Croatian Endures Hell from His Own Fans
Twenty-four-year-old midfielder Fran Tomek faced hate speech after NK Koper's poor results, while Luka Modrić simultaneously sparked enthusiasm on the other side of the world.
Twenty-four-year-old midfielder Fran Tomek faced hate speech after NK Koper's poor results, while Luka Modrić simultaneously sparked enthusiasm on the other side of the world.
While Croatian national team captain Luka Modrić enjoyed a warm welcome and fans' chants during Milan's preparations in Perth, Australia, his much younger compatriot Fran Tomek was experiencing a completely different football reality. The 24-year-old midfielder, a former Dinamo player, became the target of insults and threats from a section of his own club's supporters, Slovenian top-flight side NK Koper.
Tensions within Koper's ranks, which had fallen into a results crisis after an unexpected elimination from Europe in the Faroe Islands and a modest draw against Brinje from Grosuplje, culminated during the last league match. Tomek took to Instagram to address the public and describe what he had endured. "Yesterday I experienced something that has nothing to do with football," he began his post.
The Croatian footballer, who has been wearing Koper's jersey for two seasons, revealed that members of the Tifozi supporters' group insulted him based on his nationality. "Our 'fans' insulted me based on my nationality. They called me a Ustasha and insulted my family. I also received certain threats," Tomek wrote. He stressed that poor results should never be a reason for hate speech and threats, emphasizing that over the past two years he has always given his maximum, regardless of problems and various injuries.
In his post, Tomek drew a clear line between sporting criticism and what he experienced. "Any criticism is always welcome, but there is no place for hatred and threats in football," he said. The incident overshadowed the sporting side of the story, and Koper, currently sitting in fourth place in the Slovenian PrvaLiga, must address this serious issue before their next challenge. They will have a chance to break out of their crisis on Sunday in a demanding away match against Maribor.
On the other side of the world, the image of Croatian football was diametrically opposite. Luka Modrić, who joined Milan for preparations in Perth, drew huge interest, especially among the large Croatian diaspora. During a club event, after he expressed how pleased he was to meet Croats in Australia, the hall erupted with chants of "Luka, Luka!" followed by the song "Zovi, samo zovi!". Modrić responded with a smile and a brief "Bravo, bravo!"
