Former Croatia manager, Otto Barić, passed away in Zagreb Sunday at the age of 87 due to complications with COVID. Barić is most famous with Croatians for leading the Vatreni from 2002-2004; through the EURO 2004 tournament. Baric played for for Metalac Zagreb and Lokomotiva before managing NK Zagreb, Sturm Graz, Stuttgart, Austria, Albania, and Croatia.
Luka Modrić and Real Madrid had a HUGE week in terms of the trajectory of their season. They handled Borussia Monchengladbach midweek to finish top of their Champions League group. A loss would have seen them bumped to Europa League. On Saturday, Modrić and company took down 1st place Atletico Madrid in a statement game. A loss would have put Real Madrid nine points behind the La Liga leaders. With the win, Real are now only three points off pace.
At 35 years of age, Modrić is starting every game for Madrid, going the distance, and playing exceptional football. He received a 7/10 on Saturday as “Luka Modrić is seemingly turning back the clock for Real Madrid, as he’s becoming a more prominent figure despite his age. The Croatian veteran was one of the key players in the hosts’ midfield that thwarted Atletico Madrid on the night.”
Toma Bašić Scores For Bordeaux
We have a Toma Bašić sighting! The 24 year-old box-to-box midfielder scored Bordeaux’s lone goal on Sunday in a 2-1 loss to 1st place Lille. Bašić leveled the game in the 29th minute; picking up the ball following a bounce off a corner. He could give Kovačić a run for his money moving forward. We will have to keep an eye on this underrated Croatian midfielder.
Nikola Vlašić converted a penalty kick in CSKA Moscow’s 2-2 draw against Ural. Ante Rebić got the start for AC Milan and played lone striker in Zlatan’s absence. You can tell he was uncomfortable as he drifted towards the sidelines throughout the game. AC Milan would force a 2-2 draw against Parma at the death to split the points. They currently sit atop the Serie A table; three points infant of Ivan Perišić, Marcelo Brozović, and Inter Milan; who defeated Cagliari 3-1 Sunday.
Love Atleti/Chelsea off the bat.
Get one of those bastards out.
Luka gonna send young Pašalić home. Probably get a Modrić jersey out of it though.
Good draw for Dinamo. Good draw for Milan too…
“Past će bomba (REBIC) na Beograd”
Its too bad that in the UCL, we have 2 games with Croats on opposing teams (Real vs Atalanta; Chelsea vs Atletico). It lowers the chance of a Croatian lifting the trophy again.
@ BECAR,
Dinamo’s good work in the group stage paid off with a great, fortunate draw!
Dinamo drew a favourable matchup with Krasnodor.
Luka vs Atalanta and pasalic in their champions league draw.
Chelsea. -Atletico and psg- Barca should make for good viewing I’m hoping the Dutchman gets bounced after a PSG thrashing.
Rakitic and Sevilla have a decent chance to go far.
Croatia needs lots more niggers so it will be a real country with real interesting peeps. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8320341/British-man-jailed-25-years-Croatia-stabbing-compatriot-death-outside-nightclub.html
RIP Otto Barić.
@ Poglavnik
Valid concern over the legs of Modrić.
After 9 matches in 24 days, and your heat map is this, against the #1 team in Europe:
https://www.managingmadrid.com/2020/12/13/22172939/luka-modrics-impressive-heat-map-against-atletico-madrid
Zidane understands rotation.
Valverde is back now and his motor and dynamic play is legit for Real.
I have always been concerned with how much Modrić has to do when he plays with Kroos.
Kroos is tactical master, with a golden right foot and pinpoint passing. But he has always benefited from Luka’s creative magic and industry.
Modrić needs a rest this week.
And should be tapering his minutes going into a much needed holiday break.
What is primary is that he is playing his game.
Just so happens that he is still able to play it at a world class level!!
STFU
Toma is tracking along nicely too
Another Hajduk prospect
RIP Otto
Oh right. THAT setup. Lol
Some good races in Europe this year!
@Pog
My bad I forgot to update. The goal was called offsides haha!
@CroatiaU14
Im watching live and Milan are down 0-1 at the half?
Tomo Basic with a nice little goal for Bordeaux today
@Pog, no clue, but speaking of Rebić, he just set up Milan’s first goal today. Super solid player. Strong with the ball as always
Ciro’s replacement. R.I.P.
Anyone know why Rebic switched his number from 18 to 12?
Former coach of our Croatian national team Otto Baric died today due to Covid-19. He was 87.
R.I.P.
Another talent update:
Igor Matanović, born in 2003, makes his first start for ST. PAULI in the second Bundesliga in Germany. He has featured for German and Croatian youth teams, most recently German. If we can somehow take Matanović and have him play for the Vatreni, he could be a very nice winger/striker to add to our list of future talents.
Love watching premium Modric covering every blade of grass but I cant help but think come summer hes either gonna be gassed or something worse.
CM Luka Modric
Another week, another masterful individual effort from Luka Modric. The Croatian superstar ran himself ragged before being substituted in the final minutes of the match for a returning Fede Valverde.
Modric wasn’t quite as dominant as he was at mid-week against Borussia Monchengladbach, but he still made his presence felt. The trio of Dani Carvajal, Lucas Vazquez, and Modric operating on that right-hand side made life extremely difficult for Atleti’s counterattack attempts. All three men worked hard to press Atleti, suffocating any potential chances for young star Joao Felix.
Per WhoScored.com, the 35-year-old was second on the team with 77 pass attempts, completing 89.6 percent of them. He even threw in two interceptions. Modric has been Real Madrid’s best player in the 2020-2021 season thus far, and his greatness certainly continued on Matchday 13.
