Not only did Atletico Madrid shutout Liverpool Tuesday night in the Champions League Round of 16 first leg, but they beat the reigning European champions 1-0.
Šime Vrsaljko got the start and played 90 minutes against one of the highest powered offenses in European football. Atletico got a goal in the first five minutes of the match and were able to hold Liverpool scoreless; who held the ball for 70% of the match.
Vrsaljko and Liverpool forward Mane had numerous run-ins during the game and manager Jurgen Klopp was outraged after the match, saying that Atletico was purposely trying to get Mane sent off. Well, duh. Much of that was due to Vrsaljko’s gritty presence during the match, The Mirror reports.
Atletico will now take a 1-0 first leg victory to Anfield in two weeks. If Atletico can manage a goal in that match, it will force Liverpool to score a minimum of three goals if they want to continue their run in Europe this season. That will be an interesting 90 minutes as Liverpool will have to be aggressive, yet careful with their possessions.
Vrsaljko is back!
Vida is a stud too in the back line.
Iggy
Vladimir Beara
Iggy
WC Goal Keeper..
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vladimir_Beara
rated in the top 50 all time
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1781995-the-50-greatest-goalkeepers-in-history#slide43
and here
http://xtraimmortal.blogspot.com/2013/07/Goalkeeper.html
https://www.total-croatia-news.com/hajduk/10101-sad-day-for-football-fans-the-great-vladimir-is-gone
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2008/aug/05/europeanfootball
Why can’t we produce a world class goalie?
Oh boy, here comes the ‘start Brekalo’ train again. Very talented player, but I think he would have the most impact off the bench as of now. Could change in the next few months, but I still say Rebic and Perisic on the wings until Brekalo is officially better and consistently performs like he did today.
Brekalo smashing the ball home from an insane angle. Goalie didn’t even flinch, he could only watch the ball go past him.
Atalanta can definitely shit the bed in Valencia.
https://youtu.be/_r4HTO1qoQQ
Brekalo goal was next level.
This kid is the goods.
Brekalo – Vlašić – Rebić
These three wreak havoc in the final third.
Dalic has to design the final third around all three of their unique skill sets.
Brekalo breakthrough this June.
Geez.
Atalanta went from being blown out 4-0 by Dinamo, to being in the Champions League quarterfinals.
Brekalo goal brings Wolfsburg level vs Malmo in Europa
Haaland gonna rip up Serbs in playoff
@”Suba”, keep deluding yourself that this is a “yugoslav” issue and not anti white, and you’re going to get more of the same.
Take for example the “me too” movement who all agree on letting millions of more rapists into white countries. I believe the country of Uganda just made rape illegal about a month ago.
What a fantastic line it was in front of that freak
Stipe and Ante would have been proud u Yugoslav fuckers
Imagine if your entire race, hundreds of millions of people’s entire history was nothing but another race allowing you some access into their society, that was your race’s greatest “achievement”. And you insisted on reminding everyone of this embarrassing history for an entire month year after year!
What if that race went away?
@”ChiCro”, you let leftists limit your discussion on race whereby pro-white speech is prohibited, and now you’re complaining that “it’s gone too far” right? What did you expect slave?
Weclome to your new Croatia. That person has no business singing the anthem.
https://www.total-croatia-news.com/politics/41626-croatia-anthem-criminal-lisac
Why would that mean he shouldn’t play as many minutes for the National Team?
It’s called “load management”.
This is the best thing that can happen for our veteran players. We know what they are capable of, but we don’t want them exhausted or injured when it’s time for the Euros or World Cup.
Modric isn’t playing to many minutes for Real Madrid that means he shouldn’t be playing for Croatia national team double standards are always set. Modric is the anomaly.
Ya BZ
Hard to deny his emergence
Maybe he will be like the badelj replacement for like minutes played and such
When like worse case we have to field Kovacic Rakitic and Pašalić
That ain’t too shabby
I think the back line will be fine for the summer
But I do wonder if livakovic will be able to hold his own
I was hoping some bigger champions league games would give give him some more big time games
I am not a big fan of Pasalic, but the guy keeps producing.
2 assists today at CL level.
I had hi hopes for Dino but after watching a few games before his injury his size is detrimental to stopping lightning quick forwards.
6’6” is great in the air,but he just can’t keep up with fleet footed forwards1V1 who are a foot shorter than him.
Vrsaljko’s was pretty bad, guys been hurt (on and off) since winter 2018
Perhaps our Croatian muscular DNA is too much for the ACL, I mean we can’t be perfect, otherwise it would be unfair.
Dino Perić blew his ACL.
He’s gone for a long time.
What’s with all these knee injuries to our younger prospects?
Moro, Pjaca, Krovinović and now Perić all have serious knee injuries. Benković and Vrsaljko are lucky theirs weren’t as bad.
Man .. I remember when CSR first came on the scene, back in the day when Croatia footballers were scarcely found in the business end of the CL. Srna would make some noise with Shaktar but that was it.
Now we have Vrsaljko competing against Mane in a packed Wanda stadion. I remember when Vrsaljko use to look nervous and jumpy on the ball in big matches.
Yesterday he was calm through the most intense pressing team in the planet.
It will take time to find his offensive rhythm and confidence in the attacking half.
But his fierce defending and ability to bring out the ball through traffic was impressive.
Physically I can’t believe how solid he was.
He will gain even more dynamic movement as the Spring unfolds.
Now he has the opportunity to play at Anfield in yet another high stakes match!
It is these high stakes matches that form you into a world class player.
Klopp needs at least one Croatian midfielder if he wants to dominate CL like Real Madrid have.
You can see how valuable it is to have players like Modrić, Brozovic and Vlašić. They shift the defense with deft touches and inspire dynamic movement.
LFC midfielders are predictable.
Athletico may lose at Anfield but will not be intimidated and they know that one goal may win the tie and turn around their season.
Dannyj-i hate to say it, but I can’t imagine Lovren and Vida playing any better than 2018. In fact, I think both have already declined a bit. hoping I’m wrong, wouldn’t be the first time (I was wrong once a long time ago.)
If Lovren don’t pull any Lovren moves in the summer
Our back line should be even better then at World Cup
They aren’t too old and have that much more experience and with Barisic dojng his thing
We have solid threats from the Sides
Why I like vida Lovren and Vrsaljko is that they Won’t be easily intimidated by the English And the others we may potentially face in later rounds
I wonder if say we win in England and against Czech
Then our third game is against Serbs
Do they rest or go full lineup against them…
vratija se Šime!