SPAIN
The wonder kid that is Alen Halilović is living up to all the hype that accompanied him from his Dinamo Zagreb transfer to Barcelona earlier this year. 18 year-old Halilović plays for Barcelona B, which is the European giant’s reserve squad in the Spanish 2nd division. After scoring a wonderful strike from outside the box only three weeks ago, Halilović showed his talent once again on Sunday in a 1-0 win over Girona. He sprinted half the field with the ball before finally letting go of a low, left-footed shot from 21 yards out for the win. If he keeps this up this season, we might get a glimpse of the kid with Ivan Rakitić and the senior squad before the campaign ends.
Alen Halilović goes coast to coast for the goal
Mandžukić goal @ 2:07
Mario Mandžukić scored an insurance goal for Atletico Madrid in their 2-0 win over Elche on Saturday. In the 53rd minute, Mandza was put on a long breakaway with an Elche defender on his back. Mandžukić looked to be going to the far post but slipped the ball between the keeper and near post in rare fashion. The Croatian striker earns 90% of his goals from his head, but this showed us that he can do it with his feet from time to time as well. With the win, Atletico Madrid remain four points behind leaders Real Madrid. Mario Pašalić got the start and played 60 minutes for Elche.
Ivan Rakitić got the start for Barcelona on Sunday in a 5-1 win over city rivals Espanyol. He was taken off in the 65th minute, but not before assisting on a Gerard Pique goal from a corner kick. Lionel Messi would steal the show, scoring a hat trick on the day after Espanyol struck first. With the win, Barcelona remain two points behind Real Madrid, who defeated Celta Vigo 3-0 Saturday, as Luka Modrić remains sidelined with a torn thigh muscle.
Germany
Photo: EFE/Peter Steffen
Wolfsburg continued to hound Bayern Munich atop the Bundesliga table with an impressive 3-1 win over Hannover 96 on Saturday. Former Hajduk Split prospect, Ivan Perišić, played his best game of the season for Wolfsburg by assisting on all three of the goals. Ivan picked up a lucky assist on the first goal as his header found Kevin de Bruyne who just beat the offside trap for a breakaway goal. However, Perišić’ next two assists were pure class as he attracted the Hannover defense and calmly set up Bas Dost and Maximilian Arnold with a precise pass for the second and third goals. Ivan picked up a deserving player of the game honors in the win.
Hannover 96 1-3 Wolfsburg (Full Highlights)
Ivica Olić started for Wolfsburg and played 66 minutes in the win. The former Dinamo Zagreb striker finished the match with only two shots and couldn’t get much going against Hannover. Ivica is still looking for his first Bundesliga assist of the season and is now goal-less in Wolfsburg’s last three competitive matches.
Ivo Iličević was left off the roster sheet by HSV in 2-1 win over Mainz on Sunday. No word on his status.
PHOTO: EFE/Andreas Gebert
Tin Jedvaj started and went the distance for Bayer Leverkusen in a 1-0 loss at Bayern Munich on Saturday. The former Dinamo Zagreb prospect played well against a clearly more superior side and defended well in the loss. Tin wasn’t at fault for the loan goal and finished the match without a shot.
Italy
PHOTO:AP/Emilio Andreoli
Mateo Kovačić was unlucky on Sunday as Inter Milan fell 2-1 to Udinese in a battle of struggling sides. The former Dinamo Zagreb midfielder started and played 90 minutes in the loss. Mateo came close to scoring twice as his first shot sailed off the crossbar in the 22nd minute and just missed wide late in the second half. Inter dropped to 12th on the Serie A table and are win-less in their last four Serie A matches.
Igor Bubnjić looked on from the bench for Udinese in the win.
