point,” Biscan said, adding:

“There has always been and always will be talent. It's in our genes. We just need to expand the network to gather information. We have to do everything we can to prevent a talented young man from escaping us."

The talented young player is Mateo Bajamic, or 'Bajamich' in Argentina. He was born on 3 August 1999 in Morrison, a small town between Cordoba and Rosario. He is a member of the Cordoba Institute, a club that has introduced many great footballers. It all began with the famous Mario Kempes and Osvaldo Ardiles, world champions with Argentina in 1978. Of the younger generation, the most famous is Paulo Dybala, currently playing at Juventus.

Bajamic is predicted to have a great career. He is 20 years old and has scored nine goals for his club so far in 22 games. He has scored eight goals in 17 games this season, drawing attention from Argentina's biggest clubs and many in Europe. He is the hit of the season, and can’t escape the praise of his teammates.

"He really is a great talent. If he goes on like this, I do not doubt that he will be playing for a big European club in two to three years,” predicts his teammate German Estigarribia.

"Everyone is aware of his potential. Even those who have only seen him play once couldn't help but notice his talent,” writes Argentinian MundoD.

Coach Cesar Zabala also spoke about the attacker of Croatian roots, whose surname is mostly found in the vicinity of Omis, like the Split rising singer Maja Bajamic.

“Those of us who have followed him from a young age know very well what kind of talent he is. He is now perhaps our most important player. He is strongest at the point of a striking attacker. He is a great striker and there is still room for progress. We are working to make him even better,” said Zabala. 

Argentine media reported that he is targeted by many European clubs and that he is in the process of obtaining Croatian citizenship. Instituto has reportedly been visited in recent weeks by numerous broadcasters from European clubs, who are in constant search for South American talents.

"Mateo is currently not for sale. He has a contract until the summer of 2022,” the president of the Institute, Roberto Castoldi, firmly asserted, and to the speculation that Bajamic intends to obtain Croatian citizenship, he replied:

"Our idea is to keep all our players with an Argentine passport so that there will be no surprises before the possible sale."

Argentine media have openly speculated that Instituto will find it challenging to keep Bajamic, and he will likely leave the club in the summer.

Instituto, like most smaller Argentine clubs, has major financial problems, so it is clear that resolute rejection of potential customers is just a tactical move to try to get as much compensation as possible. Bajamic is estimated at €1.8 million on Transfermarkt, and Instituto is reportedly seeking significantly more.

The Argentines are obviously aware that the Croatian Football Federation is following Bajamic closely and that he may soon play for the U-21 Croatia national team. Bajamic has not played in Argentina's young selection so far. What we do know now is that Mateo is certainly on Biscan's radar. 

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