The Daily Mail has reported that Ivan Perišić’s season is over.
The 34 year-old Croatia/Tottenham winger suffered a serious ACL (knee) injury during non-contact training this week. Because of that, his Spurs season is over. But what about Euro 2024?
Euro 2024 was supposed to be the “Modrić/Perišić Farewell Tour” for the Vatreni in Germany next summer. Full recovery from a full blown ACL usually takes 6-12 months. Even if Perišić fully heals in 8 months, that would only give him one month to get ready for the tournament. Not good.
Chances Perišić plays at Euro 2024: 10%
So what does Dalić and the rest of the team do on the left side of the formation?
Oršić is out for the entire season as well with an ACL injury he picked up in July. Ivanušec rolled his ankle pretty bad last night in Champions League but should be fine in a month. With the injury bug hitting the Vatreni hard this week, and things sitting how they currently do, who is the best option to play left wing when Euro 2024 rolls around in 9 months?
Do we see a resurgence from Josip Brekalo?
Would Dalić move Borna Sosa to the wing where he can sling in crosses all day without defensive responsibilities?
Could Kramarić play as a supporting striker from the left side? What about Vlašić?
So many questions to be answered this year and next. Remember, Croatia have two pivotal Euro qualifiers versus Turkey and Wales next month. Auditions for a new left-winger are now open! Who’s going to step up?
One thing is for sure…this is absolutely devastating for Perišić and Croatian fans around the world. He absolutely balled against Latvia a few weeks ago. Hopefully it’s not the last time we see the legendary Perišić in Croatian checkers. The man has been such a huge catalyst for this team alongside Modrić for over a decade.
Hey Ante why am I down to the ten comments rookie club I should be well over a hundred please fix it thank yiu I’ve only been here from the start…
I think Ivanusec will be a good option when he is healthy. He has been playing left wing for Feyenoord since the tranafer.
Perišić=Awesome
This guy has brought all Croatians so much joy over the years. Clutch goals in huge matches versus big name teams.
If anyone has that never say die, tvrdoglav Hrvat mentality it’s Ivan!
May he heal up fully and come back even stronger!!!
Bog i Hrvati
this is horrible news for Perisic and for us. He’s been a game changer on soooo many occasions, I’m curious to know how we will approach our games without him.
did you mention Brekalo? Good God, WTF are you even saying? Brekalo has completely lost his way and is just irrelevant, who the hell would consider him? I’d choose a corner flag instead of him. Please, lets not bring Vlasic into this conversation either…another pylon for us. Unfortunately Ivanusec is injured, so is Orsic and Pasalic is not a left sided player so we are most likely down to looking at our younger kids which might not be bad. I saw Vidovic play for Dinamo recently and he’s an option. Rebic is not even in the conversation for two reasons (if you ask me). 1) he’s never demonstrated he’s remorseful for the shit show he caused and 2) the last time he was relevant was in the 2020-2021 season…back then he had a total different mentality and he was very dangerous on the left wing for AC Milan but since then he has mental issues.
we have some time to see who will step up. I’m glad we won our last 2 games and I’m not overly concerned about qualifying…I’m more interested to know how we will attempt to solve our issue on the left side. it could end up a surprise and we find someone thats going to be creative and offer good service…who knows? we’ve never really tried anyone else because thats been Perisic’s spot for the last 13 years.
I liked the idea someone said about maybe make Sosa into a winger, with defensive capabilities, and have Gvardiol switch to that side?
Agreed, there is no current replacement, even with Orsic well. Orsic is not quite as dynamic, and Perisic’s contributions were always so critical, and magically timely. Just for his presence on the field, It would have been nice, if he had one more healthy campaign for us.
I can’t say that he was underrated by Croatian fans. Highly esteemed, we always knew his importance it seemed to me.
I’m not sure how Sosa would function solely as an attacker…he does have some very nice crosses but he can’t shoot with his right foot and we’d miss opportunities if all he can do is cross/pass. also, I prefer Gvardiol as a central player, he’s just incredibly valuable controlling the back line, he’s fast, strong, great passes…and then we’d be stuck with someone like Barisic…and I can’t stand him…I’d prefer an in form Melnjak over him any day!