PHOTO:EFA Ettori Ferrara
Sassuolo are now undefeated in seven Serie A matches after securing a point in a 2-2 draw at Roma on Saturday. Former Dinamo Zagreb defender, Šime Vrsaljko, will forever remember this match as the 22-year-old Croatian international was called for a penalty kick and picked up his second yellow card just seconds before the final whistle. Roma was clearly the better side as they registered 21 shots and controlled 77% of possession, however, it was Sassuolo that raced to an early 2 goal lead. Vrsaljko was called for an unfortunate hand ball in the box after trying to block a Roma shot with his body, however, the careless late challenge in injury time is what Šime will remember the most on the bus ride after the game.
Šime Vrsaljko red card, penalty
Josip Radošević looked on from the bench as Napoli erased a two goal deficit to snatch a point in a 2-2 draw against Empoli on Sunday. Milan Badelj failed to get off the bench for Fiorentina in a 0-0 draw against Juventus on Friday.
FRANCE
Danijel Subašić was in net twice in the past week, earning two clean sheets as Monaco beat Lens 2-0 on Tuesday and won 2-0 at Toulouse on Friday. Subašić made three saves against Lens and one against Toulouse. He kept his side alive in the Lens match, stopping a penalty with Monaco up 1-0 late in the second half. The six points out of six move Monaco up to seventh in Ligue 1.
Penalty Save: 3:00
UKRAINE
Dnipro fell 2-1 on the road at Zorya on Saturday, with Nikola Kalinić starting and coming off in the 81st minute. Kalinić picked up a yellow card in the 68th minute. He had three shots but was unable to score. Dnipro fall to third in the Ukranian Premier League, eight points off leader Dynamo Kiev through 14 matches.
Darijo Srna was brought off in the 63rd minute of Shakhtar Donetsk’s 4-1 win over Hoverla on Friday. Srna has struggled with a rib injury, and was brought off as a precaution. Shakhtar are second in the Ukranian Premier League with 31 points in 14 matches.
Domagoj Vida played the full match as Dynamo Kiev won 3-0 on Friday against Metalburg Donetsk. Kyiv remain on top of the Ukranian Premier League with 36 points in 14 matches.
RUSSIA
Vedran Ćorluka played all 180 minutes of Lokomotiv Moscow’s football this week, helping his team earn two clean sheets and four points, as they picked up a 1-0 win over Ural on Wednesday and and drew 0-0 at Terek Grozny on Sunday. Ćorluka picked up a yellow card in the 45th minute. Lokomotiv are fifth in the Russian Premier League through 17 matches.
GREECE
Panathinaikos pulled out a 1-0 road win over Panaitolikos on Thursday thanks to a late winner from Mladen Petrić. Petrić and Gordon Schildenfeld both played the whole match. Petrić headed home a corner in the 81st minute to score his second goal of the season and put his side in front. They had a 1-1 draw with fourth place Asteras Tripoli on Sunday, with both players starting once again, and Petric coming off in the 75th minute. Panathinaikos have moved up to 3rd in the Greek Super League, five points off leaders PAOK through 12 matches.
Petrić Goal
ENGLAND
It was a slow week for Croatians in England. Dejan Lovren looks to be in the dog house at Liverpool, as he rode the pine on Saturday in a 0-0 draw with Sunderland. Nikica Jelavić came off the bench in the 77th for Hull City, as they played out a scoreless draw with West Brom. Niko Kranjčar came off the bench in the 66th minute for QPR in a 2-0 win over Burnley. QPR pull themselves out of the relegation zone with the victory.
