Luka Modric and Croatian coach Zlatko Dalic launched a scathing attack on Italian referee Daniele Orsato after a penalty for Argentina, calling him “One of the worst referees”.
“We were doing fine until the penalty, which for me should not have been awarded,” Modric said after the game.
“Normally I don’t talk about referees, but today it’s impossible not to. He’s one of the worst I know and I’m not just talking about today because I’ve had him before and I never had a good memory of him.
‘He’s a disaster. Still, I want to congratulate Argentina, I don’t want to take credit away from them. They deserve to be in the final. But that first penalty destroyed us.”
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PremiumCroatian coach Dalic was also disappointed by the penalty kick against his goalkeeper Livakovic.
“We had possession, but we conceded a goal, which I think is doubtful. We didn’t take a corner kick, the action continued, what would Livaković need? Get out of the way? … That first goal took the game away.
“Until then we had complete control; we were not dangerous and concrete, but the match went the way we wanted. And then the corner is not played, a counter where the player hit Livaković. Are these new rules? That ruled the game.
“If these are new rules, let us know… I congratulate the Argentines, but also my boys for everything they have done in the tournament. We have to stand up,” Dalic told reporters.
Argentina will face France or Morocco in the final, while Croatia will battle for third place.