Rangers ace dropped as international boss says he didn't do 'what I wanted'
Source: Rangersnews

Borna Barisic has been left out of the Croatia squad again with head coach Zlatko Dalic insisting that he 'did not get what I wanted' from the Rangers defender.

The 2018 World Cup runners-up face Latvia on Saturday and Armenia the following Tuesday in their latest round of European Championship qualifiers. Two sides sitting 132nd and 95th in the FIFA World Rankings respectively.

As such, Zlatko Dalic can afford to set his side up with attack at the front of his thinking against very limited opposition. And while you might think this should play into Borna Barisic's hands - the Rangers left-back is a 'phenomenal' crosser of the ball and a fine deliver of a set-piece too - Dalic obviously feels that the superior athleticism of Manchester City's Josko Gvardiol would be more effective against two sides expected to line up in a low block.

"I didn't get what I wanted from (Ajax's Borna) Sosa or Barisic going forward (in previous internationals). We will not need to be so defensive, but (more) attacking."

This is now the second time in a row in which Barisic has been omitted from the Croatia squad. That is despite the praise which came his way in September. The long-serving Rangers full-back impressing and grabbing an assist in a 5-0 hammering of Latvia two months ago.

Ibrox giants hope to keep left-back Barisic's future at club level has come under the microscope recently too. His contract expires at the end of the current campaign but, amid reported interest from the likes of Nottingham Forest and Jose Mourinho's AS Roma, Rangers reportedly hope to tie him down to a new deal.

Football Scotland report that negotiations between the Gers and Barisic's camp are now underway.