Ivanovic in Croatian headlines for wrong reasons after Benfica stint | OneFootball

Zlatko Dalic, the coach of Croatia, regrets that Franjo Ivanovic is rarely used at Benfica. In the context of analyzing the available strikers to represent the Croatians, Dalic said it is necessary to find a different striker profile, capable of playing more in transition.

Faced with the name of the 22-year-old forward, the coach was pragmatic. "Unfortunately, he hardly plays for Benfica. He only comes on for a few minutes," said Dalic in an interview with Vecernji List. Ivanovic did not take the field in the last game against Tondela.

The player himself, in a recent interview with the Croatian portal Gol.hr, said he hopes to have more playing time until the end of the season. Having already played for two clubs in the same season, the 22-year-old forward could not be loaned to a European club in the winter market. He has a contract with the Eagles until 2030 and a release clause of €100 million.

"He told me that the overall situation at the club wasn't the best, a bit difficult. He also told me to keep training like this and to give my best, that opportunities will come," said Franjo Ivanovic, recalling the words he heard from José Mourinho.

This season at Benfica, Ivanovic - valued at 20 million euros - has played 31 games: 15 in the Liga Portugal Betclic, 10 in the Champions League, four in the Portuguese Cup, and two in the League Cup. In 1,103 minutes on the field, he scored five goals and made one assist.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.