Real Madrid veteran lashes out at referee after national team debacle – ‘He was arrogant’ | OneFootball

Real Madrid and Croatia midfielder Luka Modric experienced deep frustration following his team’s 0-1 defeat to Scotland in the Nations League.

The result has delayed Croatia’s advancement to the quarter-finals, leaving Modric and his teammates with much to reflect on. A key moment in the match was the sending-off of Petar Sucic, who received a second yellow card.

This incident significantly altered the game and left Modric visibly upset with referee Orel Grinfeld, whose decisions, according to the midfielder, were questionable throughout the match.

The Croatian team started the game strongly, controlling possession and creating several scoring opportunities. Despite their dominance in the first half, they failed to convert their chances into goals.

This inability to capitalise on early opportunities ultimately came back to haunt them. The turning point, however, came when Sucic was sent off after committing two fouls, resulting in two yellow cards.

Modric was particularly critical of the referee’s handling of the situation, suggesting that the decisions lacked balance and fairness.

Modric’s analysis

Luka Modric was not happy with the referee. (Photo by Euan Cherry/Getty Images)

The second half proved to be a daunting challenge for Croatia, who were forced to play with 10 men. Despite their determined efforts to hold off the Scottish attack, the numerical disadvantage proved too much.

“It’s difficult to analyse a game when the referee ruins it. We played well, controlled the game, had many chances in the first half, and deserved to be ahead by at least one or two goals,” he said as quoted by AtS.

A late goal from Scotland sealed Croatia’s defeat, leaving Modric and his teammates with a tough road ahead. They now face a crucial fixture against Portugal in Split, needing at least a draw to secure a spot in the quarter-finals.

“We didn’t take advantage of our chances and then the referee ruined the game, after which it’s difficult to analyse anything. We fought like lions until the end, but we couldn’t hold on without conceding a goal.”

Not happy with the referee

Croatia suffered a 0-1 defeat against Scotland. (Photo by Euan Cherry/Getty Images)

Modric’s frustrations weren’t limited to the pitch. He expressed dissatisfaction with the referee’s approach, accusing him of being unwilling to engage in dialogue with the players.

“We tried to talk to the referee, not just me, but other players as well. However, he was arrogant, he was not prepared for conversations. We committed six or seven fouls and received four cards.”

The midfielder also criticised the frequency and severity of the cards shown, arguing that the match was not overly aggressive or deserving of such decisions.

“Sucic was shown two cards for two fouls. Someone has to explain to him that not every foul is a card, he ruined a very calm match, without any hard fouls. Giving a red card in a match like this,” he noted.

With Croatia’s Nations League hopes hanging by a thread, all eyes will be on their next match as they aim to bounce back from this setback.