23 year-old right back Karlo Bartolec is getting a call-up to the senior side this Friday for Croatia’s UEFA Nations League match against England in Rijeka, Sportske Novosti has reported.
Bartolec currently plays in the Danish Super League for Nordsjaelland; coming over in 2016 from HNL club Lokomotiva Zagreb. Although Šime Vrsaljko returned this past weekend for Inter Milan, he picked up a knock on his previously injured knee which will keep him out of the England contest.
Bartolec has never been capped by Croatia’s senior side, however, he nearly completed a transfer to English side Southampton this past summer.
Instead of moving another Croatian veteran into an unnatural position, manager Zlatko Dalić has decided to call up an uncapped kid in a huge match. Hopefully Bartolec shows some ice in his veins and surprises us all.
Bartolec Goal
It’s kind of a shame that we wasted this Nations League tournament and we will have nothing to show for it.
Integrating players like Livaja, Ćop and Santini into our squad (even though we have much better U21 talent) is pointless if they’re not going to help with the Euro 2020 qualifying campaign.
We’re not poaching our U21 guys, nor are we playing our A squad.
We could end up finishing last in our group, become unseeded for the Euros and THEN try to use the first few Euro qualifiers to integrate guys like Vlašić, Brekalo and Sosa.
Essentially, these Nations League games have become pointless for us. At least if we lost these games with our youngsters, they would have built some chemistry with our seniors prior to the Euro qualifiers. But we’re getting nothing here.
@Maminjo-Lock step. Just recalling the ridiculousness that was being spewed after any lethargic game in qualifying fir World Cup 2018. People were saying Rakitic, Mandzukic, Perisic, and even Modric should step aside. Proven lunacy, as evidenced by silver this summer.
I am with you, Santini, Cop, Livaja, Pivaric, Bradaric, Badelj all need to step aside…they will never be part of a successful next generation. To take it a step further Rog, Pasalic, and Jedvaj’s windows are damn near shut in my books. They may be better than others, but will never be part of the core of a successful Croatia team.
Dalic needs to put his foot down, and poach the u-21 team asap. Get these guys mixing with our current successful core. Let the u-21 do some experimenting with other talent.
I didn’t know we had a special olympics football team.
Dalic Atheistic really should face another defeat and this time from England. 0-3 and 0-4 will be a good investment at least to get rid of this person who even does not believe in God!
@BZ
The ‘youngsters’ team that lost 7-0 at the World Cup was not really comprised of any actually young players. 29-year old Pivaric was probably responsible for more than half of those goals, lol.
Calling for a player like Vlasic, Sosa or Brekalo to make the jump into the squad isn’t necessarily calling for our starters’ heads, nor is anyone suggesting that our B squad at the World Cup overtakes our A squad.
We have too much talent in the U21 ranks to ignore, yet we’re still jerking around with players like Duje Cop, Josip Pivaric and Filip Bradaric.
@Crnkovic-I am more interested in seeing Bjelovar’s goal.
Still would love to watch the 7-0 thrashing the starters gave to the youngens at the World Cup. It would have enlightened all the guys calling for our starters’ heads.
anyone have the goals vs bjelovar?
Hrvatska 15 – NK Bjelovar 1
Sounds very fishy.
Imagine if Rog reinvents himself as a RB. He definitely has the endurance, speed, and defensive toughness for the role. But clearly not very comfortable in that position.
Today’s starting line up ;
https://twitter.com/HNS_CFF/status/1049646945206185987/photo/1
Wonder who will get the start in the England match now that there will be no Vrsaljko, Brozovic, or Lovre Kalinic. My guess would be Jedvaj, Kovacic, and Livakovic. I don’t know whether I truly mind how this game goes. I was always hoping for the Nations League to just be a way to get the younger players valuable experience and now they are forced to make changes.
It’s about friggin’ time he was called up!