This weekend sees the start of the new season in the 1st HNL, the elite league of Croatian football. The record champions from Zagreb will kick off the new season with a home match against Slaven Belupo. In the Maksimir stadium, the host is clearly favoured and should not have too much trouble against the guests from northern Croatia.
Because the “Modri” already kicked in the Champions League qualifiers during the week, rotation cannot be ruled out in the season opener against Slaven Belupo. It is quite possible that some of the key players will be spared, as the second qualifying round of the Champions League starts next week.
Slaven Belupo, unlike the home side from Zagreb, is not represented in international competition. The focus of the guests is therefore clearly on the Friday match. The “Farmaceuti” from Koprivnica have been preparing for the season opener in the 1st HNL at full speed for weeks. They recently suffered four defeats in a row against Dinamo, and the last time Slaven scored against the Croatian record champions was in September 2020.
Prediction & Live Odds for Dinamo Zagreb vs. Slaven Belupo
For the record champion from Zagreb, the qualification for the Champions League is currently prioritised. After the successful entry into the second qualifying round, where the first leg against Omonia Nicosia is scheduled for next week, Dinamo Zagreb has to start the season in the 1st HNL for the time being and will face Slaven Belupo on Friday evening.
Next week at the latest, however, it cannot be ruled out that the “Modri” will get a “bye-week” from the Croatian Football Federation and thus escape the double burden from the league. Against Friday’s opponents from Koprivnica, DZG coach Krznar will probably spare a few key players and rely on the second guard.
Because the host from Zagreb has a promising squad, we still expect a comfortable home win. Our tip for Dinamo Zagreb vs. Slaven Belupo is “HT/FT: 1/1” at good betting odds.
Dinamo Zagreb – Statistics & Current Form
Dinamo Zagreb made a successful start to the new competitive season with a first and second leg win in the first qualifying round of the premier league. After the successful summer preparation, where the “Modri” won three out of three test matches, the close results against Valur Reykjavik were more than surprising.
Especially in the home match against the Icelandic representative, the record champion from Zagreb struggled. The “Modri” prevailed 3:2, but had to tremble in the final minutes. In the return match, Dinamo won comfortably 2:0 in Iceland, where several key players were also spared in the course of the game.
How DZG head coach Damir Krznar will approach Friday’s match in the 1st HNL remains uncertain for now, but changes in the starting eleven cannot be ruled out. Next week, the Croatian record champions have the second CL qualifying round against Omonia Nicosia on their agenda.
Will the home strength be underpinned?
Nevertheless, Dinamo Zagreb’s clear role as favourites against Slaven Belupo is understandable. Already last season, after all, the “Modri” was the team with the strongest home record in the 1st HNL. In total, Dinamo picked up 44 points in 18 home games in the 2020/21 season, scoring an average of 3.38 goals per home game.
Despite heavy departures in this calendar year, Dinamo Zagreb is once again the hottest candidate for the championship in the 1st HNL this season. Last season, the record champions were challenged for long periods by NK Osijek, the surprise team from Slavonia, and were therefore – comparatively speaking – late in claiming the title.
Against Slaven Belupo, Krznar will have almost all players at his disposal on Friday evening. Because the record champion has a promising line-up, the head coach of the “Modri” should be able to bridge the double burden of the top division without any problems. The Bet365 app currently offers odds of 1.25 on Dinamo Zagreb vs. Slaven Belupo for tip 1.
Predicted Dinamo Zagreb line-up:
Zagorac – Moubandje, Lauritsen, Theophile, Stojanovic – Jakic – Menalo, Misic, Ademi, Kastrati – Gavranovic
Slaven Belupo – Statistics & Current Form
Last season, Slaven Belupo only finished seventh in the 1st HNL and ended the season in no-man’s land. For long stretches of the 2020/21 season, there was at least no danger of relegation, and staying in the league is once again the primary goal of the “Farmaceuti” this season. Against Dinamo Zagreb, even a minimal point at the start of the season would be pleasing.
Most recently, Slaven suffered four defeats in a row against the record champions from the Croatian capital. Betting fans who still want to bet on a surprise coup by the northern Croats can pick up odds of 10.00 for a prediction in favour of the visitors at Dinamo Zagreb vs.
The only encouraging aspect ahead of the upcoming away game is the fact that the “Farmaceuti” won more points on foreign soil than at home last season. Among other things, the northern Croatian club won a point away from home in their first match of the season against Dinamo Zagreb.
Can Slaven defy the DZG offensive?
Since April 2014, the “Farmaceuti” have conceded at least one goal in every competitive match against the “Modri” from Zagreb. In the last four games against the record champions, Slaven have even scored a total of twelve times. It is quite possible that the guests from northern Croatia will also suffer a heavy defeat in the upcoming match.
During the summer preparation Slaven remained unbeaten in all three test matches. After the draw against Slask Wroclaw, the “Farmaceuti” prevailed against Nafta and Aluminij. In the process, Slaven scored a total of eight goals in the last two preparatory matches.
In Zagreb, head coach Dean Klafuric, who took over the team only a fortnight ago, has all options at his disposal. Compared to the starting eleven in the dress rehearsal against Aluminij, the visitors are expected to make no to minimal changes.
Slaven Belupo’s probable line-up:
Covic – Prce, Apau, Bosec – Goda, Lulic, Turanjanin, Liklin, Bogojevic – Krstanovic, Knöll
