Two defenders who play in the Italian Serie A – Siena’s Igor Tudor and Robert Kovac of Juventus – are missing from the Croatian squad to face Malta at Ta’ Qali tomorrow in a World Cup qualifier.

Both are ineligible through suspension after collecting a second yellow card last Saturday in the side’s 3-1 win in Reykjavik against Iceland.

Despite their absence, Croatia still boast a very strong squad with all their players playing in some of the top European leagues. In fact, there is only one home-based player in the squad and that is Niko Krancjar of Hajduk Split.

The squad includes such top class players as Dario Simic of Milan, Marco Babic of Bayer Leverkusen, Niko Kovac of Hertha Berlin, Jurica Vranjes of Werder Bremen and feared strikers Dado Prso of Rangers, Ivan Klasnic of Werder Bremen and Bosko Balaban of Club Brugge.

Tomorrow’s match is very important for our visitors. If Croatia win tomorrow and Hungary do not beat Sweden, they are assured of at least a play-off position.

The full squad

Goalkeepers: Didulica, Pletikosa.

Defenders: Simic, Simunic, Tomas, Tokic.

Midfielders: Bosnjak, Seric, Vranjes, Kovac, J. Leko, I. Leko, Babic, Srna, Krancjar.

Strikers: Prso, Klasnic, Balaban, Da Silva.