What about Sucic, he has been back. I now we haven’t seen enough to know what form he is in. I guess that could be too much to ask of the kid after just coming back from an injury.
I know it’s not his natural position but it doesn’t seem like Dalic has too many options here. Outside of Pjaca or Vidovic.
Let’s not forget how many posts Perisic hit at the 2018 World Cup. Had to have been 2 or 3.
I really want to see how these Rijeka boys progress. Pasalic is still young and has finally been given an opportunity to show his skill, and Pjaca’s first game back in the HNL was incredible. Obviously it’s still too early to tell, but two players to keep an eye on
Well Rebic is playing tonight so it might be interesting to see how he does. But would Dalic even ask him?
No because he and Dalic got into a fight Rebić was verry rude to Dalić and he never apologized
Very bad news, and I feel sorry for Perisic, as he was hitting a new peak.
To answer the question: Kramaric, Pasalic, and Vlasic all tend to play on the left wing for their club teams. None of them provides the range that Perisic does by attacking, defending, and using his size to win back the ball, but Dalic will have a good player to play as a pure left wing. It could even be Majer. Personally, I think Vlasic and Majer are on the bubble, but that’s just my opinion. I’m curious to see if Pjaca can keep scoring goals. He could be a possibility. Anyway, Dalic will have to change something in the game plan. Maybe Sosa plays LW and Gvardiol LB. Maybe a 5-2-3 or 3-4-3 or 5-3-2 formation. 3-4-3 could be very effective for the current squad minus Perisic.
You just admitted that you dont watch games. Pasalic does not play on the left wing or left side for his club. He is more central and when he does float, he moves over the right side. You couldn’t be more wrong.
Perisic wont be replaced. At this point we need to lower expectations. Qualifying is always the goal and that will happen. Getting out of the group phase will be tricky, but four of the 3rd place teams do advance.
I hesitate to respond to this comment because I don’t think I will convince you of anything, nor do I care what you think, but I do want to say that you are being a nuisance to the community that has formed on this site.
First of all, no, I don’t watch every single match that a Croatian player plays in because I have to work and take care of my family, so I can’t be watching matches all the time (I have a right to post my thoughts regardless of that, and I always do so respectfully and when I think it adds value to the discussion). Pasalic hasn’t been playing for his club recently, actually, but when he was scoring goals for Atalanta two years ago, he was playing as an attacking midfielder on the left side, which means that he DID tend to play on the left side. Forgive me for not conjugating the verb differently for Mr. Pasalic. Also, as evidence that I do watch matches when I can, I will repeat that Vlasic usually plays on the left side for Torino and that Kramaric often plays on the left side for Hoffenheim, although Krama actually plays all over the attacking half. How many Hoffenheim matches do you watch? How about Osasuna? Or Torino? Or HNL matches? What do you gain by making a comment like the one above?
Davor seems to agitating yet another person in the community…What a suprise!
so we should just let people make up stories
I gain nothing but pointing out you are wrong. That is it. We have too many here from outside croatia who think they know the game. And they do not
Well, I could be like you and say that nogomet is fucked from now on because of this or that, but then Croatia would just continue to be one of the top teams in the world even though I said it… Somehow or other, the great teams continue to be great, and it’s usually because players step up and coaches find new ways to win!
I actually asked you the question in a previous post Davor, and you never really bothered to answer my question. So I will ask again. Were you actually born in Istra?? I am just curious, not that it matters but I am just curious.
No way Rebic can replace Perisic. In my mind, they are not in the same League. Perisic had a nose for the goal throughout his career. Most valuable in my mind throughout these last 10 years. We was the strongest player, at our weakest position, we were always stacked in the midfield.
That amazing header goal against Japan, was his great swansong to us it seems. Will miss him!
