More bad news ahead of the World Cup.
Josip Stanišić is expected to miss 3–4 weeks after suffering a right ankle injury on Sunday against Wolfsburg. It’s another setback in what’s already been an interrupted season for him. Earlier in the campaign, he missed eight matches with a knee injury, and now it’s the ankle.
With Joško Gvardiol also sidelined, the back line is suddenly looking thin at the worst possible time. For Zlatko Dalić, it’s not an ideal situation heading into preparations, especially with so little room for more injuries.
The hope now is that Stanišić recovers quickly, gets back into rhythm, and is ready when it matters most.
Biondic bench 14:30 EDT
Anonymous smells a debut today – otherwise why give him Franjo’s #9
But let’s see
@Maminjo @Vlad
Jaga to Werder Bremen 👀
Looks like it, but it’s still not 100% confirmed just yet.
If true, then he was just sold for literal peanuts (at 4 million) to Werder Bremen.
Hopefully Slaven added a 25% future sales fee on this transfer.
Looks like Jaga might stay at slaven!
Anonymous will stop posting until there is a Here We Go
These random Croatia newspapers are just making up a new team every day to drive traffic/clicks/ad revenue to their sites
Doesn’t even make sense Dinamo offered 5m + 20-30% sell-on and the values reported are lower € amount and no sell-on – his value didn’t go down – dumb
Won’t be shocked if he just stays at Belupo
Calhanoglu out next 3 weeks (calf)
Frattesi was looking to leave (lack of playing time – he’s behind Pero) but needs to stay for now
Bodes well for Pero – should get lots of starts coming up (Inter have 7 games in next 3 weeks) – Anonymous would LOVE if he gets to start vs. Arsenal next week
Inter vs. Lecce Wed (14th) 14:45
Sucic with the start, watched last game he didn’t play bad. Playing more high up than usual basically supporting striker in new system. Hopefully the minutes continue. Basically 4-4-1-1 let’s see if he scores some goals.
Watched most of the cup match against Osasuna which Real Sociedad won 4 – 3 on penalties after AET. The match ended 2 – 2 with Sociedad equalising in stoppage time to take the match into extra time.
Sucic played for 75 minutes and did not impress from what I saw; he had a couple of shots on goal with one off target and the other too weak to trouble the goalkeeper. His body language is not the best and has the look of negativity.
DCC had a solid match in defence before being subbed in the 88 minute when Sociedad were looking for an equliser. Budimir came on for Osasuna in extra time and did score in the penalty shootout.
You know if Mart is posting “His body language is not the best and has the look of negativity” it’s terrible lol
The weird thing – doesn’t his parents, sisters, agent, Dalic, etc etc etc – see it and ask him about it – it’s something that could be rectified rather easily if it’s him being a petulant snowflake – but as it’s lingering for months now – maybe it’s something else/deeper – and he needs (sports) psychologist to work through – the people close to him should be helping him through this (if it’s the latter)
Jagusic to Braga 👀
It’s not yet confirmed. He agreed to terms, but the clubs still need to agree on a transfer.
Bad timing.
He’s on fire right now at Slaven and he could have taken that into the World Cup with him.
Instead, he goes to Braga where he’ll need to adjust. May lose out on the World Cup squad, where he would’ve received exposure and possibly a better club contract.
There no guarantees in life I like the move if it happens. Good steeping stone to keep improving. There play-in Europe and also system is good for him. A lot of 3-4-3 or 3-4-2-1. I have no idea of players on that team but basically they need two attacking midfielders in that system should get some playing time.
Take the money make the move it’s a step in right direction.
I also think he’ll do well, I was just hoping that he would continue to kill it in the HNL and Dalić would be forced to call him up.
At the same time, he could make an immediate impact at Braga too, and would get a call up and some game time for us at the World Cup.
