September 10, 2019 - The Croatia national team has three remaining Euro 2020 qualifiers this fall.
HRT reports that the unexpected result against Azerbaijan spoiled Croatia's excellent performance against Slovakia last Friday, and made the path to qualifying for the European Championship next summer a bit more difficult. However, the World Cup finalists still decide their destiny.
There are still three more rounds in the qualifications and two wins should surely secure the Euros for Croatia. However, in the event Croatia falls short, there is always Plan B - the Nations League playoffs.
The most important thing for Croatia is that they remain at the top of the group once the qualifiers finish. Croatia currently has 10 points, which is one more than Slovakia and Hungary and four more than Wales, while Azerbaijan is in the last place with one point after Monday's draw.
The two best teams in the group will go directly to the Euro, and ahead of the last 270 minutes, Croatia tops the table in first.
Zlatko Dalic's squad will play two of their remaining three games at home with the direct competitors for one of the first two spots in the group - on October 10 in Split against Hungary and November 16 in Rijeka against Slovakia. Between the two games, Croatia will play Wales away on October 13.
On several occasions during the qualifications, coach Dalic said that it would take 15 points to qualify. Given the current situation, ending the group with 15 points would mean that Croatia will have one win and two draws in the matches to come - and such results may or may not be sufficient.
Victories against Hungary and Wales would certainly secure the Euros, though there is always the chance that Croatia does not end up among the two best teams in the group.
Croatia could, however, qualify for Euro via the Nations League playoffs. Namely, from each of the four Nations League paths, one national team will be eligible for the European Championship. There will be four national teams in each playoff path for those who failed to qualify for the Euro through qualifications.
“Each league will have its own play-off path if at least four teams have not already qualified in the conventional qualifying group stage. The Nations League group winners will automatically qualify for the play-off path of their league. If a group winner has already qualified through the qualifying group stage, they will be replaced by the next best-ranked team in the same league. However, if there are not enough non-qualified teams in the same league, then the spot will go to the next best team in the overall ranking. However, group winners cannot face teams from a higher league,” explains UEFA.
“Each play-off path will feature two single-leg semi-finals and one single-leg final. The best-ranked team will host the fourth-ranked team, and the second-ranked team will host the third-ranked team. The host of the final will be decided by a draw, with semi-final winner 1 or 2 hosting the final. The four play-off path winners will join the 20 teams which have already qualified for UEFA Euro 2020,” UEFA adds.
Remaining Euro 2020 Qualifiers in Group E:
10 October
Croatia - Hungary
Slovakia - Wales
13 October
Wales - Croatia
Hungary - Azerbaijan
16 November
Azerbaijan - Wales
Croatia - Slovakia
19 November
Slovakia - Azerbaijan
Wales - Hungary
To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page.
September 9, 2019 - The Croatia national team met Azerbaijan in Baku on Monday for the 6th round of the EURO 2020 qualifications.
After a critical victory against Slovakia on Friday, Croatia came to Baku for their second crucial match in three days. Zlatko Dalic's side faced an Azerbaijan squad led by Croatian Nikola Jurcevic. Before the match on Monday, Croatia had so far played Azerbaijan three times, registering two wins and one draw with a goal difference of 8:1.
The game on Monday was also unique for another reason - captain Luka Modric celebrated his 34th birthday.
Croatia came out playing the same attacking game coach Zlatko Dalic favored in the game against Slovakia - and by the third minute, it wasn’t hard to see that Croatia would be giving Azerbaijan’s defense no easy job. After a few attacks which resulted in no goals, the ref whistled to the penalty spot after a handball by an Azerbaijani defender. Luka stepped up to the challenge and scored for 0:1 Croatia in the 11th minute.
Azerbaijan’s keeper was brilliant in the minutes that followed - blocking chances from Perisic, Rebic and Vlasic to keep the game 0:1.
Azerbaijan had their first real chance in the 17th minute, forcing Livakovic to make a stellar save - though the ref called the player offside in the end.
Nikola Vlasic, who opened the scoring spree against Slovakia, dangerously shot from outside the penalty box, which forced the keeper to make a difficult save.
