Barcelona midfielder Ivan Rakitic will not play for Croatia aginst Slovakia in a decisive Group E Euro 2020 qualifier because of an Achilles tendon problem, per Rijeka's Novi List newspaper.
"I'm afraid I cannot help the team, but I'm convinced my team-mates will have success without me," Rakitic told the publication.
He needs to be rested for at least a week after feeling pain there in Barca's training session on Sunday.
The player will go to Zagreb to be looked at by Croatia medics but not play for his country. Croatia are top of Group E, led by Real Madrid's Luka Modric.
They have 14pts, ahead of Hungary on 12 and Slovakia on 10, Wales on 8 and Azerbaijan on 1.