LIVE: Analyzing Slaven Bilić’s squad for the upcoming Nations League cycle

Slaven Bilić has taken his first major step since returning to the Croatia job by naming the squad for a demanding Nations League cycle. The list, announced at Zagreb’s Hilton hotel, contains few major surprises but offers plenty to debate.

Croatia will play four matches in just 10 days. The team travels to Prague to face the Czech Republic on September 26, then visits Spain in Seville on September 29. England will come to Rijeka on October 3, followed by another meeting with Spain at Split’s Poljud stadium on October 6.

Bilić selected three goalkeepers, seven defenders, eight midfielders and seven forwards. The goalkeepers are Dominik Livaković, Dominik Kotarski and Ivor Pandur. The defense includes Joško Gvardiol, Josip Šutalo, Luka Vušković, Josip Stanišić, Martin Erlić, Ivan Smolčić and Josip Juranović.

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There are four matches in a short period. Mišić will play; he was not called up to make up the numbers, but because he is needed.

Luka Modrić and Mateo Kovačić lead a midfield that also features Martin Baturina, Petar Sučić, Mario Pašalić, Nikola Vlašić, Josip Mišić and Luka Sučić. The forwards are Andrej Kramarić, Ante Budimir, Petar Musa, Ivan Perišić, Dion Drena Beljo, Igor Matanović and Franjo Ivanović. The main questions concern playing time, the formation and the roles Bilić intends to assign.

Večernji list journalists Željko Janković and Tomislav Dasović noted that Marko? No, the previous group of internationals, including Pongračić, Jakić, Mora and Fruk, no longer appears on the list. Dinamo now has the largest representation among Croatian clubs, with Kotarski, captain Mišić and last season’s leading HNL scorer Beljo included. The analysts also highlighted Mišić’s return to the national team for the first time since 2017. Bilić has said he needs the midfielder, particularly with four games scheduled in a short period and Modrić unable to play everything.

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Kotarski is potentially the national team’s first-choice goalkeeper at the moment, given Livaković’s current situation at Barcelona, although Bilić said Livaković has credit from before.