Croatia misses mainstay Gvardiol against Orange in Nations League

Croatia will have to do without Josko Gvardiol Wednesday against the Netherlands and in the remainder of the Nations League Final Four. The central defender is struggling with an abdominal wall injury. Intensive treatment in recent days was to no avail.

The loss of Gvardiol is a sensitive loss for the Croatians. At the last World Cup, the 21-year-old defender from RB Leipzig was one of the standouts of the team that finished in third place.

Croatia will take on the Netherlands in the semifinals at De Kuip on Wednesday. The other semifinal follows a day later between Spain and Italy in Enschede. The final and the match for third and fourth place will be finished Sunday.