DistantNews
Support us
🇭🇷 Croatia /Sports

Slaven Bilić explains Modrić's role for Croatia: “He will not play every match, only when it suits him”

From Večernji List · () Croatian

Translated from Croatian and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources New plan
  • Slaven Bilić said Luka Modrić will play for Croatia at a pace that suits him and the team, rather than appearing in all four matches.
  • Bilić said Modrić remains important both on and off the pitch and described his decision to continue playing for Croatia as mutually beneficial.
  • Bilić also discussed young defender Luka Vušković and said Duje Ćaleta-Car could return if he plays regularly after joining Sassuolo.

Luka Modrić will continue playing for Croatia, but coach Slaven Bilić does not expect the captain to appear in all four upcoming matches. Instead, Bilić said Modrić will play according to a rhythm that suits both the midfielder and the national team.

“We talked for a long time, two or three hours,” Bilić said, describing his discussions with Modrić. He added that Modrić remains significant on and off the pitch and said the midfielder had been Milan's best player against Juventus. Bilić said he did not need to persuade him because Modrić is passionate about Croatia and the national team.

We talked for a long time, two or three hours.

· Slaven BilićBilić describing his discussions with Luka Modrić about the midfielder's future with Croatia.

“He will not play all four matches. He will play at a rhythm that suits him, but also us. It is the rhythm he has in Milan. We must respect that, and that will be best,” Bilić said. He called discussion of Modrić's off-field role unnecessary.

He will not play all four matches. He will play at a rhythm that suits him, but also us. It is the rhythm he has in Milan. We must respect that, and that will be best.

· Slaven BilićBilić explaining how Croatia plans to manage Modrić's appearances.

Bilić also praised Luka Vušković, saying the 19-year-old plays with the maturity of a 29-year-old. He highlighted Vušković's stability, calmness and leadership, and said the defender could be expected to contribute significantly.

The coach said Croatia's situation among central defenders had improved. Josko Gvardiol had found a new club, he said, while Bilić planned to speak with Marin Pongračić. Duje Ćaleta-Car was not included in the squad, but Bilić said he valued him highly and had told him to find a club. After Ćaleta-Car signed for Sassuolo, Bilić said he would expect him to play regularly before considering him for the national team.

He is extraordinary. Not only to me, but to everyone. Stability, calmness. In Brighton he is also a kind of leader, constantly turning and showing players what to do.

· Slaven BilićBilić praising young defender Luka Vušković.
About this summary

Originally published by Večernji List in Croatian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

More Stories

From Our Blog