Luka Modrić to miss Croatia’s World Cup qualifiers next week

Luka Modrić

Croatia captain Luka Modrić will not join up with the rest of the squad this Monday ahead of three 2022 World Cup qualifiers. 

The Croatian Football Federation confirmed on Saturday that Modrić will miss the opening two September qualifiers due to an adductor injury. 

Modrić, who missed last week’s Real League match against Levante consultation, has been ruled out of matches against Russia (1 September) and Slovakia (4 September) after consultations with the medical teams of Real Madrid and Croatia.

“Coach Zlatko Dalić and captain Modrić agreed that he meet up with the squad on Monday, 30 August and left open the possibility of him joining his teammates in Split for the match against Slovenia (September 7), if he gets the green light from the doctor and is ready to return to the field,” the Croatian Football Federation said. 

Dalić has called up Rennes new signing Lovro Majer to replace Modrić.

Croatia squad:

Goal keepers: Dominik Livaković (Dinamo Zagreb), Simon Sluga (Luton Town), Ivica Ivušić (Osijek).

Defenders: Domagoj Vida (Bešiktaš), Dejan Lovren (Zenit), Borna Barišić (Glasgow Rangers), Duje Ćaleta-Car (Olimpique de Marseille), Josip Juranović (Legia), Filip Uremović (Rubin Kazan), Joško Gvardiol (RB Leipzig), Mile Škorić (Osijek), Borna Sosa (Stuttgart).

Midfielders: Luka Modrić (Real Madrid), Mateo Kovačić (Chelsea), Marcelo Brozović (Inter), Mario Pašalić (Atalanta), Nikola Vlašić (CSKA Moskva), Luka Ivanušec (Dinamo Zagreb), Nikola Moro (Dinamo Moskva).

Strikers: Ivan Perišić (Inter), Andrej Kramarić (Hoffenheim), Mislav Oršić (Dinamo Zagreb), Ante Budimir (Osasuna), Marko Livaja (Hajduk), Antonio Mirko Čolak (Malmö).

Stand-by: Toma Bašić (Bordeaux), Kristijan Lovrić (Gorica), Lovro Majer (Dinamo Zagreb), Luka Sučić (RB Salzburg).

Croatia’s 2022 World Cup qualifiers in September:

1.9. 20:45: Russia – CROATIA

4.9. 20:45: Slovakia – CROATIA

7.9. 20:45: CROATIA – Slovenia