*This year’s “Croatians Around Europe” segment will be more streamlined compared to previous seasons. It will be more of a “Top Plays” from the weekend rather than reporting on every Croatian international. Goals and top assists will always make the list as well as serious injuries, red cards, rough tackles and transfer news.
The La Liga season kicked off this weekend with Real Madrid and Barcelona both winning easily, but the Real Madrid bench was noticeably short one Croatian. Mateo Kovačić was not listed on the Madrid roster due to a random “knock” which put him on the injured list. This can only mean that Los Blancos are still shopping Kovačić to other teams with 10 days remaining in the summer transfer window.
On the other side of the transfer coin, and amid speculation that he could leave Inter Milan for Manchester United, Ivan Perišić scored Inter’s final goal Sunday and added an assist in a 3-0 win over Fiorentina. No matter what happens in the next week, Perišić is only adding to his value with performances like these. It has also been rumored that Inter will be giving their Croatian winger a €90,000/week raise to keep him in Milan. We shall see.
Perišić header vs. Fiorentina
‘Super Mario’ Mandžukić got the party started for Juventus, scoring the club’s first goal of the season Saturday in a 3-0 win over Cagliari. In the 12th minute, Mandza one-timed a sidewinder kick to beat the Cagliari goalie just inside the left post. Mandza was moved to the Juventus left wing last season with the addition of Gonzalo Higuain to much success. Let’s see if he will be able to do it for a second season running.
Mandžukić scores 1st goal of the season for Juventus
Alen Halilović just can’t catch a break. The 21 year-old is starting a full season with Las Palmas; coming over from Hamburg in the last winter transfer window and picked up a straight red card in the first half of the first game of the season. It looked pretty light to us, but nonetheless, Halilović was still given his walking orders. Was the red justified?
Halilović Red Card—Pretty Soft If You Ask Us
Andrej Kramarić redeemed himself on Saturday after a penalty miss in Champions League Tuesday against Liverpool. The penalty would have given Hoffenheim a much needed goal in the two-leg tie, but it gave Liverpool all the momentum they needed for the 2-1 victory. In Hoffenheim’s Bundesliga opener, Kramaric scored the lone goal of the match in the 84th minute off a huge deflection to defeat Werder Bremen. Hoffenheim will need to score a minimum of two goals at Anfield this week if they have a chance of making the Champions League group stage.
Kramarić scores winner for Hoffenheim
Domagoj Vida scored his first goal of the season for Dynamo Kyiv in a 4-1 win over newly promoted side Stal Kamianske, heading home from a corner in the 41st minute. Vida has played the full 90 minutes in 7 of Kyiv’s first 8 matches this season. After exiting Champions League qualification early this season, Kyiv will hope to qualify for the Europa League this Thursday in their 2nd leg playoff match against Portuguese side Maritimo.
Vida Goal: 3:24
Written by Ante Kvartuč and Zach Gilfix
this is the best place for both and LAknat always right!
…………….Luiz Suarez………………
…Perisic…….Rakitic……..Messi …
……Iniesta…Busquet…Kovacic…….
…..J Alba….Simunovic….marqhos….
…………….Ter Stegen………………..
If Juventus actually put in a bid for him, that says a lot.
Juve is (hands down) the best team in the world at evaluating (and developing) young talent.
I’d love it if Kovačić played for Juve.
They would turn him into a star.
@ Idemo
Agreed that Mateo needs his own team to fully shine.
But Zidane is creating a different Real Madrid based in depth and squad rotation that competes for every major trophy possible.
All three midfielders will need rest during the year, especially our beloved Modric.
Maybe like Perišić the status quo is good before the World Cup?
I’ll say this, clubs should try to pry him away right now, as next year his price will be double what it is right now as he will still be just turrning 24 years old.
Liverpool would be a marketing move to make.
Mateo would tear up the EPL and Anfiekd CL nights are special.
Zidane knows how good he is and would not want to let him go.
But €€€€€ run the transfer market.
Shit I’d love for him to be at Madrid till he’s 30 but for him to breakout he needs to be a flat out starter
The way he’s played this pre season he could play at literally any team in the world other than real bar maybe Bayern and Juve
He’s getting games but he’s on the wrong end of rotation
Why would zidane bust up Modric Kroos Casemiro
Kova picked up a bit of knock to his knee last week. Supposedly Real turned down a $75m offer from Juve this summer. He seems to be the main back up for all of the midfield 3. Asesnio and Isco are not as defensive minded so i don’t see him going anywhere. Dude gets plenty of playing time on the best team in the world. He also came off to a standing ovation last week and the Madrid home fans were chanting his name too. He also got new number which makes me think that he’s sticking around. Hopefully the injury is nothing serious.
