Kalinic ruled out for Croatia

Croatia have been handed a blow with the news that Hajduk Split striker Nikola Kalinic will not be available for the Euro 2008 qualifying double-header against Macedonia and England.

A knee injury has curtailed his involvement, with coach Slaven Bilic moving to call-up Dinamo Zagreb forward Mario Mandzukic as his replacement.

Mandzukic was in line to play for the Under 21 side but has now been promoted to the senior ranks.

"I'm sorry I had to take Mandzukic from Under 21 manager Drazen Ladic because I know he is an important player for them," said Bilic.

"But we have to secure our Euro 2008 spot.

"I need four healthy forwards, and because Igor Budan and Bosko Balaban are injured and Mladen Petric will only start training on Wednesday, I had to call him."

Croatia's squad contains Manchester City defender Vedran Corluka, Portsmouth midfielder Niko Kranjcar and Arsenal striker Eduardo.

Full squad:

Pletikosa (Spartak Moscow), Runje (Lens), Galinovic (Panathinaikos), Simic, Robert Kovac (Borussia Dortmund), Josip Simunic (Hertha Berlin), Corluka (Manchester City), Drpic (Dinamo Zagreb), Kenezevic (Livorno), Vejic (Tomsk), Leko (Monaco), Babic (Real Betis), Srna (Shakhtar Donetsk), Modric (Dinamo Zagreb), Vranjes (Werder Bremen), Pranjic (Heerenveen), Kranjcar (Portsmouth), Vukojevic (Dinamo Zagreb), Niko Kovac (Salzburg), Petric (Borussia Dortmund), Olic (Hamburg), Eduardo (Arsenal), Rakitic (Schalke), Mandzukic (Dinamo Zagreb).