Great article ^^^^
He does like sharp and in rhythm.
But damn:
Modric’s heat map against Borussia Monchengladbach and Atletico Madrid are unlike anything we’ve come to expect from a 35-year-old midfield. The man dismisses age and our preconceived notions of what a 35-year-old, box-to-box midfielder is capable of. He was exquisite again on Matchday 13 vs. Atleti.
@Soulchamp,
Modric is playing more because he requested it from Zidane.
https://www.marca.com/en/football/real-madrid/2020/12/10/5fd22bafe2704ec66c8b457a.html
Hajduk produces good talent stil.
.
They recently produced Bradarić, Bašić and Vlašić.
.
They’re just quick to dump their homegrown talent for cheap… and then waste those (small) profits on bringing older vets from weaker leagues.
.
Boro Primorac was a step in the right direction, but if they continue to sell off these young guys for a quick million, nothing will change.
Hajduk going through a rebuild for the next two decades.
Bunch of idiots. They deserve it.
On another point Modric is playing at a unseen level before. Incredible at his age to control a game like this.
@ BZ
It seems to me that Modrić is more an example of the power of epigenetics than simply having long telomeres.
The point you are making about who surrounds him is spot on.
The senior squad needs to be fine tuned heading into ‘21, there is no need for a youth revolution. Plus our u21 kids have there own Euro’s to shine. Veteran mediocrity needs to be cut and certain spots like CB need to be upgraded.
Rebić and Kovačić are ideal Modrić men, a healthy Vrsaljko would be a bonus at this point.
Lucas Vasquez has been crapped on by the Madrid media for years. But his pressing and jack rabbit quickness are key to winning and also compliment Modrić well.
Modrić can be impactful through the World Cup ‘22.
He needs to be played sparingly throughout World Cup qualifying. Slovenia, Slovakia and Russia are necessary for him in some expression, but Malta and Cyprus are not.
Modrić literally looks better than ever at 35!
His intelligence and skill will not decline at all over the next two years. Physically he will keep his lower body strength and his quickness.
I wonder if he just takes a break after the “21-‘22 club season and just gets himself ready for the World Cup ‘22 exclusively with Croatia?
He is weeks before he can negotiate a new contract with other clubs.
AC Milan would be a great final chapter.
Or does Real Modrić live on?
“Give the kid a break, damn.”
Did I say anything factually incorrect? I didn’t say he played bad, which IMO he did, but I purposely kept that to myself. I stuck to the facts, if that offends you, then that is not my problem. It would be like me saying, “Give Hajduk a break, damn.”–but there is truth in what you say.
@anon-your comment about Wolfsburg doing well is spot on. Brekalo doing something right in their system, just wish it would translate to our team.
@Soul Champ-Modric is just sooo damn good, only thing we have to fear is him retiring early after a horrible campaigns like our UNL disgrace. In my opinion, it is imperative that our youth injections not fuck this up for Modric.
I’ll be the first to let the cat out of the bag, Modric has long telomeres, and will be strong for years longer than most. To think, some wanted him to retire before WC’18.
“It is incredible to see how at the age of 35, the former Balon D’or winner still manages to find the energy and high performance while starting his ninth match in 24 days.”
Modrić needs a rest.
Lol Maminjo!
Hajduk is going through a solid rebuild
Be patient
Nu ştiam că croaţii sunt negri, au că înveţi ceva nou în fiecare zi, croaţii negri stau întotdeauna în jurul răcitorului de apă care se smulge despre anusurile de fotbal?
Juric is doing amazing work in Verona. Hopefully he works Pandur into the equation at some point.
Luka Modric — 8: On the top of his game tonight. Crucial during Real’s first-half performance and helped keep the team moving forward. Finished with two shots and two aerial duels won. Subbed after 87 mins.
Hajduk cut this dude.
Maybe they actually do not like Croatian midfielders?
Pfft.
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You guys are underestimating the power of Bassel Jradi.
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You think Danish-born Lebanese international midfielders grow on trees?
.
Hajduk got themselves a diamond in the rough here, and he’s barely 28 years old.
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Do you have any idea how it is to find an attacking midfielder in Croatia? Hajduk is ahead of the curve here, man.
Split is in shambles. Whether you like them or not you have to admit it. Shame that they’ve fallen apart. Prva Liga is the Rijeka and Dinamo show now.
Varaždin has never scored 4 goals in a Prva Liga game, until today. WTF is going on in Split?
@Lika Joey
Our team is very solid as long as we don’t call up guys like Gvardiol, Ivanušec, Majer, etc. to our first team. We’re in the group of death, but I predict a second place finish behind Portugal. Our defense on this squad is by far better than it ever has been before. Gvardiol and Šutalo are already playing solid CL and EL football, Gvardiol absolutely SHINING for his age. Projected to be one of the worlds best in a few years. Leipzig wants him now. I just hope that Musa or Kulenović will be able to put the ball into the net this campaign. We need goals, but I’m confident with the defense.
I’m watching Kovacic right now. He looks engaged and isn’t shy about pushing forward. I hope that he has finally seen the light……
Watching every possible minute of Luka Legends prime 35 time!
Crodrid derby.
Zidane has Carbajal, Vasquez and Casemiro flanking Modric.
This is to ensure his magic can come through for yet another must win.
Vrsaljko and Grbic on bench for Athletico.
I pray both get some minutes in 2021.
Croatia U14, how good is our U21 team going into Euro? I don’t know many of these players.
Sosa with an assist today as Stuttgart blow Dortmund out 5-1. Good for the kid. Nikola Moro has been playing an attacking midfield role for Dinamo Moscow