Croatia have suffered a major injury blow ahead of their World Cup semi-final clash against England with Sime Vrsaljko set to miss out through injury.
Vrsaljko, 26, has started four of Croatia’s five matches so far in Russia this summer but was forced off in extra time in Saturday’s thrilling quarter-final win over the competition hosts.
Vedran Corluka came onto replace the Atletico Madrid full-back after 97 minutes when he picked up a knee problem. And according to Spanish daily Marca, he will not recover in time for Wednesday’s clash at the Luzhniki Stadium.
Corluka could come into Zlatko Dalić’s starting XI to replace Vrsaljko with Tim Jedvaj, Croatia’s other option at right-back, failing to impress in his only World Cup appearance so far in the final group match against Iceland. Croatia emerged from that victory over Russia with another injury concern over goalkeeper Danijel Subasic – whose penalty shoot-out heroics in the knockout stages of the competition have lifted his side into the final four.