Next Matches:
Tuesday, 12/9
Atlético Madrid at Juventus, Basel at Liverpool, Ludogorets at Real Madrid, Zenit at Monaco, Bayer Leverkusen at Benfica,(All Champions League)
Wednesday, 12/10
PSG at Barcelona, Shakhtar Donetsk at Porto(All Champions League)
Thursday, 12/11
Saint-Étienne at Dnipro, Inter at Qarabağ, Celtic at Dinamo Zagreb, Rijeka at Sevilla, Wolfsburg at Lille, Slovan Bratislava at Napoli, Dynamo Kyiv at Steaua Bucureşti, Dinamo Minsk at Fiorentina,
Saturday, 12/13
Hamburger SV at Freiburg, Sassuolo at Palermo, Barcelona at Getafe,
Sunday, 12/14
Liverpool at Manchester United, Marseille at Monaco, Paderborn at Wolfsburg, Borussia M’gla at Bayer Leverkusen, Fiorentina at Cesena, Napoli at Milan, Hellas Verona at Udinese, Villarreal at Atlético Madrid,
Monday, 12/15
QPR at Everton, Inter at Chievo
~Ante Kvartuč and Denis Svirčić reporting from sunny Southern California, Zach Gilfix reporting from Minneapolis, MN
I take what I can get. Fortunately, the rent is nonexistent when you live in the confines of the fortified basement.
Come on Denis!
You know he’d prefer to be paid in Yugoslav Dinars 😉
We pay Ziva Istina in central african franc.
I only reposed or create a conversation.
The boys who run this website compensate me for my ability to draw an audience. Very simple, if you don’t like what I contribute, then do not respond.
Ziva
how come everytime i come to read the threads i always see u talking and intiating discussions about bullshit. Gays the nude photos of lovren corpukas stds kranjcars big macs peoples marriges etc. grow up
I don’t care if he is gay. I don’t associate with them, but if someone wants to be gay…..I don’t care. They are so far removed from the fortified basement.
Halilovic had scored a long range goal for the Dinamo Zagreb youth team which is also on youtube similar goal to his first two goals at Barcelona B. Lovren’s wife is hot she is top quality. @ Ziva Istina plenty of examples of no wife no kids is gay. You said wife and kids plenty of examples is gay that’s funny.
@IvicA & Armada & Ziva
Not sure where you guys get your info from but in fact Jedvaj has played CB half the time in Bundesliga, 6 of 12 matches and 4 of the matches for the full 90, another for 80 something minutes. True in Champions League he has only played LB or RB.
Also he got 60′ in at DM against Shalke
see here:
http://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/tin-jedvaj/leistungsdaten/spieler/206386
good ole’ Vlatko Markovic was right when he was like he doesn’t want any homosex players on the NT. “Only normal people play football” anddddddd its not part of a balance Za Dom Spremni diet.
and to further my spot on logic
if you think its ok for a faggot to be on the NT = you are not a real Hrvat and ESPECIALLY NOT a “veliki Hrvat”
and your parents failed you.
@Ziva Istina
Thinking a man getting docked in the rear is ok is not living the Za Dom Spremni lifestyle. Its an embarassment to what you hold dear. It is a disorder of the soul and mind.
if he really is gay hopefully coming out will take pressure off him and let him get back to playing soccer
pretty sure liverpool would straight up trade lovren for jedvaj if they could
kids a beast… he would have showed those mexicans whats up in our end… mark my words…
sure he might make some young kid mistakes but so does lovren and lovren don’t have near the talent jedvaj has and will develop in the future
he needs to play… and so does halilovic i don’t give a shit how young they are… they at least bring some real fire to the vatreni
http://hetq.am/eng/news/57633/croatia-zadars-%E2%80%9Cking-fish%E2%80%9D-questioned-over-graft.html
@Allen
Jedvaj at RCB and Vrsaljko and RB is such a good fit.
I’ve watched a couple U21 games with those two there, and they definitely have some chemistry together. I feel sorry for Vrsaljko that he cannot get a minute on this squad. I hate ragging on Srna, but man, his low crosses are driving me insane. I really just want to see either one of Jedvaj or Vrsaljko get some time at RB.
Ziva just randomly throws fabricated lies out there, but sentences it in a way as if it is already a fact and he’s just in here to comment on it.
“Listen, I don’t care either way of Lovren’s sexual orientation. And neither should you.”
LOL. Sure you don’t.
