LUKA MODRIC CLAIMED FIFA “showed they don’t care about players” after Croatia beat Kosovo 1-0 in World Cup qualifying, in a fixture played over two days.
The match was suspended after 22 minutes of play on Saturday following a downpour that left the Maksimir Stadium pitch unplayable.
The sides reconvened a day later, with Croatia raining efforts in on the Kosovo goal, before Domagoj Vida found the breakthrough, heading home Modric’s cross in the 74th minute.
Victory leaves Ante Cacic’s side two points clear of Ukraine at the top of Group I, but they will return to action in just two days’ time, travelling to fourth-place Turkey.
And Modric delivered a furious account of how the game was restarted.
He told reporters: “Last night we got information the match will not be played. Of course, you go to bed a little later and then in the morning they woke us all up like they would in the army!
“Of course, we didn’t have good preparation for the match.
“FIFA showed they don’t care about the players, the only thing that mattered to them was the match to be played.
“On Saturday, it was hard to play at that pitch but no one seemed to care. If they did care, they would have postponed the Turkey – Croatia game to Wednesday.
“On Saturday, I didn’t want to play further and the referee told me he was against it from the beginning. During those 20 minutes, there were more situations for funniest home video than serious football!”
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