Sad news, would’ve loved to see one final Modric/Perisic run, but if anyone can make a comeback its him. 34 and still playing from NT when others would have considered retirement. Let’s see if it’s meant to be, and if it isn’t, he’s given everything he could have for team and country.
Awful, awful news. No one does more for the NT than Ivan.
Life goes on. No matter what injury or age this was it for a few of our guys. I think we can handle this injury I’m not to worried. I love perisic but he has lost a step and he’s up in age. It was just a matter of time older you get wingers get injuries.
I think by euros we might have a few more quality strikers and Ivanusec is in good form who should come back from injury in a month. And you never know what kind of year vidovic will have as he looked good in his first game. Pjaca looked better in one match than livaja has in 3 years playing in hnl so why not call him ?
Main thing our back line is solid our goalie is solid our midfield is solid and we finally have some youthful striker playing well in major matches. Musa looked legit yesterday all around quality he showed.
If I was dalic I would call all young players who play well in hnl that are wingers. Esp in matches against lower level teams like Latvia. Vidovic pjaca pasalic orsic when healthy.
Huge loss. Ivanusec or even a healthy Orsic cant replace Perisic. Just a brutal loss. Look back over the last 6 or 8 years and just how many of our goals involved Perisic in one way or another.
There is good news here. Hajduk now gets Perisic as a washed up player who will only play so his son can see him in a Hajduk jersey. So Hajduk loses in all of this.
Very sad news for Ivan and the team. Ivan is a beast and hopefully he has a speedy recovery. Would be nice to see him play at Euro and lift the trophy ❤️💪
Even if he’s not in full form. If he’s healthy, at least we can have him off the bench.
You’re right. Most likely scenario is that Perisic has played in his last major competition. We’ll see who steps up and is ready for EURO, but whoever it is will most likely not reach the level of Perisic, who is a magician with the ball. He is one of the all-time greats for HR and will not be easily replaced. May not even happen with anyone of this current generation. The best bet is Ivanusec, who has shown lately that he belongs in Dalic’s rotation. Orsic at 100% fitness post-injury would also be a good option as he has also proven to be a major contributor. The others are far from proving themselves worthy of regular national team play.
Highly unlikely that we will see Perisic and for that matter Orsic fully fit and ready to play at the EURO in Germany. This is a huge loss for us and now we are short of quality players on the left wing as well. Ivanusec can play there and perhaps this will be an opportunity for Brekalo to come back into the squad if he can get more play time at Fiorentina. Not sure what will happen in three week’s time when we play Turkey and Wales ? Ivanusec in my opinion will not be ready, so Dalic will need to come up with an alternative on the left wing, in all probability it will have to be Brekalo.
When is Orsic supposed to be back?
We have Ivanusec there, so that should be okay. If we can get Orsic as a backup, then we should be fine there.
Perisic has been declining in recent years (even against Armenia he struggled to blow past guys and finish on chances, despite having a great game) so it was only a matter of time until we lost him completely.
Ivanusec and Orsic should hold us over until we start to integrate younger forwards into the fold (like Beljo, Musa, Simic, Vidovic) and see where we land at the next World Cup.
Orsic was operated 2 months ago, some comments that I have read suggest that he will be lucky if he starts playing in March/April 2024.
This is not enough time to gain match fitness or some form, but there is a chance if everything goes Ok with his recovery.
Perisic on the other hand needs a miracle, it takes 6 months after surgery before you start running and working with the ball. This is what Kacevanda did, and it did not work. He came back to quickly or the surgeon stuffed up and he had to have surgery again a week or so ago to fix the ongoing knee problem.
Brutal news.
If Ivanušec comes back and continues his 2023 form, then he should be fine on the left side in place of Perišić.
Sosa needs to step up and have a good season so we have more depth at LB.
Perišić has that ex-factor that we’re going to miss.
However, Oršić also has a bit of that too (as he proved in the World Cup). It would be a good boost if he made it back.
Non contact ACL injury?
Jebi EPL !!
Perišić is irreplaceable.
Only one Ante Rebić can match his power and pace on the left wing.
Do I need to fly to Turkey to make this prodigal son return?