Nobody has ever commented on Lovren being gay, nor has there ever been anything to suggest he is gay other than those naked Brazil photos. Ziva got weirded out by those photos in Brazil (understandably so) and has been hell-bent on painting Lovren as a closet homosexual ever since. Lots of guys (both gay and straight) are just weird like that, and Lovren is just one of those guys.
You need to get out more if you think she is hot……being married and having kids doesn’t mean you are not gay. Plenty of examples with that.
Listen, I don’t care either way of Lovren’s sexual orientation. And neither should you.
I totally agree with everything you say. Just think once again Corluka is under appreciated. To say he should be replaced over Vida is harsh. I’m over Brozovic and Srna completely. In the end, he’ll probably be suited for center back or left back. Don’t want to waste Vrsajlko’s potential, who clearly fits at right back.
Ha ha, I was being a bit dramatic with my Jedvaj over Ćorluka statement, but I think a Ćorluka/Jedvaj CB pair would be good (if not one of the best we can put out right now).
However I do believe that he’d make a better LB than Pranjić already, and likely a better DM than Brozović. If Brozović can be played out of position, why not try Jedvaj in that role for a friendly?
Srna still has value on this squad, but Jedvaj will quickly surpass him as well. Although I probably would rather have him develop at CB or another position of need than at RB.
Lovren has one of the hottest wives I’ve seen in recent memory. I still have no idea how this joke started, then again most of Ziva’s material doesn’t make sense.
Ivica
So you would rather have Jedvaj-Vida in there together over Jedvaj-Corluka? Two young inexperienced center backs playing in critical games. Good thing the HNS hasn’t considered you for a managerial role.
@ARMADA
Jedvaj hasn’t been playing any CB at Leverkusen. He’s been playing on the flanks either at RB and at LB. He’s been CB for the NT and the junior NT.
He’s been playing all along the back line and has done well in every role. With the way he plays, he may as well be playing DM as well with his great man marking ability.
If there is any player that could play out of position on this team, it’s him.
I’d pick Jedvaj over Pranjić at LB, over Ćorluka at CB, over Srna at RB, and over Brozović at DM… and I actually like Ćorluka, Srna, and Brozović.
LOVERN ABOUT TO COME OUT LOL. SRAMOTA!!
http://www.caughtoffside.com/2014/03/07/the-sun-deny-rumour-that-gay-premier-league-footballer-is-set-to-come-out/
@ Gospodin pozitivnost
You and i know that NK will not move Srna to make way for Jedvaj, at least not during this cycle. He’s just got going to bench our captain for the last 6 years to make way for this kid. I like Jedvaj, he’s the future. It’s just not happening during this cycle. Also, where would be eventually place Vrsaljko, who is a thru and thru RB.
Jedvaj’s best shot at cracking the rotation is at CB, since Lovren is a question mark and we’re not sure if we can rely on Vida yet.
And this isn’t being negative or anything, but we should just not plug Jedvaj into any hole we have on the pitch and hope for the best. Really would like to see him at CB, where he plays for his club. This experimenting talk would only set him up for failure.
Jedvaj is a BEAST.
I have seen him play all over the pitch for Leverkuesen.
He actually looks like a right footed Jarni the way he gallops down the right flank.
He adds natural width to the right side of the pitch.
We need wing back type players to make that over lapping run as our world class attacking midfield dominates the Center .
Curious to see how all will unfold the next three months.
Kovač will have some tough decisions to make on who starts and in what formations ?
We need to own that we have the most talent in our group and play accordingly.
Norway like to run and we match up well with their set up.
Need to define our system this Spring and fine tune it and then Un-Leash the full fury of the Vatreni.
Maybe he does, maybe he doesn’t. But, wouldn’t he be playing that position at the club level.
I’m never a fan of playing guys out of position. Sometimes it works with the repka (asanovic and Stanic) and sometimes it doesn’t .
Jedvaj needs to start ASAP.
