Croatian forward Ivanovic, who has recently seen reduced playing time at Portuguese club Benfica, was unexpectedly benched for his national team’s 3-1 victory over the Faroe Islands, marking a significant downturn in his career trajectory.
This was the first time Ivanovic had not featured for Croatia since his initial call-up in March, having previously accumulated eight international appearances.
Another former Benfica player, Musa, started ahead of Ivanovic and scored Croatia’s second goal in the match.
The decision to keep Ivanovic on the sidelines extends a pattern seen at his club, Benfica, where he has also recently been relegated to the bench.
Ivanovic did not play in recent Benfica matches against V. Guimarães and Bayer Leverkusen. He only appeared for four minutes in a game against Casa Pia.
During the match against the Faroe Islands, Matanovic was brought on as a substitute for the starter in the 74th minute, further indicating Ivanovic’s unused status.