England
Niko Kranjčar will be out the rest of the season for Portsmouth with an ankle injury. Bone damage was found around Niko’s ankle after he was tackled from behind last week in a 1-0 win over Bolton. Portsmouth has five games left in the season and are seven points clear of relegation.
Kranjčar was expected to be ready for Ukraine in June. This now seems unlikely.
Luka Modrić and Tottenham were on top of the world Saturday afternoon as they were leading Manchester United 2-0 at halftime. Modrić increased the Spurs lead minutes before halftime as he was found all by himself on the back post.
So what happened? Manchester United won the game 5-2! They scored all five within 22 minutes of the second half and completely dismantled Tottenham. That’s why Manchester United is in fact Manchester United. They have an extra gear that only few other teams possess.
Vedran Ćorluka gave Wayne Rooney too much respect on United’s second goal as he got crossed up and ultimately ‘nut-megged’ (ball through the legs) for the goal. Regardless of the loss, Tottenham is still in Europa League contention for next year.
Eduardo was left off of Arsenal’s squad all together in a 2-0 win at Middlesbrough’s expense. Will Eduardo be a part of Arsenal’s attack on Wednesday, April 29th against Manchester United in their first leg Champion’s League semifinal?
I would say NO. But you never know what Arsene Wenger has up his sleeve.
Germany
Ivica Olić came on at half time for Hamburg hoping to reverse a 1-0 Borussia Dortmund lead. Ivica looked like he was saving himself for this Thursday’s UEFA Cup semifinal against Werder Bremen, however, did manage to pick up a yellow card in the 82nd minute of play. Hamburg ended up losing 2-0, dropping them in a three-way tie with VfB Stuttgart and Bayern Munich; and only three points back of league leaders, VfL Wolfsburg. On Sunday we shall see Ivica Olić and Hamburg go up against Josip Šimunić and Hertha Berlin.
Mladen Petrić is set to miss the next two weeks and both legs of their UEFA Cup semi-final bout against Bundesliga rivals Werder Bremen. The 28-year-old was injured in a clash with Bremen defender, Naldo, and was substituted in the 68th minute before his side went on to lose the penalty shoot-out.
Josip Šimunić started and helped Hertha in a 1-0 away victory to TSG Hoffenheim. Joe played the full 90 minutes and now twelve straight yellow card free games. With the victory, Hertha finds themselves just two points back of VfL Wolfsburg for first place in the Bundesliga.
Marko Babić warmed the bench for a third straight week for Hertha Berlin.
Dino Drpić was in action for Karlsruhe away to Bayer Leverkusen, needing a win to stay alive in its fight with relegation. Karlsruhe did just that scoring on one of only two shots on target in a 1-0 victory. Dino played the full 90 minutes and started his 12th consecutive match since joining Karlsruhe from Dinamo Zagreb this last winter.
Ivan Rakitić was left on the bench for a third consecutive game as Schalke celebrated a 1-0 away victory to Bayern Munich in front of 69,000 at the Allianz Arena in Munich, ultimately resulting in the firing of Jürgen Klinsmann. With the victory, Schalke find themselves in sixth place, 5 points back of Hamburg with five to go in the race for a UEFA Cup spot next season.
Netherlands
Danijel Pranjić and Heerenveen dropped valuable points over the weekend, giving up a 90th minute free kick goal to split points with FC Twente 1-1. Danijel once again played the full 90 minutes, assisting on the lone Heerenveen goal in the 77th minute after sending in a signature corner.
With the draw, Heerenveen drops to fifth place in the Dutch Eredivisie, two points back of PSV Eindhoven in the fight for a place in UEFA Cup next season.
France
Ivan Klasnić and Nantes continue to sink ever so closer to the relegation zone, losing 2-0 to AS Nancy Lorraine on Sunday. Ivan played 78 minute for Nantes and registered one shot on target. In the 57th minute, Ivan failed to connect on a beautiful cross in the box, his first strike on goal. Ten minutes later, Ivan squeezed his way past two defenders but Nancy keeper, Gregorini dove smartly to grab his effort. “Killer” just looks frustrated at Nantes and is almost certain to be at a new club next summer.
Dario Simić and Nikola Pokrivač were both on the bench this weekend in a 1-0 Monaco away victory to Le Mans. Dario has been on the sidelines due to a bad back, while Nikola has been off form as of late.
Jerko Leko was serving another one of his yellow card suspensions. Something tells me that Jerko will be looking for a new club next summer.
A 70th minute goal from Maoulida was all Vedran Runje and Lens needed on Friday in a 1-0 victory over Bastia to keep Lens seven points adrift of second placed Boulogne. With only five games left in the season, Lens only needs six points to assure promotion to the French first division next year.
Greece
The Greek season ended this past Sunday with Panathinaikos going out on a winning note; beating OFI Crete 3-1. Mario Galinović was once again between the pipes for Panathinaikos while Ante Rukavina watched the entire match from the bench following his DUI charge in Croatia last weekend.