If we’re going to stick with Vida at CB, and Srna at RB, then we need to see what Jedvaj can do for us as DM instead of Brozovic.
He seems to have the skillset to excel in that position as well.
If you like Tin Jedvaj, you will LOVE this article:
http://www.licencetoroam.net/analysis-tin-jedvajs-remarkable-defensive-display-bayern/
Strinic to Napoli
Mocinic to Inter
Brozovic to Arsenal/Milan
Vrsajko to Juve
Kramaric to Juve/Chelsea
are these good matches for these guys?
i actually don’t want to see perisic leave germany for now… he is just starting to dominate and maybe wolfsburg can do something with him and maybe they add a piece or two… i just rather see him being a stud on a team then to get lost in italy somewhere…
don’t forget perisic to napoli
If we ever get to see Halilovic, Kovacic, and Perisic all on the pitich, playing at the peak of their powers, surely it would be a sight to behold.
Halilović is awesome. Živa was completely wrong about him not being ready for the repka.
Kovačić and Halilović are such different players in that one player’s weakness, is the other one’s strength. Looking forward to seeing these two play together in the future and hopefully complimenting one another.
If that kid can shoot off the dribble like that for Repka, he’ll be a stock that pays dividends for years to come.
Now speaking of the Winter transfer window, when it opens up we’ll be getting plenty of fresh air. Because here are the following rumors involving our guys:
Strinic to Napoli
Mocinic to Inter
Brozovic to Arsenal/Milan
Vrsajko to Juve
Kramaric to Juve/Chelsea
Let’s see if any of this materializes.
Best thing about Halilovic is his shot of his dribble.
Reminds me of Robben.
Have we ever had a player that dribbles at guys AND looks to shoot?
Even our better shooters, Kranjcar, Rakitic, ect. couldnt attack guys and shoot like that.
Would love to see Kovacic and those dribbling skills develop his shot more.
hvala Ante, Denis, Zach & Mr Black… lots of success storied, made for an enjoyable lunch time read!
Lovren
Get this disgrace off the team.
One of the best quotes this year from the president of Osijek came today:
Slobodan Tolj, predsjednik Osijeka nakon poraza od Slavena (2:3): “Da, rekao sam igračima da ću dati ostavku. Sa pičkama ne mogu i ne želim raditi. Kakva je to igra bila, kako je moguće da se u tako važnoj utakmici tako ponašaju?”
Rough translation: “Yes, I told the players that I’m resigning. With pussies I cannot and do not wish to work. What kind of play was that, how is it possible that in such an important game they carry themselves like that?”
@ziva
what is success? having kids and staying married? or money?
if your measuring success by amount of money, more of a correlation of having wealth around you and being successful, then coming form a married poor family.
By the way correlation doesn’t equal causation, remember that.
Pasailic could be something
Potential big news later this week…….
Part of he problem is today’s society is children growing up in divorced or non-married homes. I can make a direct correlation between brown homes and successful adults.
YOu two must be gay, talking about a guy having a kid with a girl. Who cares? Grow some balls both of you and find a girl.
Leicester made a 7.9 million pound offer and was turned down by Kramaric.
Trapzonspor made an offer too. Juventus had a meeting with Rijeka today about Kramaric.
Props to Bilic for finding young tail, but never a good thing to father a child when not married to the girl. It creates a bad environment in raising the kid.
Subasic-Srna Corluka Jedvaj Vrsaljko- Mocinic Modric Perisic Rakitic Halilovic-Mandzukic- and Kramaric Kovacic Rebic Brozovic Subs
How is Bilić’s kid a bastard?
Bilić has been with that Riječanka for four years now. Sure, he has a couple of kids I think from a previous marriage…but I don’t think it makes this new kid the bastard.
Bilić’s chick is very good looking though. Pretty big age gap between them.
Eto, Šta ćeš. Ne treba se žaliti. To je ‘love’. 😉
shit for you, fine that is your opinion but not mine, I enjoy the league and the croatian talent it produces
Because it is a shit league.
