Croatia play two EURO 2024 qualifiers in September. They host Latvia in Rijeka on the 8th before heading to Armenia on the 11th.
The usual suspects will be taking part, which includes captain Luka Modrić. However, it’s Croatia’s strike force that is riddled with questions. Hajduk Split’s, Marko Livaja, has once again been left off the squad. It seems he is still in the “dog house” for the antics he pulled in Rijeka last June. However, Dalić said the following in regard to Livaja coming back to the national team. Was Dalić being more truthful or being more of a politician?
“After the incident in June at Rujevica (Rijeka) and Marko’s subsequent departure from the national team, I believed it was wisest for both the team and Marko to spare him in these matches. As it is known, we received a conditional punishment from UEFA, and any potential incident could result in us playing against Turkey without spectators. Given all these circumstances, I consider this decision to be reasonable. As I emphasized back in June, the doors of the national team remain open for Marko. After the September matches, I will discuss his status with Marko because he has his place in the national team, and we want him to feel comfortable in it, just like any other representative,” Dalić quoted in CroatiaWeek.
The move that really scratches by brain is calling up Frigan instead of Beljo. How?
One guy (Beljo) already starts in the Bundesliga for Augsburg. The other dude (Frigan) just left the HNL for a mid-table club in Belgium (Westerlo). I just don’t get it. Can anyone explain this move to me?
Player to watch in September: Musa. It’s his time to shine and finally score his first senior goal for Croatia.
Frigan was called up partly because he has started at his new club, but largely because he used to play at Rijeka. Livaja was left out entirely because of the incidents at Rujevica. Livaja has been our most in-form striker (besides midfielder Kramaric) for more than a year now, and he should be back soon on his merits as a footballer (can score, can pass, can dribble, can hold up the ball). This situation leaves a clear opening for Musa to do something to fill the hole left by Mandzukic, and possibly for Dalic to change to a new formation that puts Juranovic and whoever plays on the left side into more attacking positions.
Frigan 4 fresh look at striker !
Musa making it happen up top !!
Give these young guns a look.
Dalic making moves to bring some out put in our weakest spot.
It’s Latvia and Armenia.
Our strikers have the greatest midfield in support of them. A lockdown defense and a stud golman.
Go out on the pitch aggressively, shoot and score!
Earn a spot in the greatest Euro in over 20 years for Croatia.
What’s Luka Susic status/ timeline for returning to the national team??? How is he doing from the injury rehabilitation?
I’m curious too
Not much online that I saw
I see kacavenda is back
Hopefully sucic will make that recovery too
Two really promising prospects hoping don’t go down the pjaca hole
Croatian players have had terrible luck with knees. Pjaca looks headed to Serie B or maybe Feynoord. Rog came back from his second knee injury last year to lead Cagliari back into Serie A but then injured his knee a third time in a preseason friendly. He probably should just retire at this point. And we had Vrsaljko who was one of the best right backs in the world but had to retire early because of knee injuries. Who else am I missing from the knee casualty list? Hopefully Sucic recovers with no problems. Actually, its good for Pjaca that he has been able to stay healthy since his recovery, but he may never become the player it seemed he would be.
Either way, we do not seem to have striker so it makes very little difference in my view about the call up. Beljo, Musa, Frigan…one of these young players need to step up (even though Beljo was left out).
To be honest Petko did have some goals there when we needed them, despite the fact that the goal against Brazil was on a deflection. So in my view I don’t really see much of difference calling either Petkovic or Livaja. I think the two of them are relatively the same, minus the fact that Livaja has way more goals in the HNL (which if your putting on Petko you would have to take into consideration for Livaja’s case).
I think Musa has to b thee guy to step up here. Out of the younger players he has the most consistency so if he cannot do it, I really don’t think anyone can do it at this point.
You can label me as being a bit negative but this is just what I see.
With the regards to the incident, you have to make what decision makes sense for the team. Maybe leaving Livaja out will be a good thing if he comes back and plays better as a result of it. But your hurting up front, as much as Croatia is right now, this could also be a bad thing.
In fairness a while ago I would have said play the young players, but at this stage I am not so sure.
On my point for Petko and Livaja there output for the National Squad is relatively the same based on time played. I think Livaja has a few goals.abd Petko is the same I think. There is no way that I think you favour one player over the other. Petko had just had a bit more time to play with the international squad, so if anything I think this may hurt Livaja’s chances to play with the squad and to learn to play with them.
Keeping Livaja out of these qualifiers makes complete sense given the last incident. They don’t need any distractions especially considering he isn’t the difference maker like other on the team.
Calling up Frigan over Beljo isn’t a bad idea. As Mr. Black said Beljo hasn’t been starting while Frigan has. Neither would likely play much anyways.
