No real changes from Dalić for November’s last two qualifiers of the campaign. Remember, Croatia only need a single point to qualify directly for the 2026 World Cup. However, if they can win both games and have Germany drop points, they would move into Pot 1 seeding for the World Cup draw.
Notable player moves for November:
-Will Luka Vušković get any playing time in these games?
-Stanišić back healthy after a knee injury
-Baturina & Majer have been dropped
-Vlašić called back up to the squad
I prefer Majer to Vlasic – as long as Majer doesn’t take a penalty kick he brings so much offensively. I’m surprised that he was dropped to call up. Vlasic never did much for us in regular play time
With Perisic losing a little more his form lately an Orsic call is more than time. He always makes a difference. It’s as if Perisic just gave the last of what he had to help us qualify for the world cup and can now rest a little and let Orsic play the next matches
Matanovic with a goal and assist for Freiburg in the German Cup. Good to see him finally get a start.
Hajduk scraped past Cibalia 5 – 4 on penalties after a scoreless 120 minutes. Not many chances in the match played on a poor surface, thankfully no injuries.
Should be 4 – 3 on penalties.
PETAR SUCIC GOAL TODAY
WOW WOW WOW
GOAL OF THE YEAR 2025
Combination of strength, technicality and trickery
OUTSTANDING
His teammates tackled onto him in the corner – you can see good a teammate he is by their happiness for him
Yup – Anonymous eyes tests are best in the world and all-time
Great goal, thanks for the heads up. Amazing.
So many of you have already said it in the messages already. Need some speed on the wings. It’s blatant for all to see including anyone who plays us in the WC 2026. Yes, there will be many “crap”teams in this WC set up but eventually you have to play someone who is top level. This qualifier hasn’t shown us enough to make a determination on players with the low level of quality we have played. Let’s get some top tier teams for friendlies. Let’s see if we can mix in some speed with ball control. We’ll see.
Jagusic to Russia for 7M?
Better just be a rumor
Hopefully he does not go to Russia ?
Indeed. Hodza went to Russia, flattened out and now capped by Kosava.
I really doubt Jagusic will go there
Baturina has crashed out and his career at Como is over
He posted a childish video on IG to clap back at Cesc comments post match that he made mistakes
Video shows his two nice dribbles and one nice pass and he says he went out and followed unspecific instructions to go out and change the game
At least he ended it on a bang (I guess)
It’s just a repost of a video Como themselves posted. He even complements Como’s system in the video. Not sure how you didn’t immediately notice that
Overratted anayway.
Vuskovic MOTM 8.1 Fotmob
Majer unused sub
Valincic actually broke his foot and out for months
Dang… Valincic’s injury sounds like the one that Pero suffered last season.
Last game Dalić played a lot of fringe guys together with very few starters. I think if you’re giving minutes to someone like Vušković, pair him with regulars like Šutalo and Gvardiol so he can learn the system properly not just alongside other fringe players
Well hopefully Dalic plays Jakic and Stanisic as fullbacks, so we can finally see a Vuskovic/Gvardiol pairing.
The future is now. Ideally moving forward, Gvardiol and Vuskovic should play the most forward aggressive positions to put overwhelming offensive pressure on opponents and maximize scoring opportunities.
The two remaining backs that can provide the best defense to a counterattack should be paired with these two to counterbalance the risk exposure.
Dalic should just start Moro.
We know he wants to.
Dalic cursed DZ with his call-ups
Kule, DDB and Lisica anonymous
Valincic out for 6 weeks ankle sprain
Stojko was distraught to learn he is behind Jagusic in the pecking order for the #10 that he also f-ed his ankle
Did Varela play RB in the 2nd half ? P-G still calf-tear, no ? Does Noa Mikic get a chance ? Surely Mikic has to be above Varela in the pecking order for RB ??
One Dalic announcement – and the whole DZ house of cards comes crumbling down
Sad
Meanwhile Fruk was outstanding
Someone needs to load manage him as he’s already played 1,545 min and is going to burn-out or get injured
Might as well play Fruk on the RW – his goal when he received and cut-inside and fired a shot into the corner – is Lamal-ish
Lisica played rightback in the second half. Watched the game Dinamo was awful. Your boy Kulenovic is not National team material. Limited player technically.
I agree. Kulenović and Beljo demonstrated precisely why they are not on these lists against Vukovar. They did not put themselves in positions to receive the ball even though Dinamo’s midfielders had the ball around Vukovar’s box for nearly the entire second half. The field conditions were awful, but when you look at what Bennacer, Bakrar, and Cardoso Varela were able to do technically on that field, you see that Kulenović has a long way to go and that Beljo isn’t quite there yet either (and I thought he looked good in previous games). Bruno Petković would have created something in that match, for example. And we’ve all already seen the kind of space Matanović can make for himself. I agree with Dalić on the Matanović call.
I don’t mind the Vlašić callup for the simple reason that Nikola buries crucial penalty kicks for Croatia. He is a penalty shootout master, and given our history, that skill is important for our tournament success. I’d keep Perišić, Kramarić, Mario Pašalić, Budimir, and Vlašić on the bench in a knockout round game. Start with speed and the Modrić/Kovačić possession game and then put on the penalty takers
@MART @A Tin U
Did Livakovic just dodge a bullet ? He is supposedly out with injury for his club’s Copa del Rey match Tuesday with Gazzaniga set to be rested…
If he plays for them from what I have read, he won’t be able to register for a third club come January transfer window.
@Bartolec1912,
I defer to Mart!
But if he is right, and he usually is, the injury could be more apparent than real . . . .
Yeah I think so. Dominik looks like such an honest guy, I find it somewhat amusing if he’s weaseled his way out of playing this match for Girona.😁 Or maybe there’s a consensus with Girona to let him move on in January. Either way, it’s good.
Not all too happy about only a few selections. Biggest exclusions: Luka Sucic, and esp. Mislav Orsic should be on the active squad. I notice Petkovic does not even make stand-by list as well as Sosa, forcefully retired from National team at the age of 27.
A lot of competition is a good sign.
Moving on from Sosa and Juranović took some time, but it’s finally here.
Stanišić, Gvardiol, Jakić and Valinčić should be our fullback options (with Smolčić and Bradarić on the bubble).
The callups don’t seem to include any fullbacks… which is such a Dalić move. But I figure he’ll promote whichever player on the standby list plays best this weekend.
The wings are going to be a problem for us.
Dalić will start Kova in the middle (with Sučić and Modrić) meaning Krama and Perišić will be playing 70+ minutes each on the wings.
Sadly, I’m worried that we’re going to be easy to defend against (just like at Euro 2024) if we don’t use our various wing options).
Goodness me, Krama and Perisic on the wings = no speed and reminds me of the nightmare that is Euro 2024. Btw, Franko Kovacevic can also play as a winger, at LW if I’m not wrong.
I don’t think anyone (including Dalić) knows much about Franko Kovačević.
We’ll see if he’s legit.
Shoot me, I am a brain-washed Ante convert. We need Marco @ right wing. If we insist on Perisic on the left-wing Mislav needs to close out the 2nd half ready with any overtime and during the game PK opportunities.
Petković is injured. Luka Sučić is officially benched at Real Sociedad—he must have done something to bother the manager there, and he’s done more than one thing to bother Dalić, especially after his reaction to scoring his first international goal. Based on Dalić’s comments in the press conference, Oršić may be the player called up for performing well AND past contributions to the national team.