Agree it’s a risk (especially moving mid-season without proper pre-season at the new club)
BUT
Wonder if his shift in thinking (not to stay at Belupo for the season) has to do with Josko being out – not to be a negative Nelly – but objectively Croatia’s chances at the World Cup have gone down w/out Josko
So maybe he’s thinking better to move now and make sure he’s a mainstay for Euro 2008 qualifying (he has a better chance of that if he’s already spent 1/2 a season at Braga (assuming he gets to play) vs. the rest of the season at Belupo)
Braga have Rodrigo Zalazar 26.5 y/o (Uruguay International 8 gaps – moved to Braga after >60 matches in the Bungesliga) – Jagusic is basically “identical” to him (although he’s right-footed he plays on the right #10/RW) – he’s Braga’s best player (and won midfielder of the month in Portugal in December) and they have a 20m ask to sell him – so if Jaga is coming in to replace him (even if he doesn’t get sold now, but after the World Cup) it could work out well
Portugal is the right league for him now IMO (better than Spain or Germany – the other leagues he’s considered) and Braga are always fighting for top 3-5 positions – and currently 7th in Europa – they have 6 games in next 3 weeks so lots of minutes to go around
There’s also the € involved – Belupo entire wage bill is €1.5m – that’s €48,500 per player on average (Jaga must make more than average) – while Rodrigo Zalazar makes €1.44m at Braga – Braga’s entire wage bill is €20.5m (14x Belupo) – that’s €760,000 per player on average (median of €710,000) – so Jaga is probably looking at >10x increase in wages
****.capology.com/club/braga/salaries/
Agree w/ Vlad – no guarantees in life – he’s got to take the € here (the extra 1/2 season is worth an extra €355,000 (based on averages)) as if doesn’t go now when they want/need him they’ll just go sign the next player in-line on their list to replace Zalazar and the offer probably won’t be there again/in the summer
Let’s see if it actually goes through though – nothing official yet
Braga’s next match today (14th) @ 13:45 vs. Fafe in the 2ndary Cup
Vuskovic 14:30 postponed due to weather
I look at the Stanisic injury as a kind of break for Croatia. It gives him a chance to rest for 2 months (especially as he has been injury prone) from all these games his team plays. He will be fresh and healthy more than those players that will play over 45 games.
Restful Lemonade break from Lemons, let’s hope this is the case.
Fruk broken finger left hand
Rijeka says he’s not training now (not sure why you should be able to play with a broken finger…)
Jedvaj scored again
***.tiktok.com/@fcpanathinaikos/video/7594195787949591830
Are we at that stage that he should be considered ?
30 y/o – three goals this year (in only 700′) and been playing regularly recently
He can play across all positions of the back 4 – could come in handy
***.transfermarkt.us/tin-jedvaj/leistungsdaten/spieler/206386
Man i haven’t heard his name in ages. basically popped up, scored 2 goals against spain to give us a memorable 3-2 win and then disappeared again, lol.
Stanisic has been so unlucky with how many times he has been injured in his (still) early career. Really unfortunate.
For those who didn’t watch the game, this might make you feel a little better: he was injured very late in the game, and he continued to play thereafter. He came off the field onto the sidelines walking fairly well, and then actually went back on the field and continued to play for a short while, before soon signalling he could not continue, and then he came back to the sidelines. This didn’t look like a complete blowout or anything like that. He was not carried or helped off the field. I am not playing doctor, all I am pointing out is that this did not appear to be a horrible injury. One thing we do know is that Stanisic has rehabbed well from previous injuries, and come back strong. Let’s hope history repeats and his recovery is very good.
I just want to say something re Livakovic. I realise he isn’t playing/etc has an issue there, and there’s been a lot of ppl saying he needs to be replaced by some guy playing in 8th division weekend league in Azerbaijan.
