Rangers defender Borna Barisic crashes back to reality after World Cup heartbreak
It was heartbreak in the end for Rangers defender Borna Barisic after Croatia lost 3-0 against Argentine in the World Cup semi-final on Tuesday (13 December).
A masterclass performance from Lionel Messi ended all hopes for Croatia who bow out with head held high.
They have once again enjoyed an outstanding tournament, after reaching the final in Russia in the 2018 World Cup.
Borna Sosa started as left-back against Argentina, but he was taken off at the break. With the side already trailing 2-0, Zlatko Dalić threw more attacking players on the pitch to find goals.
Barisic remained unused in the game, and thus his journey in Qatar has come to an end.
In the entire tournament, Barisic has played only once, in the victory over Japan in the Round of 16. He was given a chance to shine after Sosa missed out with illness.
It is difficult for players to get over the heartbreak quickly, but Barisic needs to get over it as he may need to prove himself at Ibrox, under a new manager.
During the summer, it looked like Barisic will leave the club. He did well towards the end of last season, and clubs in Italy were vying for his signature.
In the end, he stayed on. Despite the arrival of Ridden Yilmaz, the 30-year-old has managed to keep his place, making 15 appearances in the Scottish Premiership.
He was fighting for his place in the Croatian side and he is about to fight for his place at Rangers as well. And he could lose out his position to Yilmaz, like the way he became the second-choice for his country behind Sosa.
In other Rangers news, Michael Beale has outlined his desire to sign Malik Tillman on a permanent basis.