France
Photo: Photo: FCnantes.com/ Ivan in action against Auxerre
In front of 15,000 at La Beaujoire-Louis-Fonteneau, Nantes produced one of the best performances of the season to beat Auxerre on Saturday, however, it was not enough to save them from relegation to Ligue 2. Ivan Klasnić finished a disappointing season in France, scoring for only the fifth time this season on Nantes' first shot of the game in the 12th minute. The recently called up Croatian international received a pretty cross from Aurélien Capoue connecting on a left footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner.
Ivan has received numerous offers from Bundesliga clubs, and with Nantes now relegated, "the killer" will most certainly be playing elsewhere next season.
Photo: Photo: FCnantes.com/ Klasnić, subbed out for possibly the last time for Nantes
Jerko Leko and Monaco finished the season off on a high note Saturday, registering a 0-0 draw at PSG, taking away a Liga Europa spot from the Parisians. A PSG win would have guaranteed them a Liga Europa spot for next season. Jerko played all 90 minutes and had the first shot on goal for Monaco in the 15th minute when he spotted PSG goalkeeper Mickael Landreau too far off his line but his shot sailed over the crossbar. Leko finished with two goals this season for Monaco, with rumors circling Europe about his soon to be departure.
Dario Simić returned for Monaco for the first time in a month as he was subbed in for Francois Modesto in the 76th minute of play. Does anyone know where Dario stands with Monaco? Will Dario return for a second season in France?
Nikola Pokrivač came on in the 89th minute for Monaco to finish the season with 2 goals in limited minutes. Only 23 years old, the former Dinamo Zagreb defensive midfielder has a bright future ahead of him and should get more playing time with Leko's eventual exit.
Already promoted Lens rested soon to be starting Croatian keeper Vedran Runje in a 1-0 away defeat to Dijon. Runje finished the season with 11 shutouts out of 31 matches for Lens.
Thanks to "Prva Generacija" member Luka, for bringing us news on Vedran starting for Croatia:
Greece
Ante Rukavina and Panathinaikos will be playing Champions League next season, as "the greens" defeating city rivals AEK Athens 2-0 in the final game of the Greek Super League playoffs on Sunday. Panathinaikos join Greek champions Olympiakos Pireaus in the draw for the third qualifying round of the Champions League.
Ante scored the second goal in the 36th minute, securing Panathinaikos a place in the champions league before being subbed out in the 53rd minute.
Mario Galinović played the full 90 minutes and recorded another shutout for the Greek giants. Mario surely deserved a call up by Croatia this Saturday.
Italy
Photo: Yahoo Sports, Ivan Jurić
Ivan Jurić was out of action for Genoa on Sunday because of excessive yellow cards. Genoa finished fifth in Serie A as they drew level on points with fourth-placed Fiorentina, who lost to AC Milan today- the Tuscans have a better head-to-head record. Ivan and Genoa will be in Liga Europa next season while Fiorentina get to dance with the best of Europe.
Ukraine
In a meaningless season ending game against Dynamo Kiev, Darijo Srna's Shakhtar Donetsk went down 1-0 on Tuesday in Kiev. Dario played the full 90 minutes in what might be his last Ukrainian league game in a Shakhtar shirt.
Ognjen Vukojević was featured for Ukrainian champion Dynamo Kiev against hated rival Shakhtar Donetsk on Tuesday in the season finale. Ognjen played the full 90 minutes and should get the start for Croatia at home to Zagreb on June 6th.
Russia
Stipe Pletikosa was on the bench for the sixth consecutive time for Spartak watching his team go down 2-1 to cross-town rival Lokomotiv Moscow. After being out of action for more than a month, does Stipe still deserve a start for Croatia?
Ivica Križanac didn't play for Zenit St Petersburg this Saturday in a 2-0 home victory over Kuban Krasnodar. Ivica will be out of action for at least a few more weeks and will miss the Ukraine match next Saturday.
Spain
Mate Bilić, the only Croatian international in La Liga, came on at the hour mark for Sporting Gijon in a 2-1 home victory over Recreativo Huelva in front of 25,885 at Estadio Municipal El Molinon. With the victory, Sporting Gijon avoided relegation and finished a respectable fourteenth in the Spanish Primera División. Mate finished a successful season with twelve goals in 36 La Liga matches. What a shame that Mate will not be featured for Croatia this Saturday.
Turkey
Croatian international left back Hrvoje Čale was in action on Saturday for Trabzonspor in a season ending 2-1 defeat at home to Turkish powerhouse Fenerbahce. The former Dinamo Zagreb defender played the full 90 and has started in 32 of 34 matches in his first season in Turkey. Čale will be looking for action next Saturday for Croatia in Zagreb. Trabzonspor missed out on a Champions League qualifying spot with the loss and will settle for the consolation Liga Europa next season.
