JUST LIKE LUKA
Juranovic sees some similarities between Celtic’s McGregor and Croatia great Modric
JOSIP JURANOVIC has been educated by a great. Listening to him speak, it seems as though working beside Luka Modric with Croatia is the equivalent of earning a master’s degree in football.
Juranovic’s admiration only increases further when he considers the 36-year-old’s leadership qualities. Modric is, quite simply, an inspiring force who continues to propel his national team forward. He is their indispensable captain.
In that latter aspect of influence, the full-back draws a little comparison with one colleague at club level. Since moving to Glasgow in a £2.7million August deal from Legia Warsaw, Juranovic admits he has been wowed by the impact Callum McGregor has on Celtic.
Stepping into the captaincy role after Scott Brown’s summer exit, McGregor is the on-field orchestrator of the new style of football being striven for under Ange Postecoglou’s management.
The Parkhead youth product sets an example through both performance and personality. His rare absences are keenly felt.
With Postecoglou’s squad flying out to Budapest today, Juranovic knows how essential McGregor will be to hopes of a vital Europa League victory against Ferencvaros tomorrow evening.
Asked if the 28-year-old Scot was as important a leader for Celtic as Modric is with Croatia, Juranovic replied: ‘Of course, because Callum has been here for maybe 20 years or something like that.
‘He is a true leader, a true captain, and when he speaks we all listen.
‘He went out of his way to welcome me to the club when I arrived, texting me a message.’
Capped 13 times by Croatia, Juranovic was on the pitch for the full 90 minutes when McGregor and Modric traded goals at Hampden on June 22.
The match was effectively a playoff to see which nation could reach the last 16 of the Euros. As we all know, it ended in heartbreak for Scotland despite the hope McGregor granted.
His sweeping finish before half-time cancelled out an opener from Nikola Vlasic. It also made him the first Scot to score in a European Championship finals since Ally McCoist in 1996.
Thanks to Modric, though, the achievement didn’t count for much in the end. The Real Madrid superstar took absolute command of the game in the second period and delivered a stunning reminder of why he is among the very best midfielders of his generation.
Modric curled home a majestic effort off the outside of his boot to restore Croatia’s lead. It was one of the goals of the tournament, crowning a performance of seemingly effortless control in the middle of the pitch. He even supplied the corner from which Ivan Perisic sealed a group-stage exit for Steve Clarke’s side.
Despite the deep disappointment felt by all Scots at Hampden that day, it was impossible not to admire the way in which Modric took charge of his country’s fate. So, has McGregor ever asked Juranovic about Croatia’s playmaker supreme?
‘No, but I did show him a picture from the game against Scotland where I was protecting the ball and he was behind me trying to get it,’ smiled the defender.
‘I had the ball between my legs so he couldn’t get it. He found that quite funny.’
Better to laugh than cry, I suppose. Croatia lost out in the last 16 after an extraordinary eight-goal match against Spain, but Modric resisted any talk of international retirement.
Now on 144 caps, he boasts an exceptional CV that includes a World Cup final appearance alongside nine years as a mainstay in Madrid.
Juranovic regards every call-up by Croatia as a privilege. Not only in terms of patriotic pride, but in being able to pick the brains of team-mates who have reached the very top level of the game.
‘I love playing for Celtic, but when you play for your country and represent your country at this level of football it is really amazing,’ enthused Juranovic.
‘Also, it gives me the opportunity to play with the best midfield ever. We have Modric, but I can also play with Ivan Perisic, who has had an amazing career.
‘We also have Dejan Lovren, Mateo Kovacic who has won four Champions Leagues. It’s amazing.
‘What have I learned from them? Everything. How to be calm on the ball. How we attack, how we defend. Everything. With Luka in your team you are ten times better.’
For now, club business dominates as Celtic look to shrug off the domestic disappointment of Saturday’s home stalemate with Livingston by extending their Europa League ambitions.
Juranovic missed last month’s 2-0 home win over Ferencvaros through injury but is in line to feature in the Groupama Stadium. Victory for Postecoglou’s side would effectively bank third place and a Conference League play-off, while also keeping them in the hunt for a top-two finish.
To Juranovic, the spirit quickly formed within the squad after a summer of change can help Celtic keep going both at home and in Europe.
‘For me, it’s better to be a good person and then to be a football player,’ he said. ‘Because we are at a game only for 90 minutes or 120 minutes, but after that you must be a good person.
‘Here, we are like a family, and that is the most important thing.
‘You can see at Paris SaintGermain, for example. They have very good players but they are not like a family and they don’t win all their games. ‘Here, you can see every minute that we are supporting each other, that we have one
another’s backs.’