@ Zach
Great move focusing on all the elite talent that we are blessed to have.
@ Svima
Perišić is a World Class Winger.
His skills are total and complete.
He needs a stage to showcase himself.
Maybe he stays at Inter Milan and then has a tournament for the ages at the World Cup in 10 months.
Čačić needs to create a system that can compete for a World Cup title.
A system that fully utilizes the depth we have in the squad over the entire tournament.
He needs to create early substitution game plans that give all 14 players an opportunity to make a positive impact on the pitch.
All this needs to start in September.
Uvijek vjerni.
Kovacic is injured
Ya idemo i was just going to post something of that nature. Not playing or benchwarming. Something happening with transfer perhaps? Rumors to juve have been rejected i think. Anyone knows please post.
Kovacic not even on the bench?
Luka breaking dudes off left and right
Santini with a goal today. Brozo almost but nice save by the fiorentina gk. Guess kalinic arrived at Milan so the rumor is.
MANdzukic still feasting for goals!
Man, this Perišić transfer summer is more painful than the Modric to Madrid saga when Levy held him over a barrel till the end, which delayed his integration for a good 3 months.
Man U want Bale or Sanchez and are willing to pay for that move.
Perišić was supposed to be a quick value snap up.
Inter are not dumb.
Perišić does not want to put in a formal transfer request as to not lose out on a new bumper deal or alienate the fans if a move falls through.
@ Idemo
Agreed.
Perišić would make Man U into a world beater.
Without him there are excellent, with him they become elite.
Real Madrid is the standard to measure up against.
@ Svima
Mateo Kovacic is a BEAST!
I think mateo was a lot better in Madrid Vs Barca in the super cup
yeah 50 is bang on in todays market, I think perisic would take Man U to another level along with a proper LB
@Idemo-Last two games vs Barca not too shabby. Alrhough your statement is kind of true, gotta admit that is a pretty cool stat.
@Soul- a steal 50
Brekalo started for Stuttgart in their return to the Bundesliga.
Vrsaljko missing from starting lineup as AM trail late (2-0)…always good when a Hrvat rests & his team struggles.
Cop in game v Juventus …he is at Cagliari now for those who dont know. I didn’t.
Rog didn’t get the start unlike in Napoli’s midweek win. Strinic not on Napoli’s roster today.
He’s still got a ways to go.
Yeah he fits in with Madrid but can he anchor a midfield for a top side? Time will tell.
Must recognize Kova has a lot of starts vs scrub teams
Here come the attacks
That’s an impressive stat the one where real won all their games with kovacic starting
Ya they win lot of games but still
Always had faith the kid would pull threw. Has a high ceiling still
Mandzukic with an early goal!
In all of the 38 starts Kovacic had with RM, they won them all.
Nvm he just put him in for garbage time
Lol west ham
Lovren on bench….probably resting him for CL
Man U fronting on perisic transfer.
They don’t rate him at £50 million?
In this market be is absolutely worth it.
Shame he won’t be in CL again.
Jebi ga.
He will get a raise either way.
Kovacic could be our first megastar!
Excellent backline LAknat!
@laknat. Have you gone dysletic in the last few days?
this composition will be matched against Madrid’
……………..Luiz Suarez……………….
…Perisic…….Rakitic……..Messi …
……Iniesta…Busquet…Kovacic…….
…..J Alba….Simunovic….marqhos….
………………Ter Stegen………………..
Juve have an asking price like 75millions for Kovacic, yet Man U quite struggle to meet the Perisic’s price tag. The approaching is uncovered by media.
Was a load of shit red, yellow at worst. That Valencia player milked the shit out of it!
I’ve seen much worse given a yellow
I’m bored. Sweet Las Palmas is playing, let me turn it on to see if Halilovic can turn his ship around…not a bad game for him, a red card in the 33rd minute.
Ante- To me, the biggest questions of the weekend:
How well has Vrsaljko recovered? Will his new bad boy look make him better? Will his new outdated tattoo (sleave)make him any faster? Jeez he might as well have dated himself by getting a whale tail too.
Kovacic status a close second. Hope we can see alot more of him this year. I expect savvy Real Madrid to highlight his talents so they can cash in big, as their MF is an embarrassment of riches.