Croat crisis as hitman Olic hit by friendly fire

Tuesday 5 June 2012

Croat crisis as hitman Olic hit by friendly fire

Alan Taylor

Writer

CROATIA have been dealt a major blow with star striker Ivica Olic ruled out of Euro 2012.

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By ALAN TAYLOR

Scans revealed the full extent of the departing Bayern Munich hitman's thigh injury and he is expected to be out of action for between four and six weeks.

His place in the Croatia squad, who provide the Republic of Ireland's first opponents in Group C on Sunday, will be taken by Dnipro's Nikola Kalinic.

A Croatia statement said: "Unfortunately, Ivica Olic will not participate at the European Championships in Ukraine and Poland, and as his replacement, coach Slaven Bilic has called Nikola Kalinic."

Olic, who is to join Wolfsburg, suffered the injury in a friendly draw with Norway at the weekend.

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