Next Matches:
Saturday 6/13FC Khimki at Spartak Moscow
Sunday 6/14 Zenit St Petersburg at Spartak Nalchik
Saturday 7/11 Spartak Moscow at FK Rostov-Na-Donu
Sunday 7/12 FC Moscow at Zenit St Petersburg
~Denis Svirčić, soon to be in Zagreb, Croatia
7 comments:
Hehe yeah apparently someone says Mate Bilic's goals are all in vein for a soon to be relegated Sporting Gijon lol:) I think that should be changed to Bilic has scored a very respectable 12 goals in a tough league with a very very tiny club that only has 2 strikers on its books who are Barral and Bilic who have had to work their socks of for a full season in a system which is one up front. Think of it like that those anti-Bilic's out there and you'll know the truth.
Have no worries about Klasnic. This goal shows he is useful to us still and i think he needs a good game and goal against Ukraine to get noticed in the summer.
Juric & Cale - great seasons.
I do see that Bilic does have some goal scoring ability but can he really outplay Petric or Olic for a spot in the starting 11? I don't think so, so whats the point of calling him up in place of mandza or kalinic. They are both young and have bright futures for the NT. While Bilic will never break into the starting 11 for the NT ever. Might as well give the strikers who will lead us in a few years some experience.
For anyone interested, a video compilation of Darijo Srna: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NR05RUtuxAw
Bilic in my opinion should have been the short term replacement for Eduardo as he will stay right at the top of the pitch and we'd play off him just like happens at Sporting only that he'd be playing with better players. That stretches the game out and get Olic out of midfield area right up the top of the pitch where we need him. As Petric likes to come deep everys just squashed. Against England Petric spent half his time in Modric space when he was meant to be up front. Bilic is good in the air which Olic and Petric aren't so he can collect high balls and is also good on the ground so can hold it up. That's his whole game. Different option see. Once Eduardo comes back we can scrap Bilic if we want, but we need him at the moment. Petric and Olic have been tried time and time again and its Petric which is the problem. He's too lazy. He makes Olic do all the running and sometimes he doesn't even try to help him. With Petric it depends what mood he is in. To me Petric is not a player you guarentee a place to.. you have to get into this guys head. Maybe drop him once in a while to make him work harder. Unlike Olic and Mandza - people like Klasnic, Petric and Kranjcar will not give you 100% every match. Only if they feel 100% confident, fit or they haven't played too many games. Petric shows signs at the moment that he's all burned out for the season. He's played 40 matches and he don't look like he has great endurance to last much longer till Sept. But if we get Petric on top form yeah of course he should start over Bilic - but if he's not then he'll walk around the pitch and make Olic do his running.
Klasnic should not be burned out as lets face it he's been on holiday all season and neither should Mandza or Kalinic as you don't even have to play midweek football in Croatia. Mandza and Kalinic should really get themselves a part time job as football isn't too demanding in Croatia lol. I barely ever see them play midweek. Again though Mate Bilic is not in the squad and will not be there for next game either as Eduardo will be back and Bilic will not have played any games to change the coaches mind. His contract has now expired at Sporting so he might not renew it. When he went there it was in centiment. He has a loan spell previously which went very well where they just missed out on promotion so when he signed for them it was really unfinished business. Maybe we won't see him at Sporting next season. However Bilic and Gijon deserve respect. Just pointing that out :)
Now Kalinic is in the squad the only thing wrong with him is that he holds this status as a untried player at this level and a gamble. that should not be the case after he broke into the squad over a year ago now. He should have been tested and we should not think its a gamble. Every player in the squad really by now should have played some football at UEFA Cup group stage football, international football or some quite strong league. Kalinic by now should not be on the stage where he's not played barely half a game or scored a goal for Croatia. He should have hit the net against Andorra - in a friendly or when he played against Deportivo La Coruna or just showed something for us to be able to think he can even start this Ukraine match. My opinion is just we shouldn't have a player in the squad thats untested at this level.
Just a reminder also about Bilic being brought in from nowhere and being 28. Is this not the same situation as where Otto Baric was facing the sack and decided to bring 28 year old Dado Prso from nowhere and Tomislav Maric and they both scored straight away. Its just chance taking. The reason why Prso and Maric adapted so quick is cos just like Bilic they have experience of high level football.
@Darijo
Great video compilation of Darijo Srna... your comments are always welcome.
@Andrew
Good point on bilic. Now with Manzda playing well, and most likely moving to a top4 league club shortly, Bilic' chance has come and gone.
@croatiafan
Excellent comparison of Tomislav maric and Dado Prso coming out from nowhere.. Instead of fielding Olic and petric for friendlies, this is where Bilic and Rukavina come to play. Slaven Bilic didnt get the memo.
Post a Comment