Kind of harsh since Belgian league is four games in, and Bundesliga just started.
Frigan played 4 games and hasn’t scored. Beljo came off the bench in the first game this season.
Not sure what it is about Frigan that got him a callup. Hopefully he pans out, but Beljo is in the better league and should probably be ahead of Frigan. Either way, I don’t think Dalić will be changing much up front for the Euros anyway.
Musa is the only one that may be able to break into our starting eleven but would have to become a Benfica starter and a leading scorer in Portugal (again) to have any chance of starting ahead of Livaja.
Frigan sounds frickin’ Irish? Is he full blood Croatian?
On je Rijecanin
I say Keep Croatia’s National team looking Conservative Clean cut retro like their coach. Out with Livaja , in with Frigan. Livaja can share a cell with Pranjic.
lol what
Frigan starts everytime for Westerlo in Belgium. Four games in a row.
Beljo was only subbed in after an hour this week in their first competition game in Germany.
He’s not scoring goals though.
Ridiculous article. Of course you keep him off the team for this game in Rijeka. Twice this year in Rijeka he was involved with fans and the second time it came close to a physical altercation. This pattern follows Livaja. Same thing happened to him at Atalanta.
Evaluate it after the September matches and if he can contribute bring him back for October 12th and 15th.
Hire some security for the game.
He only had one incident with a Rijeka fan. The first time was during the cup match with Sibenik.
Which took place in Rijeka. Listen to what he said to fans. Twice in Rijeka.
Why hire more security when Livaja caused the issues? He can watch the game from home.
The first incident had nothing to do with Rijeka fans.
The second incident he didn’t start, but he tried to finish and that is his fault. An idiot is calling him out so he decided to tell him to shut up.
I am no Hajduk fan or Livaja. Dalmatinci are assholes. But this is the national team. If calling up Livaja is going to create issues then the federation and the soccer fan base in Croatia has some serious issues. Do those fans hate their national team that much?
I don’t recall him saying anything to Rijeka fans during the cup final. It was all directed at Sibenik fans.
Only thing I am aware is that he confronted a heckler in Rijeka. If that really a reason to not call him up?
I would agree, I don’t think it’s a good enough reason to keep the guy off. Whether your a fan or not of Livaja if keeping him on the squad helps the team then it’s a good enough reason to overlook the incident.
The fact remains we have a really big problem in the final third. This isn’t a time to tinker too much unless someone is really doing well this season or has done well during the previous season. The only young player who is consistent right now is Musa. Beljo had a decent season, so I would agree that he should be picked over Frigan. The only exception here is if Dalic saw something that may be an issue. For example maybe Beljo didn’t mesh with the other players during practice.
Not a Livaja fan at all . If he focused on his game he could be so much better but the guy can play. He’s one of those guys that just hears too much noise. Simmer down , Livaja and play like you do when your with Hajduk. We have nobody in a striker spot so he could be useful especially as a distributor of the ball.
Beljo over Barasic, with Perisic playing LB and having Sosa, seems like Barasic is redundant.
Livaja not being called up is a good thing imo. The man has been consistently useless for the NT, irrespective of his scoring record with Hajduk.
The odd goal against Canada isn’t enough to justify him being MIA for us 90% of the time.
If we aren’t able to conjure up a decent striker for the Euros, then any aspirations of winning the comp are merely wishful thinking.
Hopefully Musa comes into his own, sooner rather than later, because Beljo and Simic appear to still be light years away from being elite strikers.
I think Livaja is an idiot. But he deserves a call up. We have issues scoring and he has helped score or assist coming from the bench.
This is a bad look not calling him up.
If Livaja hasn’t been called up, Petkovic should not be there either.
I think the Livaja exclusion was less about form on the pitch and more about what happened last time the repka was in Rujevica. I bet Livaja comes back to the NT after thia set of qualifiers.
give Petkovic his due – got us to world cup semi and also big goal in nations league semi….it’s not luck
The NL goal was no luck. The WC goal was pure luck. It was a deflection.
what also was not luck was the sitter that Petkovic fed to Brozovic vs Brazil in extra time – just Broz airmailed it like usually
Livaja fed Orsic for the Bronze winning medal goal vs Morocco…. We shouldn’t be having this debate not calling Livaja is purely a political decision based on the occurrence especially with the fan, but also the comments against Sibenik fans.
Look Livaja is a hot head who sometimes needs to shut up and play. But he has still contributed to the National Squad, and his contributions should not be overlooked.
Hasn’t petko looked pretty good this year?
And doesn’t seem to have the attitude issues livaja can have ?
I know we would all hope to see petko have better work ethic
But his big goals in the last few repka games are big fuel to keep him of its a 1v1 with livaja I think