Birmingham City chairman David Gold has rubbished claims that Tottenham playmaker Luka Modric may have been deliberately injured by Lee Bowyer as "absolutely ridiculous".

The president of the Croatian federation, Vlatko Markovic, claims the injury suffered by his country's star player Modric has left him wondering whether Croatia's top stars are being deliberately targeted for rough treatment in the Premier League.

But City chairman Gold told BBC Radio Five Live: "It's quite unbelievable. I had to check it wasn't April 1, I thought it was a joke.

"To suggest a conspiracy is nonsense. To suggest it was a deliberate act by English players to weaken the Croatia squad is absolutely ridiculous.

"Maybe the problem is the statement by the Croatian official has completely been lost in translation?"