Modric Symphony before Oblak

Modric does not stop even in friendlies. And that this was ideal to sit in the comfortable Qatari chair and breathe. Because he has participated, either as a starter or coming off the bench, in all the games since Alcoy, on January 5 (80 days ago). And now comes the big part, an April slope for Madrid with shadows of Tourmalet. London and half League. But there is no room for breaks: Luka started and played 70 minutesgiving a exhibition (87% accuracy in passes and 100% of duels won) against Slovenia in which it will be one of the venues for the next World Cup, the Education Citywith capacity for 45,350 spectators and which will host group stage matches and some knockout rounds up to the quarterfinals.

This time, with just a few thousand spectators, they witnessed the last symphonic composition of a Modric in full youth. There was no match, because there was only Croatia (who was dismissed in 92′). But it proved to be a vastly superior combo in quality and budget to Sloveniawhose most recent success was reaching the group stage of South Africa 2010where they were third after the USA and England. It was the second World Cup in their history after Korea-Japan in 2002, where they did not go beyond the group stage either. As for European Championships, they have only played one, Belgium-Netherlands in the year 2000; also without advancing to the playoffs.

Slovenia is a humble country with a galactic in goal, cloud. Two, if we take into account that the substitute until very recently was Handanovic, from Inter (what will they throw at the gloves in the Skofja Loka and Ljubljana academies). The Atlético de Madrid goalkeeper stopped everything he could, and that was a lot, considering that there was a harlequin gale before him. The only one that surpassed him was a one-on-one Kramaric with a defensive boycott: Caleta-Car gave a pass behind the defense and the Slovenian center-back kicked into the air, promoting the duel. He did not fail killer of Hoffenheim in its definition.

Modric he was able to make the second with a shot from the edge of the ones he likes, with the outside at the first touch, but ran into Jan’s mitts. It was shortly before being replaced and leaving with the public, standing up, giving him a moving ovation. Dalic’s men didn’t wear out much more, knowing that behind they weren’t going to suffer except shots in the foot. Slovenia entered injury time with a single shot on goal in their stats. But up to the tail everything is bull and in the 92′ they found a prize through Yak Bijolpivot of CSKA Moscow who today played as a center back. upside downmarred what was being a quiet afternoon for Livakovic, Dinamo Zagreb goalkeeper who played ahead of Grbic, owned by Atletico but on loan to Lille.

The match, 13 kilometers from Doha, ended with insipid tables. Only Modric’s recital gave some value to a match without rhythm or emotion. Croatia will play again this Tuesday, on the same ground, against Bulgaria in another friendly match (4:00 p.m.). Slovenia will close the break on the same day in a friendly against the hosts, Qatar, at 7:30 p.m.