Hajduk's preparations for the match against Rijeka have become a bit complicated, not everything can be smooth sailing at Poljud. Ivica Ivušić returned early from international duty, he felt his pubic bone, the most problematic injury in football today. Because neither the player nor the club can often know what they are in for. It can pass in two or three weeks, and recovery can take months. There is no rule, it is most often assessed through the player's impression. What is unquestionable is that this kind of health problem requires complete rest at the start, so it is to be assumed that Hajduk will not be able to count on the services of the national team goalkeeper until the end of the half-season.
Definitely a big blow to mental stability, no team in the world likes to be without a first goalkeeper, especially when things are going well in terms of points and play. What is now turning out to be positive for the club is something that seemed like a minus at the beginning of the season. Hajduk has two goalkeepers ready to step into this demanding position. There was a bit of discontent at the beginning of the season when the club decided to keep Silić as the second goalkeeper, and not send him on loan to defend somewhere. Also, it seemed redundant to keep Lučić as the third goalkeeper. But, that's how football is, sometimes you really have to have more than one solution for some positions, injuries are an integral part of football, Hajduk has already had to do without Livaj for weeks due to health reasons.
Lučić who works and is silent
Someone might think that we are mentioning Lučić for no reason, that he is on the roster only because he could not be sold. However, information is coming from the club that Lučo is doing very well, is quiet and training, is mentally at a good level again and Silić will not be guaranteed a starting spot. It is clear that as a club project he has a certain advantage, but he will have to prove through training that it is worth putting him in goal.
Fans are certainly worried about the fact that they are left without a key goalkeeper before the most important part of the season. However, the fact is that this season in the HNL there is no goalkeeper who is additionally pulling his club out. Ivušić has not been one so far, although he has defended decently lately. After all, they are going to Rijeka, where Zlomislić is in goal, who is also not having a great season. When you look at the whole, Osijek's Malenica (one of the most underrated domestic goalkeepers in the last ten years) actually made the fewest mistakes and the most consistency, but his teammates throughout most of the season were such that even Alisson Becker would not have helped them. In short, the outcome of this half-season will not be determined by the goalkeepers, they are only expected not to be too much of an advantage for the opponent. For Hajduk's game, it is more important how the goalkeepers will participate in the construction of the game, and Silić and Lučić are at least solid here.
Livaja and Skelin
As for the rest of the roster, Hajduk is in a good position, all the important players are there, a large part of them were available to coach Garcia during the national team break, all the main players were in training. Therefore, we also expect progress in the game. Livaja is ready and despite several excellent releases by Šega on the nine, it can be assumed that he starts at Rujevica from the first minute. However, it is factor x, and it also makes it difficult to prepare the opponent. Because the situation is that now it is much more difficult to double Livaja, this means leaving a lot more space for Rebić and Almena, who are also not footballers that you are happy to leave one on one with your defenders.
Finally, some short-term unimportant news. Skelin is back in action, training, it is clear that after a long absence he will probably not be on the field until the beginning of the next half-season, but in the long term this is great news for the fans and the club. This is a young defender who is programmed for great things, despite Šarlija's very good performances this half-season, it is not unthinkable that in the spring in certain matches Hrgović, Skelin, Mlačić and Hodak will start the defense. Where Hrgović, with his 21 years and 54 appearances in Hajduk's senior team, stands out as a veteran. Hajduk would thus throw all those unwritten rules about the need for an experienced defense into the water, we must admit that such an idea tickles the imagination.
Photo: hajduk.hr
