In-form Liverpool defender Dejan Lovren has been left out of Croatia’s provisional squad for Euro 2016.
In dates back to a bitter feud between Lovren and coach Ante Cacic who fell out in March during a friendly against Hungary, leading to the defender serving the national team boss an ultimatum last month.
“I will not apologise, I will either travel to France as a starting player or I am not going,” he told Croatian paper Sportske novosti.
Lovren has been outstanding for Liverpool in recent weeks, proving pivotal in the club’s journey to Wednesday even Europa League Final against Sevilla.
“These are the best players we have at our disposal,” Cacic told a news conference on Monday.
“Playing in the national team requires good form and total commitment at club and international level. We want to keep a sound atmosphere in the dressing-room.
“I haven’t closed the door on Lovren for good, he can return one day if he realises that he has to be a team player,” he added.
“When it dawns on him that he can’t look down on his team mates, the staff and the coach, he will perhaps find a way to get back in.”
Croatia are in Group D with holders Spain, the Czech Republic and Turkey.
Squad
Goalkeepers: Danijel Subasic (Monaco), Lovre Kalinic (Hajduk Split), Ivan Vargic (Rijeka), Dominik Livakovic (Dinamo Zagreb).
Defenders: Vedran Corluka (Lokomotiv Moscow), Darijo Srna (Shakhtar Donetsk), Domagoj Vida (Dynamo Kiev), Sime Vrsaljko (Sassuolo), Gordon Schildenfeld (Dinamo Zagreb), Ivan Strinic (Napoli), Tin Jedvaj (Bayer Leverkusen), Duje Caleta-Car (Red Bull Salzburg).
Midfielders: Luka Modric (Real Madrid), Ivan Rakitic (Barcelona), Mateo Kovacic (Real Madrid), Marcelo Brozovic (Inter Milan), Milan Badelj (Fiorentina), Ivan Perisic (Inter Milan), Alen Halilovic (Sporting Gijon), Domagoj Antolic (Dinamo Zagreb), Marko Rog (Dinamo Zagreb), Ante Coric (Dinamo Zagreb).
Strikers: Mario Mandzukic (Juventus), Nikola Kalinic (Fiorentina), Marko Pjaca (Dinamo Zagreb), Andrej Kramaric (Leicester City), Duje Cop (Dinamo Zagreb).
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