Croatia winger Ivan Perisic has claimed that the only Italian player his side fears is Andrea Pirlo, and that his absence for the Euro 2016 qualifier on Sunday is a boost for the Vatreni.
The 35-year-old midfielder will be out after missing Juventus’ 7-0 win over Parma last weekend with a thigh problem, and Perisic believes that will be a boost for the away side.
“Pirlo is their best player and the only one we really fear; his absence is an advantage and we cannot waste it,” the Wolfsburg man told Tuttomercatoweb.
“We however are in a similar position with [Luka] Modric.”
Modric was rested in Croatia’s 2-1 midweek friendly defeat against Argentina, but is expected to play in Milan on Sunday.
Ciro Immobile, who like Perisic plays in the Bundesliga but for Borussia Dortmund, may start for the Azzurri in the absence of Mario Balotelli, who has been ruled out through injury.
Immobile has struggled since his €20 million move to Germany to replace Robert Lewandowski, who left Dortmund for Bayern Munich, scoring just twice in nine appearances, and Perisic has joked about the 24-year-old’s form.
“He is struggling a little bit to find space; he probably hoped to do better.”
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