World Cup qualifiers: Ante Rebić ruled out for Croatia

Ante Rebić (Photo credit: Антон Зайцев/Soccer.ru/CC BY-SA 3.0)

ZAGREB, 20 March 2021 – AC Milan striker Ante Rebić has been ruled out of Croatia’s opening 2022 World Cup qualifiers against Slovenia Cyprus and Malta. 

“AC Milan winger Ante Rebić will miss the upcoming gathering of the Croatian national team due to a muscle injury,” the Croatian Football Federation has said. 

Coach Zlatko Dalić and the medical team were in contact with Rebić and the medical team at AC Milan, and it was agreed that the 27-year-old will not be able to be available.

HNK Gorica striker Kristijan Lovrić has been called up to replace Rebić.

Dalić may also have to do without the services of Inter Milan pair Ivan Perišić and Marcelo Brozović.

Inter suspended all team activities and prohibited its players from fulfilling any call-ups to their respective national teams. Inter’s match this weekend against Sassuolo has also been postponed after players tested positive for COVID-19. 

“The Croatian Football Federation is familiar with the situation at Inter and is in communication with the club, the Italian Football Association, FIFA, UEFA and the relevant epidemiological bodies to try to find a solution that would allow Ivan Perišić and Marcel Brozović to join the Croatian national team,” HNS said in a statement today.

Croatia starts their World Cup qualifying campaign on Wednesday against Slovenia in Ljubljana before facing Cyprus on March 27 and Malta on March 30 in Rijeka.