Back to business! After the international break, the league routine begins again. Before entering the international competitions next week, dress rehearsals will take place in the domestic league. In the Croatian 1st HNL CL competitor Dinamo Zagreb kicks off the eleventh matchday and is challenged against Gorica abroad.
The Croatian record champion is in the pursuit role, but currently has a game less in the account and will pass in a possible victory again at Hajduk Split. In the last season Dinamo Zagreb has impressively underpinned the status of Croatian record champion and celebrated a championship with 25 points advantage.
In the new season, Zagreb is again one of the biggest title favorites and will probably be the champion with the current squad. Surprisingly, the “Modri” from Zagreb have already lost two games. By comparison, there were only two defeats in the entire league season.
Certainly the defeats are partly due to the double burden of international competition. Nevertheless, the away defeat at bottom Varazdin will hardly be excused. With a victory, the “Modri” wants to recapture the league standings and refuel before the Champions League match against Shakhtar Donetsk properly self-confidence. A prognosis on this seems quite realistic, but it is worth taking a look at the alternative betting market.
HNK Gorica:
The “Goricani” has risen in the season 2017/18 for the first time in the young club history in the highest Croatian league. Already after one season, Gorica seems to have established itself as a first division team.
As fifth in the table just barely missed a start right for the Europa League last season. Three points separated the “Goricani” on the last matchday from the fourth in Split. HNK Gorica has been in this form only since the 2009/10 season. At that time, the team was founded as a merger of NK Radnik Gorica and NK Polet.
In the third HNL, the third Croatian league, the “Goricani” has fixed the rise without any problems and was thus represented in the second season of club history in the second Croatian League. With 64 points, HNK Gorica was also in the 2nd HNL champion, but was still not included in the 1st HNL.
The reason was not the financial situation of the club, but rather the non-compliance with the 1st HNL requirements. Since then, HNK Gorica has lagged behind expectations and could no longer build on its strong performance. After the missed promotion over the playoffs in the season 2016/17 fixed the “Goricani” in the season on the direct ascent.
Now the team from Velika Gorica wants to open up to the elite of Croatian football. In the eleven league games of the season so far, the “Goricani” has already scored 15 points. HNK Gorica have remained unbeaten in their five games of the season at home. Among other things, the runner-up HNK Rijeka was defeated 2-0. Season and competitive, the “Goricani” is even unbeaten in 12 home games in a row.
Sergej Jakirovic, coach of HNK Gorica, has done a great job since the climb. With manageable financial resources, Jakirovic has also formed a promising team in the new season. Winger Kristijan Lovric is the most valuable man in the “Goricani” squad. The 23-year-old Croat has scored five goals and three assists so far.
In the last league game against NK Osijek Jakirovic sat on a 3-5-2 formation last. In the home game against Dinamo Zagreb, the coach of the “Goricani” is expected to return to 4-2-3-1, thus defensive stability against the strong offensive of the Croatian record champions. Even the home team’s minimal point win will be rewarded with lucrative odds at HNK Gorica against Dinamo Zagreb.
Dinamo Zagreb:
The season for the Croatian record champion could not have started better. At the beginning of the competitive season with the Super Cup success over archrival HNK Rijeka, the “Modri” put on an international stage a considerable run and rewarded with the qualification for the Champions League group stage.
In the premier class, there was a perfect debut in the group stage with the 4-0 victory over Atalanta Bergamo to the group start. In the second group match Dinamo Zagreb lost the away game in Manchester, but still offered a considerable performance against the Citizens. The next groundbreaking match against Shakhtar Donetsk is coming up next week.
Before entering the third group match of the Champions League, Dinamo Zagreb will be challenged in the domestic league against HNK Gorica. The “Modri” had to let feathers twice already in the ten season games. In the recent championship season, Dinamo Zagreb lost only twice in the entire season of the first HNL.
Surprisingly, the point losses despite double load but always. Away Zagreb lost namely against the bottom club Varazdin. With a game less on the account, the “Modri” is therefore in the pursuit role. With just one point behind Hajduk Split, there is currently no reason to panic.
All point losses of the previous 1st HNL season have so far been on foreign territory. Most recently, the “Modri” secured a 4-0 derby victory at Lokomotiva Zagreb.
Zagreb coach Nenad Bjelica will not take any major risks before the important Champions League game against Shakhtar Donetsk, but still needs a win in Gorica. It is not yet clear which start-up coach the “Modri” will start. At the latest in the course of the game, however, top performers such as Olmo, Petkovic or Gojak should be spared.
Dani Olmo is currently one of Europe’s most sought-after offensive players. Due to the successful Champions League qualification, the 21-year-old Spaniard decided for another season with the Croatian record champions. Olmo should take the next step to a top club by the summer of next year.
PREDICTION: D. Zagreb to win @ 1,43
