CROATIA WILL BE without the services of Ivica Olic for this month’s European Championships.
The experienced striker, who left Bayern Munich to join Wolfsburg after their Champions League final defeat last month, scored two goals in the qualifying stages for Slaven Bilic’s side but misses out on the finals with a thigh problem.
Although he was expected to return in time from the injury, which he picked up during a friendly with Norway, scans revealed he has ruptured a muscle and will be replaced by former Blackburn Rovers player Nikola Kalinic, who is now plying his trade in Russia with Dnipro.
Croatia are Ireland’s opponents for the Group C opener in six day’s time with Everton’s Nikica Jelavic, Wolfsburg’s Mario Mandzukic and Eduardo da Silva, once of Arsenal, all vying for a spot up front.