Panathinaikos finishes the 2008-09 Greek Super League in third place behind arch rivals Olympiakos, who clinched the title weeks ago, and PAOK Salonika. Even though it appears that Panathinaikos misses out on a Champion’s League spot for next season, as Greece only receives two places, a Greek playoff system is in place to allocate berths for Europe. Personally, I’m not a fan of a playoff system but like it or not, it still gives Galinović and Rukavina to play amongst Europe’s best again next season.
Italy
Ivan Jurić and Genoa missed a golden opportunity to keep pace with Fiorentina for Italy’s fourth and final Champion’s League spot as they were shocked by Bologna, 2-0. Jurić played the entire match, yellow card free to his credit, and only has five more games with Genoa before the summer vacationing begins.
Will Genoa catch Fiorentina?
Ukraine
Darijo Srna’s Shakhtar Donetsk were looking for a third straight league victory last Saturday at home to Chornomorets. From the kickoff it was obvious that Shakhtar wasn’t interested in this game and was looking ahead to Thursdays UEFA Cup semi final against Dynamo Kyiv. Darijo played the full 90 minutes and was denied by the post in the 52nd minute as Shakhtar came away with a 1-0 victory over Chornomorets Odesa.
Ognjen Vukojević and fellow countryman Goran Sablić, were both featured for Dynamo Kyiv in a 1-0 home victory over UEFA Cup Quarter finalists FC Kharkiv. Ognjen and Goran both played the full 90 minutes on Sunday and will be looking forward to Thursday’s UEFA Cup semifinal match at home to Darijo Srna and Shakhtar Donetsk. Dynamo still hold a 12 point lead over second place Shakhtar Donetsk.
Russia
Stipe Pletikosa was benched a second straight week as Spartak Moscow cruised by Rubin Kazan 2-0. This is slowly becoming a problem as Croatia’s #1 goalkeeper can’t even buy a minute in Russia. So let the debate begin!
How long can Pletikosa remain a Croatian starter, if at all, if he remains on the bench at Spartak? And who should replace him?
Ivica Križanac played the first 60 minutes of Zenit’s 4-2 home win against FC Khimki. Križanac has been subbed out of games early lately and should have an eye kept on him regarding his fitness for the national squad.
Zenit have had a nice first six games to the season as they currently sit in second with 12 points.
Spain
Mate Bilić was in action for Sporting Gijon in front of 38,000 rowdy fans at Vicente Calderon stadium to face Atlético Madrid on Sunday. After going down 3-0, Diego Castro Gimenez broke free on the left side and squared to a wide open Bilić, who scored on a “Ognjen Vukojević goal” past a stranded Atlético keeper. Mate played the full 90 minutes in his 100th game in a Sporting shirt as Gijon slipped into the relegation zone, dropping to 18th place.
Turkey
Hrvoje Ćale and his Trabzonspor side missed a fantastic opportunity to gain ground against current Turkish leaders, Sivasspor, as they lost 3-0 to them. Ćale once again played the entire match. With only five games left in the Turkish season, Trabzonspor sit in third place and seven points out of first.
Next Matches:
Wednesday, 4/29
Arsenal at Manchester United(Champions League)
Thursday, 4/30
Hamburg at Werder Bremen (UEFA Cup), Shakhtar Donetsk at Dynamo Kyiv(UEFA Cup)
Saturday, 5/2
Auxerre at Monaco, Energie Cottbus at Karlsruhe, Bayer Leverkusen at Schalke 04, Dinamo Moscow at Spartak Moscow, Kayserispor at Trabzonspor, Arsenal at Portsmouth, West Bromwich Albion at Tottenham
Sunday, 5/3
Le Havre AC at Nantes, Hertha Berlin at Hamburg, Sampdoria at Genoa, Athletic Bilbao at Sporting Gijon, ADO Den Haag at Heerenveen, Zenit St Petersburg at FK Rostov-Na-Donu, Dynamo Kyiv at Zarja Lugansk, Shakhtar Donetsk at Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih
Monday, 5/4
Lens at Sedan
~Denis Svirčić, reporting from Staples Center, California
Without a doubt the best one liner in Croatian soccer Report history:
“uniting all croatian fans and ciganski bosanac!!!!”
uniting all croatian fans and ciganski bosanac!!!!
Arsenal.com has only reported that Eduardo is out for this weekend’s trip to Portsmouth and will face a fitness test before next week’s second leg fixture vs. Manchester United.
It appears he tore a few more fibers in that groin when Rio Ferdinand fell on him.
sorry, meant we may be in trobule if we dont have him fit for the ukraine game
Eduardo tore his groin again, in the 5 minutes he played yesterday, damn, we dont have him fit for the ukraine game
In this article Bilic states that Chelsea has not contacted him. But you know how that always works out with the press and all.
http://www.net.hr/sport/page/2009/04/29/0398006.html
Anyone else here Bilic is linked to Chealsea
Much Thanks! We are here after all to :
UNITE CROATIAN FANS AROUND THE WORLD…We’re glad you are enjoying the show!
Thanks Nancy
oh i was just about to say how wonderful you guys are in terms of keeping everyone informed and up-to-date with croats and football…but i see that someone has beat me to complementing you … ;))
nancy
Thats what Ante and I are here for: to grant wishes.
Ante and I are always open to requests, comments, and suggestions for the site.
hey thanks for granting my wish you guys are awesome.