By the 26th minute, Croatia had 60 percent of the ball possession, with eight shots on goal.
Azerbaijan had an almost alarming counter-attack in the 32nd minute which was ultimately saved by Livakovic’s leg - and in the 37th minute, Azerbaijan hit over the goal.
A dance around the defense by Ante Rebic found the foot of Nikola Vlasic in the 41st, who hit another stunner from outside the penalty area, though the game remained 0:1.
A free-kick by Perisic in the 44th went just over the goal, and an offside goal by Azerbaijan ended the game 0:1 for Croatia at the half.
Azerbaijan had their first corner of the game in the 54th minute, which was cleared by Croatia's defense. Croatia's kept the forceful attacking game from the first half at the start, though Azerbaijan's defense was making it more difficult for Perisic, Petkovic, Vlasic, and Rebic. Dalic's side needed a new burst of energy to carry them through the half.
Azerbaijan picked up the pace considerably in the second half, giving Croatia's defense more work in the first 15 minutes of it than they had all of the first. Petkovic had a chance in the 61st minute that hit just shy of the goal, and Croatia continued hunting for their second goal.
In the 66th minute, Croatia was lucky another Azerbaijan goal was called offside to keep the result in Croatia's favor; however, that didn't last long. In the 72nd minute, Tamkin Khalilza dribbled through Croatia's defense to equalize for Azerbaijan 1:1.
Dalic brought young blood Brekalo on for Bartolec in the 76th minute in the hope of some momentum, though Azerbaijan kept on pressing. Orsic came on for Rebic in the 86th. Croatia's energy continued to dwindle.
Croatia had a corner in the 89th minute, though Vida hit over. Four minutes of extra time were added, though neither team was able to score. The game ended 1:1.
Croatia's next Euro qualifier will be the decisive match against Hungary at Poljud stadium in Split on October 10, 2019.
To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page.
September 8, 2019 - Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic talks Trnava, staying humble, and the young talents leading the way through Croatia's Euro 2020 qualifications.
Many Croatian football fans may still be wondering if that Croatia team we saw crush Slovakia 0:4 in Trnava was made of magic, or if we’re still dreaming. Sure, a team like Croatia should have had no problem winning that game, but when you take into consideration the players missing (Rakitic, Kovacic), that half of the starting lineup was a team of young reserves, and that it was perhaps the best game of football played under coach Zlatko Dalic, the shock seems a bit more warranted.
Zlatko Dalic revealed his feelings in the aftermath for Jutarnji List.
“Everything's fine now. We played superbly, all 90 minutes, I said it was one of our best games since I have been the coach. I wouldn't single out any players because they were all great. We played decisively, aggressively, dominated, we were what Croatia should be,” Zlatko Dalic said on Saturday morning before heading to Baku.
In public appearances before Trnava, Dalic announced a solid Croatia, however, during the week, some doubts were raised about how it would all end. Did Dalic believe this would be the result?
“This was intensified in the media, journalists emphasized the problems, but it wasn’t like that among us. I said the atmosphere was great, we were ready, and that I believed we would play the right game. We held a meeting together talking about where we are and what awaits us. Of course, the atmosphere is not like the World Cup, because the World Cup is something completely different, but the atmosphere in the team is great, and what Dejan Lovren said was not interpreted correctly, it was put in the wrong context.”
Recall, ahead of the game against Slovakia, Lovren revealed that the atmosphere in the team was poor, and far from the positivity that carried the team through Russia.
Dalic said that he'd let these two games pass, then deal with Rakitic. What will the outcome be?
“They're not over yet. We have a game against Azerbaijan, and now we only have to think about that. No, it doesn't make sense to emphasize anything about Rakitic right now. That's what the media does.”
Ivan Perisic said that Croatia never played the way did against Slovakia in the World Cup, never for 90 minutes at that level of intensity.
