Croatia manager Zlatko Dalic is expected to make do without experienced defender Dejan Lovren for his side's Euro 2020 opener with England on Sunday afternoon.

The former Liverpool man is reportedly being put through his paces in training after returning from a minor injury, but Dalic is reluctant to take any unnecessary risks, especially with two capable defenders in Duje Caleta-Car and Domagoj Vida ready to deputise.

The Chequered Ones understandably named a strong lineup for their recent friendly defeat to Belgium and should name a near identical XI here, with Atletico Madrid's Sime Vrsaljko and Borna Barisic of Rangers occupying the full-back positions.

Champions League winner Mateo Kovacic and Serie A champion Marcelo Brozovic will add some title-winning experience to a beefed-up engine room, as the ever-classy veteran Luka Modric starts in a more advanced role.

Dalic has a few selection dilemmas to solve in the final third of the field, but there will surely be a start for Ivan Perisic, who along with Andres Iniesta and Cristiano Ronaldo is one of three European players to register a goal or assist in each of the four major tournaments since Euro 2012.

Bruno Petkovic and Ante Rebic started alongside Perisic in the defeat to Belgium, and Dalic could keep faith in the duo here, meaning that Andrej Kramaric and Nikola Vlasic will have to accept cameo roles from the bench.

Croatia possible starting lineup: Livakovic; Vrsaljko, Vida, Caleta-Car, Barisic; Brozovic, Kovacic; Rebic, Modric, Perisic; Petkovic

> Click here to see how England could line up for this clash

Written by
Ben Knapton