Chelsea midfielder Mateo Kovacic was involved in a thrilling Euro 2020 game as Croatia met with Spain in Copenhagen on Monday evening.
Going up against the 2010 World Cup winners, the Chelsea midfielder’s nation had their tournament ended after a 5-3 defeat in extra-time.
The scoreline did not quite tell the full story as Zlatko Dalic’s men took the lead before Spain roared into a 3-1 lead - Cesar Azpilicueta putting Luis Enrique’s men in front.
The Croatians found a route back into the game, with ex-Blue Mario Pasalic equalising late on, only for Spain to claim victory in extra-time.
Spain only found a route back before half-time though as Pablo Sarabia scored, but Kovacic shouldered a considerable amount of blame as he failed to track back into the box.
Former Liverpool midfielder Graeme Souness suggested that he could have done a lot better.
"The Spain goal is completely avoidable," Souness said on ITV.
“Kovacic wins the first ball, but he must know that the ball is going to come back into the box. He needs to get goal side of his man and Spain simply does not score, it is overall poor play by him.”
That opinion was agreed on by a number of Chelsea fans watching, too, who suggested that it was not an uncommon feature in the ex-Real Madrid man’s game.
One user, @Babs98th said: “Kovacic always has those lapses in a game where he just watches what's going on ahead of him outside the pen area.”
Meanwhile, @NiiNiiFC echoed those thoughts: “Kovacic's lack of positional awareness or ability to sniff danger is getting exposed during the euros.
“Has always done this but it's been overlooked, details get exposed at this level.”
Before his country’s elimination at the Round of 16 stage, Kovacic had played four matches at Euro 2020, notching an assist in the 3-1 victory against Scotland.
