Croatia drew 2-2 with Albania in their second group match of the European Championship, only securing one point and leaving their chances of advancing from the group stage in a precarious position. To stay in the competition, they must defeat defending champions Italy in their final group game.
The draw against Albania was a frustrating result, particularly as Croatia had been in a leading position only to be pegged back, and it didn’t go down well with HRT television’s analyst commentator.
Commentator Tomislav Ivković remarked: “The draw was a fair reflection, Albania had two great scoring opportunities, in the first half we were lucky to escape. It was only in the 70th minute of the second half that we really started to press, but the substitutions didn’t change the tide. When we were 2-1 ahead, the players were blinded by the desire for victory, they were in a hurry to score a third goal instead of staying calm and taking advantage of the opponent’s need to equalize. Albania fought hard for their second goal and were ultimately rewarded.”
Ivković’s subsequent comments were even more direct and critical, aimed at the Croatian national team and its coach, Dalić. Ivković believes Dalić made the wrong choice by sticking with out-of-form stars, pointing out that right-back Josip Juranović is struggling for a starting place at Union Berlin, while Brozović, who has moved to Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League, is no longer playing in a top-tier league.
The commentator said: “In my opinion, everything was preordained before the European Championship, and Dalić was aware of it. He stuck with these players, anticipating potential problems, but believing that there would be a positive outcome. The reality is: Juranović couldn’t break into the starting lineup in Berlin, while Stanišić became the preferred option. Šutalo seems to have angered someone, since joining Ajax he’s gone from being an elegant player to a rough warrior, making frequent mistakes that cost us dearly every time. Perišić is one of the most dedicated professionals ever, but Brozović’s performance was far below our expectations.”
“Modrić is not in his best physical condition, playing on the right wing was a challenge for him, he looked much better when he returned to midfield and linked up with his teammates. We still have a chance to turn things around in the next game, but we must eliminate the uncertainty and resolve all doubts. Dalić may not have any doubts in his mind, but the problem is that he is like a kind father who indulges his players. The players pushed him into a corner, and he seems to owe them something.”
“Modrić seems willing to end his career at Real Madrid. I respect them all, it’s not easy for me to say these things, and I must apologize to Modrić, but the reality is that he is not the player he used to be. I have to be honest in expressing my observations,” Ivković concluded.
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