21 year-old former Istra and Osijek striker, Dion Drena Beljo, scored his first Bundesliga goal for Augsburg on Saturday…and boy was it a pretty one! In the 6th minute of the match, Augsburg defender Robert Gumny sent a high, looping clearance into the Werder Bremen half. Beljo would bring it down and turn on the jets. He made a run towards goal with two Bremen players muscling for position. With a man closing in fast, Beljo would shoot from a slide tackle and find the far corner of the net for the goal. It’s amazing how much power he got on this shot while falling down. Beljo has officially opened up his Bundesliga account. Augsburg would win 2-1 and now find themselves comfortably eight points free of the relegation zone.
Luka Modrić had to sit out Real Madrid’s lackluster 0-0 draw against Real Betis Sunday due to a yellow card suspension. With the point, Real Madrid now trail league leaders Barcelona by nine points in the La Liga race with 14 matches remaining. That’s a mighty big gap to overturn the way Barca has been going this year. Real Madrid host Liverpool in the Champions League Round of 16 next week.
Mateo Kovačić returned from injury and played 75 minutes in Chelsea’s 1-0 win over Leeds United. Kova received a 6/10 grade from Goal.com as he “Got through a lot of dirty work to give his midfield partner more freedom.”
Ivan Perišić played the full 90 minutes for Tottenham in a shocking 1-0 loss to Wolves. The loss opens up the top-4 in England to Newcastle, Liverpool, and Fulham. Perišić received a 5/10 grade from Football London as he “Saw a header saved by Sa late in the first half, but again lacked quality with his deliveries to others throughout.”
Joško Gvardiol (played 90 minutes) and RB Leipzig were humbled by Borussia Dortmund Friday night; losing 2-1 in what will surely end any Bundesliga title hopes (now 7 points behind)
@Crnkovic
https://croatiansports.com/the-weekend-water-cooler-58/#comments/494008
Thanks for pointing out Beljo’s contribution to the winning goal. Would have missed it otherwise.
If we are to believe some headlines in the media, looks like Modric will be available for the March matches v Wales and Turkey. This is good news as we need a good start to EURO qualifiers, anything less than 4 points from these two matches would be disappointing.
Naw dawg. 6 points.
You gotta shake off that “small country” rust. 😉
There is no reason to not win both of these games handily. We are better than both teams in every single area of the field.
Anything can happen, but we need to consider anything less than 6 points as disappointing.
Real Modrić needed a rest any way.
Didn’t see the match but saw no goals again.
Amazing how Modrić still can’t be replaced?!
It’s actually shocking how much effect he still has
Long live king luka!
Must drive him nuts how the media feels they always have to ask him when he’s retiring. Hugely important to Real/Croatia…let him play.
No Modric today — yellow cards.
After a great midweek match, 16 year old Vuskovic struggled in this morning’s Hajduk 4-3 loss.
Backline disorganized and man-marking seemed optional.
Feel sorry for the kid, at fault for the third and fourth Lokomotiva goals.
He is 16 and is not fast enough to match it against fully grown men, especially in one-on-one situations or long balls over the top. His more senior defenders were also at fault for lack of support and poor marking.
Ya I’m no nogomet expert but easy to hide a 16 year olds faults say in midfield then on the back line
Kid will need time to grow but he looks like he has the goods
He is bloody 16
Hoping the pressure doesn’t get to him
Cause he does seem built to succeed
Hajduk coach Leko is dumb employing the 3-5-2 formation with one of the central defenders being a 16-year-old kid. Luka Vuskovic is a super talent surrounded by some average players. I also worry that the pressure might get to him.
Regarding Biuk’s first game on National TV…it’s too small a sample size to see if this is a huge blunder.
Not to be mean, but my biggest take is how often he kept falling in the penalty area (no, he wasn’t trying to draw a PK). Looked very amateur.
Regarding Biuk’s first game on National TV…it’s too small a sample size to see if this is a huge blunder.
Not to be mean, but my biggest take is how often he kept falling in the penalty area (no, he wasn’t trying to draw a PK). Looked very amateur.
After a great midweek match, 16 year old Vušković struggled in Hajduk’s 4-3 loss.
Disorganized backline and poor man-marking the entire match.
Beljo with a legit striker’s goal!
All these dudes need a look.
You are scoring in the Bundesliga and the Portugues League then you deserve a look.
Dalic has to cultivate a strike force.
@ Crnković
Spot on about Kovačić.
He was excellent today.
He linked up play from defense to offensive as per usual.
Every move that worked for Chelsea began with him.
I am convinced he is one of the most underrated footballers in the world.
Yes it would be great if he had a bit more aggression toward the goal. But then he would be in the world 11 like Modrić.
Chelsea are lucky he is now healthy for Dortmund coming to Stamford bridge this Tuesday.
I actually hope Kovačić makes a move this summer to Spain or Italy for the next chapter of his prime.
He also performed well as captain.
6/10 rating was a bit harsh.
At least a 7+.
Nice. I didn’t see the Chelsea game. But I know kovacic is a top player. He struggles for Croatia because we need goals and he doesn’t offer any. But if we find good strikers he will be perfect. As you always say it takes us a bit longer to hit our peak
Time for my usual dose of positive medicine on our players:
Delighted for beljo, he seems to have all the tools to be a great player. Calm, skillful, big, great finisher and with more pace than he looks. No one has mentioned yet that he also had a key role creating the Augsburg winning goal. He twice had the ball in the build up, including playing the all-important line breaking pass off a first time volley. For 21 years old mid season signing to a top four league that is exceptional
Kovacic. People on this site make me laugh sometimes. Everytime kovacic is injured or rotated there is panic. Kova has been Chelsea’s most consistent quality player for the past three years. He was their best player in their run to the champions league final. Man of the match in their Europa league final win. He is a top player, stop fussing about him.