I’m not sure if you guys watched the qualifiers? I watched every single game. Not only has Liva got a record of being awesome in recent WCs, he literally saved our asses time after time after time in these qualifiers. Some of you have the shortest memory it is frankly embarrassing. Even games against minnows in this cycle, they would regularly get through to a 1 on 1 against Liva and he would pull off an amazing save. He’s NEVER played badly in recent years for the repka.
So all of those saying he needs to be replaced, can i ask you this: what is the problem you’re trying to solve? He literally carried us through many of 2025 WCQs, despite not having a good club time. Every single time he’s appeared in recent years he has been amazing. What more do you actually want? And who is the Peter Schmeichel banging down the door, exactly?
I think you all need to give it a rest, stop bashing the one guy who performed awesomely every single WCQ and saved our asses time after time. I mean can anyone even point to a mistake he made this whole campaign? Cos i can point you to at least half a dozen one on one saves that were HUGE in the context of the campaign.
So yeah that’s my rant on that, sorry to rant but i see there’s momentum gathering to get rid of him and i just dont get it.
There’s some wisdom in this rant.
Let’s hope Liva can get some quality playing time with a new club between now and WC.
Spot on Iggs.
Livakovic has played well for the National team and let’s hope that he finds a club ASAP with a return to Dinamo the most likely outcome.
I agree with you. I also think he is the best pure shot stopper we have had. Like you said, he has literally kept us in countless games, and his confidence has grown since seeing his first few games. But in general his natural game is to be cautious, he is no modern ball playing aggressive sweeper keeper. I bet he now makes a huge error lol.
Agreed
Dalic did give Kotarski a chance to take the #1 slot (when Kotarski expressed his desire to be the #1 via the media) and after Kotarski received some game time….he proceeded to play like garbage for several key club games right after that.
At the same time, Livakovic (despite not playing club football) did not lose a step and made some key stops in qualifying (especially in the game against Faroe Islands, which would have put Dalic in hot water).
This Livakovic thing is a non-issue, and we need to stop harping about it.
It’s not an ideal situation, but goalkeepers have more leeway when it comes to whether or not they play regular club football or not (as cardio and fitness is not as big of a concern for them).
It’s too late to consider a new keeper, especially since he’s been great for us in these qualifiers.
Slažem se 100%
There’s no momentum. Liva is GOD.
It’s a ligament injury by the sounds of it. Don’t know if it’s a full tear or what level. He won’t require surgery but will need lots of rehabilitation. It’s a capsular ligament injury in his ankle. It’s not a fracture so it’s definitely either torn ligaments, dislocated, or soft tissue damage to the tendon. Perhaps even a muscle strain. A sprain is what I was hoping for. Nerves, tissues and anything ligaments worry me. A complete tear is 6-12 weeks recovery. 3 months puts him at April worst case scenario. He will be fit. He’s already suffered a knee injury too last year and I believe it was similar with his knee. Thus is such bad timing and luck for us. Kova still recovering from a heel injury that required surgery. Seems like these three are always with recurring injuries.
This is such bad timing and unlucky for us.
Actually if anything a break for Gvardiol is better than ligament damage for Stanisic but I pray to God they both recover fast
A break is always better than ligament damage.. breaks only take so long to recover but ligaments.. diff story and generally take way longer
Sorry, but with months before a tournament…
you don’t take a shinbone break (which requires surgery and inserting a metal rod into your leg) over a ligament injury that will take 4-8 weeks to heal.
I understand that once a break heals, then it’s a non-issue (whereas ligament damage can have recurring effects).
But for this World Cup tournament, Stanisic isn’t a risk of missing it.
He may be a risk of re-injuring his ankle and not playing at 100% (especially if he is rushed back at Bayern)…but my guess is he will take his time to recover on account of the World Cup tournament being so close after his club return.
Bayern are already massive runaway leaders in the standings, so there will be no point in him returning too early.
A nightmare, where we desire tough competition for our players, but the one’s that are on the pitch, are all getting injured.
Is this real life??????
Someone said it was a massive tear on the other thread