“It is true that we kept a high pace for all 90 minutes, that we did not stop even when the result was very favorable. We could have scored far more goals. Slovakia is a good quality team, but they are not like Argentina or England, it wasn’t that kind of high profile match, or like some others in Russia, which had their peculiarities. The World Cup is something extraordinary, but Slovakia looked bad because we didn't let them play. We blocked them, they exploited themselves, they couldn't develop their game. The development of the match was based on our merit.”
What was the shock of being left without Tin Jedvaj on match day?
“When we were told that Tin Jedvaj had a more series injury, we didn't want to risk anything. It happened to us three times that one of our backs had to come out early in the game and that disrupted us. We played great in Elche twenty minutes into the game against Spain, then Sime Vrsaljko was injured and we fell dramatically. The same thing happened with Vrsaljako at Wembley, where we were also good at the start, and Borna Barisic leaving Budapest is the third case. These forced substitutions turned out to have a bad effect on the team, and we were defeated every time. I didn't want to gamble with Jedvaj, so it wouldn't happen again.”
Is Dalic satisfied with Bartolec?
“I did not like the option of putting Vida on the right back and Mitrovic as the stopper as it would not affect the team well. Let the stopper play stopper; the right back play right back. If one falls, another specialist comes in the position. Bartolec was trying to make an impression at first, but later he let loose, fit in, played as I asked. He is our gain and we can certainly rely on him in the future.”
Why were the attacking three Perisic - Petkovic - Rebic selected and Brekalo only introduced in the second half?
“I decided to play as we did at the World Cup, with Rebic and Perisic on . the wings, as they can give the most. Rebic was a midfielder at Eintracht, however, he plays there in the center, facing the opponent's goal and has plenty of space. In the national team it is different, he is closer to the net, in a dense space, and does not do so well. This was evident during the match in Budapest when he was imprisoned and could not reap the benefits. That's why I opted for such a variant.”
Petkovic was one of the best players in the match.
“We need a striker who can hold the ball, and he is the only one in that picture. He is a great player, he danced around his opponents, created chances, scored. We prepared with these tactics and Petkovic executed perfectly. In Petkovic, we have the type of striker we didn't have. I've said it could bring us a lot.”
In addition to qualifying for Euro, it will also be a huge benefit to form a new core of the national team for years to come. But maybe already for 2020.
“If we qualify for Euro, then rejuvenating the national team will make sense. But one thing is clear: they need new aces, hungry, ambitious young men. I said that right after Russia. Brekalo, Petkovic, Vlasic and some others are increasingly important to us.”
Could Croatia be very dangerous at Euro 2020?
“I could tell you something, but this is not the time for such stories. First, we need to collect 15 points, and then we will talk about ambitions for the Euro. We need to stay with our feet on the ground. We only have nine points; this is not enough to qualify.”
How did Dalic conclude that 15 points would be enough? Isn’t Croatia going to need more?
“I looked at the final qualification tables in earlier cycles. In a six-team group, more points are needed, 21 or 22, but when there are five teams in the group, 15 points are always enough to pass. That is why I say that this is the limit we must reach.”
So, according to Dalic’s estimation, if Croatia defeats Azerbaijan and Hungary, they will celebrate qualifying for the Euros on October 10th in Split?
“That would be the best. According to our wishes. It doesn't matter how we get those points, just get them in the account, but we want them as soon as possible.”
It is not always easy for a mentality like Croatia’s to continue in a duel against the last-placed team in the table after a significant victory. Azerbaijan doesn’t have a single point, but we must remember what happened in 2015, when the two teams played 0-0.
“The focus must be completely on Azerbaijan; they are motivated, they have shown in Zagreb that they are good and we have no right to relax. This situation reminds me of the post-Argentina atmosphere, when I said we had to be humble. We need to stay firm on the ground. If we don't get Azerbaijan, we have done nothing.”
And who congratulated Dalic after the big win in Trnava apart from Mario Mandzukic?
“Rakltic also congratulated me; he sent a message. Not only Ivan, but also Corluka, Vrsaljko, and many others. Most of the messages I have not been able to read, my phone is full.”
