At 32 years and 10 months old, Croatia/Shakhtar Donetsk captain Darijo Srna may very well play the last significant match of his career Wednesday night (3:45PM ET) in Germany. After a scoreless affair in Donetsk three weeks ago, Shakhtar will take on German champions Bayern Munich in the second leg of their Champions League Round of 16 showdown.
Although heavy underdogs to make the quarterfinals, Shakhtar and Srna can shock the football world with a result in Bavaria. A victory will put the Ukrainian champs through alongside any draw in which they score at least one goal (away goals rule).
Srna led Shakhtar to the Champions League quarterfinals in 2011; where they were ultimately dismissed by Barcelona. This was one year after Shakhtar won the UEFA Cup (now Europa League) which is arguably Srna’s greatest accomplishment in soccer.
Now in the twilight of his football playing career, Srna has one last shot to lead his troops to victory. A win over Bayern would be huge, not only for Shakhtar, but their captain as well. Srna will be 34 years old by the time Euro 2016 kicks off and should not be considered a lock in Croatia’s starting XI when the tournament begins.
Croatian fans around the globe have criticized Srna’s leadership, endurance and sportsmanship (I’m talking about his flopping here) in recent years. But even if you see Srna as a villain, you cannot deny that he has been a staple in this Croatian team since 2004.
Chelsea v. PSG will be the Main Event Wednesday night in Champions League, but if you’re a Vatreni supporter, you will find a way to watch Srna and Shakhtar face mighty Bayern Munich.
It might very well be Srna’s last hoorah on the European stage, but this Croatian legend knows what’s at stake. And be sure that he will leave every drop of blood and sweat on the field against Bayern Munich.
Exactly…….some don’t get it.
Remains me of the worst case of homerism.
I am not negative, I m not positive. I am objective.
next kapetan is Rakitic… anyone else beside him would be a shock – not the exact type of personality i would want, but he’s the best we have, leader wise – the only other player I could see in the running would be Corluka, but I see Ivan having a longer NT career at this point than Vedran
Srna has been a good NOT great captain for years.
Full respect.
But it is time to turn the page.
Modric is ready.
Rakitic is next.
Need to have the young legs on those flanks as those alleys are left wide open by our world class midfield.
Also not going to have the MANdzukic beast for many more years and he needs to be fed a steady diet of wing crosses.
Have not seen Srna dribble towards the corner in 5 years?
4-2-3-1
Could work if our wing backs can run like horses.
Don’t really want to keep this topic alive, BUT.. why are people so butt-hurt about people not being “positive” posters on this site?
Who else is bringing everyone down?
I know Ziva’s a bit of a bad apple but whatever.
Just call him out on his shit and move on.
People are becoming waaaay too sensitive on here.
Are we not allowed to critique our own?
Do we all need participation ribbons as well?
Screw the next generation whats become of this one?!…
As long as we’re not personally attacking each other what’s to be so mad at?
Guys,
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you mean to tell me the friendly game against mighty Gibraltar being planned in Zagreb to prep for Italy wont be considered a BIG game. Whats wrong with you guys?
This is most positive set of posts I’ve seen on this website. Can’t believe there is so little shit talking considering its about a guy most love and hate.
Kovac’s love for vets is scary but I guess we’ll see what happens next game because Strinic is clearly a lock.
As for Srna accepting a bench role, I think he is humble enough but soccer players have egos and you never want to mess up the locker room chemistry. Question is who is the next captain? Gotta be the guy with the most kills; Corluka!
the reason I said all the above:
A) I thought Shakhtar would lose tonight (they did)
B) Shakhtar may not even qualify automatically to CL next season, Dynamo Kiev is currently first
C) Srna’s going to be an old, old chain-smoking man by the time Euro rolls around…
I think tonight was his last BIG game. And boy, how disappointed does he feel? It was over after 3 minutes
Bayern up 4-0, this is starting to look like “Custer’s Last Stand” instead of Srna’s last stand.
@ Maminjo
The very thought of us having two wing-backs in their mid-30s at Euro ’16 gives me nightmares.
probably more………
@ Ante
but what makes you think Srna won’t have another “big game” with Donetsk? they’re one of the better Eastern European teams, consistently making EL/CL groups.
Also, what if we make it out of the groups in Euro 2016 and Srna is still the captain (likely will be) – any knockout stage game would be a “big” one.
I’m not a Srna fanboy by any stretch, but I think this isn’t the last page in his book, career wise.
Correct Ziva…
I’m inferring that Shakhtar will lose though. By 2 goals to be exact.
Tonight is his last “big” game only if the lose. He would have another “big” game if they win.
For the repka……you either drop him completely or he starts. No middle ground. But, all of that depends on the locker room dynmaics. Not too many players would be willing to stick around if their captaincy is dropped.
The potential of Kovač fielding a starting unit with two wing backs (one being 34 and the other being 35) is a scary possibility.
Srna age is cathcing up but 2016 might be his last turnir as 2018 WC some prospects will boom or be busts Halilovic Pjaca Pasalic Coric Balic Basic Caleta Car Mamic Mitrovic Leskovic Kelic Jedvaj Perica Rebic Livaja Kovacic Mocinic Radosevic Vrsaljko Livakovic Catkas Gorupec Mrzljak Aleksic Sunjic
I was speaking specifically about Srna starting. He will 100% be with the team in 2016.
But the guy is going to be 34 years old. With the options we have, I don’t think NK will be able to play him in the back-4 anymore. Especially with the crop of defenders we will have.
For anyone saying, “Well, Olic is still doing it at age 35.”
Olic is a freak of nature! And he can’t do the full 90 anymore. Keeping up with young guns defensively (srna) and playing striker are 2 different things.
Once again, tonight is Srna’s last “big” game.
But we can revisit this conversation next June.
Question is… Will Srna be for us in 2016 what Pranjić was for us in 2014?
Jedvaj and Vrsaljko are arguably better today. We’ll see how things stand in a year from now.
Based on his current level of play – which can always chnage – you either keep Srna as the starter and the captain or you completely drop him from the team.
You can cause some trouble in the locker room when you strip the captaincy from the player and keep that player on the roster. I takes a special person to be humled like that and still remain upbeat and a positive influence in the locker room. Most players in today’s game would cause trouble.
I don’t think he meant that he won’t be on the team but rather not a lock at starting RB. Vrsaljko, Vida, and Jedvaj are all coming up in the RB rankings. That said Srna has high soccer IQ (minus flopping) and just needs his body to keep up.
always has been hard to have a clear cut opinion on Darijo – he’s come up big for us a number of times, but all that nonsense and flopping was never needed. That isn’t our brand of football.
Gotta disgaree with Kvartuc on this one… no way does NK pull the plug on Darijo going into the Euros. He’s been a rock on the team since NK hung’em up and passed the armband to him.
The only situation I could see happening is…. making Rakitic kapetan, installing Vrsaljko as our #1 RB and then using Srna as a super sub ala Olic (you could play him anywhere on the flank)
Not sure how that would go over with the team or Darijo though…
Love him or hate him.
Srna always plays with heart.
Kinda off topic
But, SoCro released his debut LP, and it’s pretty fucking good.