Stanisic, Is a really good player. He lacks pace and drive for a modern fullback. He also lacks a bit of that cockiness you need to make a big impression at a young age. But he is extremely calm and picks great passes from defence. Reminds me of corluka. Yes we want him to play more but don’t forget that at Bayern he is getting a great football education in training. He has chosen to stay and fight for his place. Let him grow a bit more and when the time is right, maybe the summer, he will move.
I’m disappointed that ljubicic, simic and matanovic have gone very quiet. We are all the same, desperate to see these guys become top players and give us a world class number 9. But this is reality and professional football at the top level is a very difficult process to manage. Sometimes it just takes a bit of time. We have to be patient.
We have enough young talent coming through. We can’t expect them all to be the next Messi. We have to remember as well that we are a small nation and don’t have millions to choose from. Guys like ivanusec can still play a role in the NT.
Orsic? Lol. Nothing positive to say about that move
I tried to comment below
Neuer and a signed Thompson flag trade for sosa and Stanisic
Your still butthurt about the Sosa thing with Germany? If you are, kinda sad
Lol Just a joke my friend
I totally defended sosa
I get where he was coming from and was just a kid
I hope he kills it in career and us
My trade was still for my distrust in livakovic;)
Oh ok, I was about to say hahaha
If i were stanisic, i will still leave bayern.
Maozrouni is back from injury soon, already ahead of him. Pavard is suspended against psg. Cancelo cannot play in 3 man defence. Now with him starting is one off case for him. Like an emergency case. No one to turn to.
Even if bayern sold pavard, they will sign a replacement better than stanisic and keep him on the bench.
Nagelsmann is smart, whenever transfer windows is closing, he will play stanisic and claim he needs it. Window closed and he is bench again
https://www.index.hr/amp/sport/clanak/nagelsmann-objasnio-zasto-mu-stanisic-igra-ispred-zvijezde-koju-je-doveo-iz-cityja/2443642.aspx
I would also agree, he should’ve left in the summer after the nations league but if he leaves to a mid-table team in one of the top 4 leagues this next big window, wouldn’t complain as long as he’s out of Munich.
Nice to see Beljo get his first. Also happy to see Kova back. We need to get off to a good start with these Euro qualifiers and not sweat our way through the qualifiers.
Lol Re: Neuer
Buik on the bench
Yes watching the game. Biuk should have stayed home. I hope I’m wrong but this move might ruin this young man.
You need to relax, he needed to leave Hajduk and have a fresh start.
So what he doesn’t start one game at the start of his season after a move, Gvardiol didn’t start the first game of the season when he just moved to RB Leipzig.
From what I’m looking at on social media, people were happy with his cameo when he came on. You just gotta give it time.
Stanisic is starting again today for Bayern. Not sure if there are injury concerns for other players, but it is most certainly welcome in any event.
My wild guess though is that they are giving him a decent run so that Dalic has to call him up for the upcoming qualifiers. It’s excellent player management from Bayern if so.
He’s also simply an effective defender. Unlike, Pavard, Stanisić doesn’t lose his head in games. He just keeps the opponents from scoring and keeps the ball moving forward when his team is attacking. He’s dependable and helps win games.
Hopefully they sell Screech Pavard.
He’s only got one more year left on his contract, and his name comes up in all the transfer rumors. Bayern should sell.
Happy for Beljo, finally gets his goal.
Awesome. Would be amazing if he could get going and become a regular Bundesliga scorer.
Having a regular Bundesliga scorer (Beljo) and a regular Portuguese League scorer (Musa) would be great young additions for us prior to the next tournament.
Beljo scores
https://www.goalstube.online/2023/03/augsburg-werder.html?m=1
Lovely goal.
Very nice Showed good power and finish
Hopefully this gets him going strong
I think we have to give him a pass for now
Still so young and transfer in middle of season…
What do they say about his work rate??
Kovacic starting, with captain’s armband.
Weird
I think kova wouldnt be bad at Madrid again
Luka I feel could pass the torch easier to him then some other random
Call me crazy I actually think kova if healthy could run with it there
That’s another thing looking back not only did luka do it for so long but to not get eventually run off the stage in Madrid is basically astonishing
Edin Terzić and Borussia Dortmund are on an 11-game winning streak (haven’t lost in the New Year).
We keep forgetting him as a coaching prospect for us. Barely 40 years old and raised in the German Croat diaspora. He’s almost as hardcore Croat as Manuel Neuer.
Muslim? Not problem with me just curious…
Fricking sign him up
Neuer I would have taken a trade for sosa and stanisic and whoever else they have tried to poach;)
Dad is Bosniak, mom is Croat. Born and raised in Germany, and has only German and Croatian citizenship.
I think I read somewhere that he was raised in the Cro community, so it’s likely that he was probably raised Catholic.
Bilic brought him in as an assistant coach during his Besiktas and West Ham days. Not sure what triggered the connection between them. He apparently provided Bilic with some analysis prior to a Euro2012 match, and then Bilic brought him in as an assistant a few years later.
Neuer! 🤣🤣🤣
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLtWnk3egPw
Oh I know, that’s why I laughed my ass off. Knew exactly what you were talking about. Man that was funny! 👍
Hahaha
The old guy in the white shirt looks like vojislav Seselj
Yeah, Hahaha