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September 3, 2019 - A meeting of the Executive Board of the Croatian Football Federation was held on Monday in Zagreb, where they announced the ticket prices for Croatia’s upcoming Euro 2020 qualifier against Hungary at Poljud.
At the meeting, the ticket prices were revealed for the European Qualification match between Croatia and Hungary, to be played in Split at Poljud stadium on October 10. Prices are as follows:
West: 250 kuna (200 kuna in advance)
East: 200 kuna (150 kuna in advance)
North: 125 kuna (100 kuna in advance)
The South stand is intended for fans of the Hungary national team.
All information about ticket sales will be published later on the HNS website.
Recall, Hajduk will not participate in the organization of the match, and will join the moment problems begin to resolve, the club's president Marin Brbić said at a meeting held back in June.
The City of Split, as the majority owner of the stadium, will lead the organization with the Croatian Football Federation.
At its session on June 12, the HNS Executive Committee decided that the Euro 2020 qualifier between Croatia and Hungary would be played in Split by a unanimous vote.
To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page.
September 2, 2019 - The Croatia football team gathers in Zagreb on Monday ahead of qualifying matches against Slovakia and Azerbaijan for the 2020 European Championships. Zlatko Dalic addressed the press before the upcoming games, reports Gol.hr.
“Two tough matches await us, two tough away games where we will try to get a good result, and a good result will require good concentration, quality and knowledge. We will have to put forth a lot of effort and energy to get back points,” said Dalic at the beginning and also revealed team changes.
“Yesterday I spoke with Ivan Rakitic who still has not resolved his status at his club, and we have concluded that he is not ready or focused on the national team, that he cannot give his maximum that we need and he will not join us. Instead, we called up Marko Rog,” Dalic said.
Could this mean Ivan is nearing his end on the national team?
''I have no need or time to think about Ivan Rakitic. We must now focus on those who are here, and I do not have any fear of going on without him. We have Vlasic and Brekalo, players who are coming, who are full of will and ambition,” Dalic added.
“Mateo Kovacic had a medical review this morning, so we will see what the situation is with him. We have these small problems, but I am optimistic. I believe in these players who are here, and I have no doubt that we will be of good quality,” explained the coach.
What is the condition of the players, are they happy at their clubs?
''Some are happy, some are not. Some are still working on it. The problem is that a lot of our players have had indications, it is a long transition period, there are a lot of questions, and that takes away concentration and focus. We'll have some problems on that side, but it's a normal thing, it happens every day, and I won't cry and complain."
Luka Modric isn't in his best form, either.
"I always had the least problems with Modric, he always gave his best, he is the captain of the team, and I really don't have to think much about him."
The national team will train in Zagreb until Wednesday before traveling to Trnava where they will play the first of the two Group E matches on September 6.
After three games played in the qualifications thus far, Zlatko Dalic's side is third on the table with six points, the same amount as second-placed Slovakia. In first place is Hungary with nine points, though they have also played one game more.
After Slovakia, Croatia will visit Baku to play Azerbaijan on September 9.
For the remainder of the qualifications, Croatia will meet Hungary on October 10 at Poljud, Wales in Cardiff on October 13, and Slovakia in Rijeka on November 16.
To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page.
September 2, 2019 - The 7th round of the Croatian First League was held from August 30 to September 1, 2019, and featured the highly anticipated ‘Eternal Derby’ between Hajduk and Dinamo.
Lokomotiva v. Slaven Belupo (6:1)
Lokomotiva and Belupo opened the 7th round of the Croatian First League at Kranjčevićeva Street stadium in Zagreb in front of 732 fans.
Lokomotiva opened the game with two goals in the first half by Tolic and Kastrati for 2:0. Though the home team’s scoring spree was far from over. Cokaj increased Lokomotiva’s lead in the 46th minute for 3:0, followed by another goal by Kastrati in the 50th for 4:0. Fortunately, Belupo was able to get one goal in the 56th minute (penalty), which made the game 4:1. Drozdek, however, increased Lokomotiva’s lead to 5:1 in the 61st and Petrak scored Lokomotiva’s last of the game in the 80th minute for the final score of 6:1.
