The well-deserved praise of Luka Modrić and his teammates and kind words for the gesture of the Montenegrin fans mostly dominate the Croatian media after the first-ever match between the "falcons" and the "firebirds".
Montenegro played a weak match at "Maksimir", one of the worst in history, so Croatia, as if in a slightly stronger training session, celebrated with a 4:0 victory in the 5th round of World Cup qualifiers.
"Croatia defeated Montenegro and took first place," is the headline of "Jutarnji List", which continues with the following text:
"The difference in the quality of these two national teams is enormous. Robert Prosinečki's team never once threatened Livaković's goal. So, as expected, Montenegro and 'Big Yellow' (Prosinečki's nickname) were, as they say, 'sucking like yellows'. It was a classic game of cat and mouse."
As expected, the Montenegro coach and Croatian legend was the center of attention of almost all media.
"Prosinecki ruled his Croatia, so he announced his forgiveness?" writes "Večernji list".
The same question was asked by "Telegram" and "24 sata"
"Will Prosinecki leave the Montenegrin bench after the defeat against the Fire?"
"Prosinecki led the last match as Montenegro coach at Maksimir in December?"
"Germanijak" had no mercy on the "falcons" after the events at Zagreb's temple of football.
"Fantastic Croatia 'dismantles' Montenegro".
The "Net.hr" portal went so far as to publish a gallery with photos of Prosinečki during the match in Zagreb.
"It wasn't easy for him. All the faces of Robert Prosinečki in the Croatian defeat of Montenegro."
"Index.hr" highlighted football legend Luka Modrić and one of his duels with Andrija Bulatović, a talent of our national team.
"Modrić 'took down' a player 21 years his junior in a duel".
The center of attention was primarily the fans of Montenegro, who unfurled a banner at "Maksimir" that read: "From Lovćen the fairy cries, forgive us Dubrovnik."
"Messages of peace from Montenegro," "Večernji" announced, while "Jutarnji" added a comment to the news about the Montenegrin fans that it shared on social media:
"We can only applaud."
He adds in the text.
"In the stands of Maksimir, that message was met with approval and showed that football can sometimes be a place for dialogue and steps towards reconciliation."
A certain group of Croatian fans "made sure" that everything on a beautiful sports night wasn't ideal by chanting obscenely at one point during the match.
"A problem arose at Maksimir. The chant 'Kill a Serb' erupted from the northern stands, which is why Croatia is likely facing a new punishment," Večernji is clear.
"Slobodna Dalmacija" was much harsher.
"We can easily apologize for the 'villa from Lovćen' that everyone mentions now and again, we have heard that apology many times, and we are fine; because it is a sincere human gesture, but we are bothered by the mess in our yard, all that social scum that finally needs to be cleaned up," the aforementioned media outlet writes.
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