Croatian squad without Kopljar & Karacic

Photo: hrs.hr

Written by: Rasmus Boysen

Željko Babić has named 21 players for the initial squad of the Croatian national team.

First he left them, but now he is back as the head coach of the Croatian national team. Željko Babić has named 21 players for the initial squad of the Croatian national team for the upcoming training camp in Umag, Croatia from 31.10 to 06.11.

The captain of the team, the right back of Telekom Veszprém, Marko Kopljar, is left out of the squad due to knee problems. Furthermore, it is surprising that players like Igor Karačić (playmaker, RK Vardar), Ilija Brozović (line player, THW Kiel), Ivan Pešić (goalkeeper, HC Meshkov Brest), Ivan Cupic (RK Vardar) and Ivan Slišković (left back, Telekom Veszprém) have not been selected, but Željko Babić want to use this training camp to focus on the youth.

The squad:

Goalkeepers: Mate Šunjić (US Créteil, France), Filip Ivić (Vive Kielce, Poland), Ivan Stevanović (RK Zagreb, Croatia)
Left wings: Lovri Mihić (Orlen Wisla Plock, Poland), Manuel Štrlek (Vive Kielce, Poland)
Right wings: Jerko Matulić (Chambéry Savoie, France), Zlatko Horvat (RK Zagreb, Croatia), Marko Buvinić (Bregenz Handball, Austria)
Line players: Kresimir Kozina (Füchse Berlin), Marino Marić (MT Melsungen, Germany), Marin Šipić (GRK Varazdin 1930, Croatia)
Right backs: Luka Stepančić (PSG, France), Luka Šebetić (RK Zagreb, Croatia)
Left backs: Marko Mamić (US Dunkerque, France), Stipe Mandalinić (RK Zagreb, Croatia), Jakov Gojun (Füchse Berlin, Germany)
Playmakers: Domagoj Duvnjak (THW Kiel, Germany), Luka Cindrić (RK Vardar, Macedonia), Ivan Horvat (SG Flensburg-Handewitt), Tin Lučin (MRK Zamet, Croatia), Lovro Jotić (RK Zagreb, Croatia)