In other news…….shout out to Slaven Bilic for father an bastard child. His is not the “za dom…..spremni” lifestyle I lev and advocate for, but who am I judge.
yeap, I watched it and a great game
too many on here want to shit on the league but it was a good game
Halilovic played 90 minutes versus Girona today. Look what he did today! The new Messi!
http://youtu.be/iCsdEXil3XU
Even when Santini is suspended. He’s still the most popular player of Kv Kortijk. Okay, they stole the idea of AS Roma.
http://static0.hln.be/static/photo/2014/12/1/5/20141207113917/media_xll_7327970.png
Move over Rakitic and Modric, because it looks like there is a new Talisman in town: Ivan Perisic. He’s turned his game up a notch in 2014.
ya remember when perisic was getting criticism… see a guy like lovren can still turn it around
Perisic has proven to be a beast. Is beast mode always turned on in Perisic? Yes. The answer is clearly yes.
Croatians in Belgium and Holland Part 2
Not many Croatians played today.
Still no sign of Muric or Brodic in the first teams of Ajax and Club Bruges.
Stipe Perica’s Nac Breda beat Cambuur today (0-1). But Stipe was out with an little injury.
Ivan Santini’s KV Kortrijk beat KV Mechelen today (3-0) but Ivan didn’t play because of a suspension. Ivan planted his elbow in a player’s face last week. The referee didn’t see it but the Belgian Football Federation decided to take action anyway. They suspended him for two games but Kortijk made an appeal so probably we’ll see Ivan back in action next week.
At least one guy did play. Grgic-Bacelic did fine against Lokeren where they managed to keep it 0-0. Stipe played 67 minutes before he was subbed out.
@bb?????? You actually watched????/ God Bless, because between the attendance and TV audience, I doubt there were more than 10,000 people watching.
Pasalic played more than 60 minutes today for Elche against Atletico. The guy is getting better and better.
Great game today, it was good to watch. Dinamo played well.
regarding Lovren…….maybe there are personal issues at work here. He has become more open with his sexuality within the last 6 or 7 months. Just posing the question.
And back to the HNL for second……can we now end this charade that the league is competitive. Europski Dinamo just bounced Rijeka. The league is over before the winter break, just like every year. The need to go down to 4 teams is stronger than ever.
@Nk Kraljevcan 38
Cheers, after a good season with southhampton I thought it must be a lack of form and confidence.
@Aussie Kreso
Very quick answer to your Lovern question..As a Liverpool supporter I can say Dejan is making too many mistakes that actually lead to goals. Crucial, critical mistakes that change the outcome of the game. A missed header here or a slip here and he’s lost the confidence from Rodgers.
He will have his chance to redeem himself but the Jamie Carragher comparisons seem laughable now.
It’s a shame I like to see Croats in England especially at Liverpool.
Forza Fiume en Zagabria!
Rijeka needs to be developed into the world city that it has historically been.
Zagreb is a “b” Central European town that dominates Croatia similar to how Moscow dominates Russia (sans $$$).
Here’s to Kramaric putting in two against all the haters who crapped on him at Dinamo.
Once again self hate Hrvati crapping on home grown talent. No one quite does sabotage like us.
I am asking Sveti Nikola to have all Croatians everywhere to have a Self esteem lift this Christmas season.
Za Duh Spremni.
anonymous that’s me. I’m sorry.
Croatians in Belgium and Holland:
A good day for the Croatians of Beveren yesterday. They won an important game against Westerlo yesterday (1-2). Cale did great in his new position as left midfielder and he played the entire game. Vuksusic started and played very decent as well. He didn’t score and was subbed out in the 77th minute.
I’ve not had a chance to watch any games but does anyone know why Lovren is having such a bad season compared to the last.
There’s only one match I care about this weekend, and it just so happens to take place in the HNL…