Lokomotiva is currently in 6th place with 10 points, while Belupo is in 8th with 7.
Hajduk v. Dinamo (1:0)
Hajduk and Dinamo met at Poljud on Saturday, August 31, 2019, in front of 29,359 fans for the first ‘Eternal Derby’ of the season.
While the first half showed Dinamo’s strength, Hajduk was a new team in the second and spectators experience a true derby atmosphere. It wasn’t until the 56th minute when we saw the first and only goal of the game, which came from a stellar Jradi header over the top of Livaković’s head for 1:0 Hajduk. Diamo’s Dilaver was given a red card in the 75th minute, which was followed by the second yellow for Hajduk’s Jradi. Both teams finished the game with 10 men. The derby went without any major incidents, though two of Dinamo’s assistant coaches were also shown red cards in the second half.
Hajduk is currently first on the table with 15 points, while Dinamo is in 2nd with 13.
Istra 1961 v. Osijek (0:0)
Istra and Osijek met on Saturday, August 31, 2019, at Aldo Drosina stadium in Pula in front of 1,956 fans.
The game went without any goals and ended at 0:0.
Istra is currently in 7th place with 8 points, while Osijek is in 3rd with 12.
Varaždin v. Gorica (1:3)
Varaždin and Gorica met on Sunday, September 1, 2019, at VK Varteks Stadium.
Gorica’s Lovric was the first to score in the 20th minute for 0:1, though Benko came back to equalize in the 37th minute for 1:1 at the half.
However, Gorica retook the lead thanks to another Lovric goal in the 57th minute, and a hat trick for Lovric increased Gorica’s lead to 1:3, which was the final score of the game.
Varaždin is currently in the last place with 3 points, while Gorica is in 5th with 11.
Rijeka v. Inter Zaprešić (1:1)
Rijeka and Inter closed out the 7th round on Sunday, September 1, 2019, at Rujevica stadium in front of 3,529 fans.
Inter was awarded a penalty already in the second minute of the game, which put the guests up 0:1. Rijeka equalized in the 31st minute thanks to a goal by Gorgon. Neither team was able to score in the second half, and the game ended 1:1.
Rijeka is currently in 4th place with 11 points, while Inter is in 9th place with 3.
You can see the full table here.
To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page.
August 31, 2019 - On Saturday at 6:30 pm, the 7th round of the Croatian First League will feature the first derby this season between Dinamo and Hajduk. The two teams will meet at Poljud for what is known around the world as the ‘Eternal Derby’.
It is a chance for Hajduk to reach the top of the standings after 1399 days, with the first victory against Dinamo at Poljud after 1259 days, reports Index.hr.
About 30,000 fans have been announced for the match, making it an ideal opportunity for Hajduk to get a crucial win in front of their fans. Dinamo fan group Bad Blue Boys are also arriving in large numbers, who will be escorted by police from Dugopolje at 4 pm and accompanied to the stadium.
The last time Hajduk celebrated against Dinamo they were led by coach Damir Buric, their coach currently. It was on March 20, 2016, and the winning goal for Hajduk was scored in the 4th minute by Fran Tudor, a footballer who is no longer a member of Hajduk after his contract expired this summer.
"Today, it is worth the same thing. We know how good the opponent is, but we also know what we can do. We have to bring the quality we showed in previous games," Buric said at a pre-match press conference on Friday.
However, Hajduk welcomes Dinamo without Ismajli, Edouk, Posavac, and Juric.
"Their absences have disturbed us a little. Juric is out thanks to a broken bone he didn’t even know he had. We will give those a chance who have not played a lot so far. We hope that Juric and Posavac will be ready for Rijeka. We cannot wait for the match against Dinamo. We don't have a chance to play the Champions League, but now we're going to see how we stand compared to a team playing in the Champions League."
Jakolis returns after suspension for exclusion, will he get a chance?
“I feel sorry for the guy because he is a player who plays with his heart and puts everything into the match. That was the case when he was expelled in Koprivnica. I think it was unfair to him and that exclusion was too strict. For every game, we have a plan. We know what lies ahead, and the most important thing is to design our game,” Buric said.
