Croatia's Euro 2012 ambitions have been dealt a blow with the news that Ivica Olic will miss the tournament with a thigh complaint.
Thigh complaint forces striker to withdraw from Croatia squad
Croatia's Euro 2012 ambitions have been dealt a blow with the news that Ivica Olic will miss the tournament with a thigh complaint.
The experienced frontman, who has netted 15 times in 78 appearances for his country, picked up a knock during a friendly date with Norway.
It was hoped that he could shake off the problem in time to play some role at this summer's European Championship, with the Croatian team doctor refusing to rule him out.
Olic has, however, undergone medical tests and the results have confirmed the worst.
A muscle tear will require up to six weeks of rest, meaning he will play no part in Croatia's Euro plans.
National coach Slaven Bilic has moved quickly to draft former Blackburn striker Nikola Kalinic into his squad as a replacement.
"At first we thought that his injury was not so bad, but an initial examination unfortunately proved that he will be sidelined for a prolonged period of time," national team doctor Zoran Bahtijarevic told the Croatian FA's
official website.
"His muscle is partially ruptured and he will need four to six weeks to recover."
Olic can now focus his attention on the 2012/13 Bundesliga season, with a summer move from Bayern Munich to Wolfsburg offering him a fresh start.
