The Cibalia Chronicle
Player ratings23 Jul 2029
Nobody could get near Andrija Bubnjar
Successful dribbles: 23. Every time he got the ball somebody had to make a decision, and every time the decision was wrong.
Market23 Jul 2029
Niko Lovren comes home
The shirt still fits. Niko Lovren is back at Cibalia, and half the ground remembers him in these colours already. Some signings need selling to the town; this one sold itself.
Market23 Jul 2029
Antonio Petkovic comes home
The shirt still fits. Antonio Petkovic is back at Cibalia, and half the ground remembers him in these colours already. Some signings need selling to the town; this one sold itself.
Market23 Jul 2029
Mario Vrsaljko comes home
The shirt still fits. Mario Vrsaljko is back at Cibalia, and half the ground remembers him in these colours already. Some signings need selling to the town; this one sold itself.
Market23 Jul 2029
As if he never left: Darijo Bogdan returns
Some transfers need a press campaign. This one needed a shirt with the old number on it. Darijo Bogdan is a Cibalia player again, and the town has its story of the summer.
Squad23 Jul 2029
Petar Brlek in a row with a teammate
It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Cibalia this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
Player ratings23 Jul 2029
Douglas in the eights
A performance of 8.74 does not come along often, and when it does the rest of the team becomes scenery. He was magnificent.
Squad23 Jul 2029
The manager makes an example of Ivo Vukić
“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.
Match21 Jul 2029
Douglas the difference as Cibalia beat Hrvatski Dragovoljac
Ask anyone on the way out what separated the sides and you will get one name: Douglas. 1‑0 against Hrvatski Dragovoljac, and the applause at the whistle was mostly his.
In brief
- Boardroom Cibalia board go back on their word
- Player ratings Karlo Stapić shuts the door
- Squad Douglas finally opens his account