Dinamo coach Nenad Bjelica also spoke ahead of Saturday's game.
“We expect to win, as always, no matter what stadium or who we play against. Hajduk has played very well in their last two games at home, defeating Lokomotiva and Gorica 3:0. A difficult task awaits us, but I think we are ready. We have recovered from the match against Rosenborg, as you know we have a very wide bench, we are probably going to use all of it and show our true face,” said the Dinamo coach, who was then asked if he dreamed more about Hajduk’s Caktaš or Kevin De Bruyne.
"Neither," laughed Bjelica, and spoke about Hajduk's best player. "Mijo was the best goal scorer last season. We respect him very much. He can handle the game with a single action. We will have to pay attention to him and keep him in control from inside the box. But there are other dangerous players in Hajduk, like Jairo, and we will need maximum concentration to win."
With such a deep bench, we can certainly expect a change in Dinamo’s lineup compared to the match in Trondheim earlier this week, but Bjelica did not want to go into detail.
"We will see after training, and we will practice somewhere around Split. There certainly will be. Hajduk is always motivated against Dinamo, they will be carried by a full Poljud, but we have played in such atmospheres in Budapest and Trondheim, where there were also full stadiums with a great atmosphere, and we came out unscathed. I believe we will succeed in Split as well."
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August 26, 2019 - The 6th round of the Croatian First League was held from August 24 to 25, 2019, which featured Osijek and Hajduk at City Garden stadium.
Slaven Belupo v. Varaždin (1:1)
Belupo and Varaždin opened the 6th round in Koprivnica on Saturday, August 24, 2019, in front of 1,682 spectators.
While the first half went without goals, the second half held all of the excitement. In the 54th minute, Adzic was booked for a double yellow which forced Varaždin to play with ten men. Four minutes later, Ejupi put Belupo in the lead at 1:0. Varaždin was able to equalize thanks to a goal by Stolnik in the 72nd minute. The game ended 1:1.
Belupo is currently in 8th place with 7 points, while Varaždin is in 9th place with 3 points.
Inter Zaprešić v. Lokomotiva (1:2)
Inter and Lokomotiva met on Sunday, August 25, 2019, in Zaprešić in front of 280 spectators.
The game didn’t see a goal until just before halftime when Kastrati scored for the Lokomotiva lead (0:1).
Inter equalized in the 68th minute when Mamut scored for 1:1, though Kastrati came back with another goal for Lokomotiva to retake the lead and secure the 1:2 victory.
Inter is currently in the last place with 2 points, while Lokomotiva is in 7th with 7.
Gorica v. Istra 1961 (1:1)
Gorica and Istra met on Sunday, August 25, 2019, in Velika Gorica in front of 2,431 spectators.
Bosančić scored for the Istra lead in the 6th minute, though at the start of the second half, Gorica’s Hamad equalized for 1:1, which is how the game ended.
Gorica is currently in 5th place with 8 points, while Istra is in 6th with 7.
Osijek v. Hajduk (1:0)
Osijek and Hajduk met on Sunday, August 25, 2019, to close out the 6th round at City Garden Stadium in front of 7,354 spectators.
Osijek’s Mance put the home team in the lead in the 34th minute, and though Hajduk attacked Osijek’s goal numerous times in the second half, they were unable to equalize.
Osijek is currently in 3rd place with 11 points, while Hajduk is in 2nd with 12.
Dinamo and Rijeka have postponed their derby, which was initially scheduled for the weekend.
“Due to the established timetable of the Champions League play-off round in which GNK Dinamo competes, and the Europa League play-off round for HNK Rijeka, it is not possible to secure a term in which both clubs would have a level playing field.
For this reason, the commissioner of the First HNL competition has decided to postpone the HT First League 6th round match between GNK Dinamo and HNK Rijeka.
The match will be played in the first possible free term, no later than Wednesday, December 18, 2019,” GNK Dinamo said in a statement.
You can see the full HNL table here.
To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page.
August 20, 2019 - Davor Šuker, the president of the Croatian Football Federation (HNS), may not see the end of 2019 in that role.
According to a top source from HNS, Croatian media reported that Šuker was turned down by members of the Executive Board who rejected his proposal to remove Nenad Gračan as the coach of the Under-21 national team, and replace him with Goran Tomić, the current coach of Lokomotiva, writes Index.hr and 24 Sata.
All 12 HNS Executive Board members said "no" to Šuker's proposal. Marijan Kustić is expected to take Šuker’s spot, as he has been destined for that position since he first started working in Croatian football.
Former HDZ MP Marijan Kustić joined the Croatian Football Federation quietly as Damir Mišković’s candidate for president of the Federation in the election Šuker won at the time. But from day one, it has been clear that Kustić is a strong political figure, Plenković’s man for special tasks like Lika, where he fought for power with Darko Milinović, and was also the leader of the political project that is returning the Croatia national team to Split.
It quickly became apparent that Kustić was assuming the role of the top operative in the Federation, where Šuker was only the president on paper.
Marijan Kustić was the most prominent member of the HNS delegation who arrived to negotiate with Hajduk, and who said that major changes were taking place in Croatian football. Namely, it was inconceivable that the official premises of Poljud were once again friendly to Damir Mišković, Ante Kulusić, Ante Vučemilović and everyone else that made Hajduk boycott the Federation.
Of course, Davor Šuker, the actual HNS president, was the only one not to visit Poljud.
Recall, Davor Šuker returned to Croatian football as Zdravko Mamić’s candidate in the scandalous elections for the president of HNS in 2010, when Vlatko Marković became a fictitious president, while Mamić was the absolute boss. Igor Štimac was his opponent, and the night before the election, Mamić pulled out Šuker as an ace up his sleeve. In his Bentley, Mamić brought Šuker to the polls as a special HNS guest.
Davor Šuker remains the president of HNS to this day, but his influence is diminishing as Damir Mišković and HDZ strengthen. Meanwhile, Šuker was stripped of his ability to sign major financial contracts by the Executive Board, which was also a sign that he did not rule the Federation any longer.
More on this story soon.
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August 19, 2019 - Croatia national team coach Zlatko Dalic has called on 23 players to gather for September's appearances in Slovakia and Azerbaijan as part of the qualifications for the European Championship in 2020.
The 2018 World Cup finalists open the autumn qualifying round with two away appearances - on September 6 against Slovakia in Trnava, and on September 9 against Azerbaijan in Baku, announces HNS.
Coach Zlatko Dalic has called up 23 players, led by captain Luka Modrić, for the action, and Dinamo winger Mislav Oršić is among the names on the national team list for the first time. Dalic also selected a list of standby callups, including Andrej Kramarić, who will be called if he recovers from his current injury.
If needed, Dalić will also call on players in the young national team in agreement with coach Nenad Gračan.
Croatia gathers on September 2 in Zagreb, where they will train until the trip to Slovakia, which is scheduled for September 5.
Goalkeepers: Lovre Kalinić, Dominik Livaković, Simon Sluga
Defenders: Domagoj Vida, Dejan Lovren, Tin Jedvaj, Matej Mitrović, Borna Barišić, Karlo Bartolec, Mile Škorić, Dario Melnjak
Midfielders: Luka Modrić, Ivan Rakitić, Mateo Kovačić, Milan Badelj, Marcelo Brozović, Mario Pašalić, Nikola Vlašić
Attackers: Ivan Perišić, Ante Rebić, Josip Brekalo, Bruno Petković, Mislav Oršić
Standby: Andrej Kramarić, Marko Rog, Filip Benković, Mijo Caktaš, Josip Juranović, Antonio Mirko Čolak
Summer break is ending and the Vatreni ? are getting back on the pitch in 3...2...1...
— HNS (@HNS_CFF) August 19, 2019
⬇ Croatia ?? squad list for the @EuroQualifiers matches against Slovakia ?? and Azerbaijan ??#BeProud #Family pic.twitter.com/poC7h6McgT
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