In the Croatian league, NK Istra 1961 are in a relegation battle and are still fighting to stay in it one matchday before the end of the season. Before the season finale this weekend, the “Verudeži” will play the cup final against the record champions from Zagreb this week. The club from Istria will enter the final as clear underdogs in their opponents’ stadium.
This is only the second time in the club’s history that Istra has reached the final of the Croatian Cup. NK Istra’s first attempt at the big cup coup came in the 2002/03 season, when they lost 5-0 on aggregate to Hajduk Split, Dinamo Zagreb’s arch-rivals. At that time, the “Verudeži” from Istria were even still kicking in the second Croatian league.
Against the newly crowned champions from Zagreb, the second-bottom team of the 1st HNL faces a mammoth task in the cup final. For the “Modri”, it is the big chance for the double, since Dinamo Zagreb has not won the Croatian Cup since the 2017/18 season. On Wednesday evening, the drought can be ended.
Dinamo Zagreb can win against Istra 1961 at odds of only 1.30, while a bet on the visitors will be rewarded with odds of 10.00 at the best bookmakers we have reviewed.
Prediction & Live Odds for Dinamo Zagreb vs. Istra 1961
If the current table of the 1st HNL and the most recent direct comparison between the two clubs are anything to go by, the 2021 Cup title is by no means up for debate for Dinamo Zagreb. The “Modri” will go into the Croatian Cup final as clear favourites and should have no major problems against the club from Istria.
In the league, Dinamo won all four games against the last but one team in the 1st HNL, and the defensive fortress of the record champions did not concede a single goal. It is therefore obvious that Dinamo will triumph in the cup again this season for the first time in almost four years, thus extending their trophy collection in the cup to 16 titles.
We expect a power show for the “Modri” from Zagreb on Wednesday evening. Head coach Damir Krznar’s team should have no major problems against NK Istra 1961 and prevail, as they did in the four duels of the 1st HNL 2020/21.
Our tip for Dinamo Zagreb against Istra 1961 is “HT/FT: 1/1” ✅ at the best betting odds below.
Dinamo Zagreb – Statistics & Current Form
In the 1st HNL, Dinamo Zagreb were crowned Croatian champions for the 22nd time in the club’s history three matchdays before the end of the season. For long stretches of the 2020/21 season, the record champions were challenged by the surprise team from Slavonia, but the “Modri” ensured a clear balance of power in the season’s final spurt.
The championship was wrapped up with a resounding victory (5:1) against fourth-placed Rijeka. Since then, head coach Damir Krznar has been able to crank up the rotation machine and had numerous reserve players play in the last few competitive matches. Among other things, several youngsters from the second team were called up to the professional team.
Most recently, even the 18-year-old youngster Ivan Saranic got a chance to assert himself in the 1st HNL. In contrast to the last two matches in the 1st HNL, Dinamo Zagreb will probably start the cup final against NK Istra 1961 with their best line-up. Compared to the last starting line-ups, some changes are therefore to be expected.
Will DZG shoot their way to a 16th cup title?
In the 1st HNL, Dinamo Zagreb had statistically the best offence in the league. In 35 matches, the record champions scored a total of 83 goals – an average of 2.37 per league match. Mario Gavranovic played a major role in the goal tally, leading the “Modri’s” internal scoring list with 17 goals and eight assists.
As in the first half of the season, the Ticino native also scored a hat-trick in the second-round match against HNK Gorica and was thus the man of the match last weekend. Against NK Istra 1961, the in-form goal-scorer will again be the mainstay, as will Mislav Orsic, who will play as a winger on the left wing.
In addition, Majer and Petkovic are also set in the offensive, both of whom will move back into the starting eleven in the cup final. In addition, it is also obvious that regular keeper Dominik Livakovic will start again. In the regular season, Dinamo won all four games against the club from Istria. If Dinamo Zagreb win their fifth match in a row against the “Verudeži”, odds of 1.30 for tip 1 against Istra 1961 will be paid out.
Predicted Dinamo Zagreb line-up:
Livakovic – Gvardiol, Peric, Théophile, Stojanovic – Misic, Franjic – Orsic, Majer, Petkovic – Gavraonvic
Istra 1961 – Statistics & current form
For NK Istra 1961 it is only the second cup final in the club’s history. Almost 18 years ago, the “Verudeži” reached the final of the Croatian Cup for the first time, at that time the winner was still determined after a first leg and a second leg. In both games, NK Istra 1961 suffered a defeat, losing to the top club from Split with a total score of 0:5.
This year, the conditions are much better, but the club from Istria will enter the cup final as clear underdogs. As the table of the 1st HNL shows, Dinamo Zagreb’s opponent in the final is one of three potential candidates for relegation. Last week, Istra 1961 benefited from some support and were able to hand the red lantern back to NK Varazdin.
This weekend, Istra 1961 will face NK Osijek, the surprise team from Slavonia, in the final game of the season, where the team at the bottom of the table will have to fight to stay in the relegation zone.
No win against Dinamo since May 2014
The Istrian side do not have a good record against the record champions from Zagreb, with NK Istra having not recorded a win in 31 competitive matches since 1961. In the last 15 matches between the two clubs, Istra have lost 14 times.
Only in the last second-round match of the 2019/20 season did head coach Danijel Jumic’s side manage to score against the flagship of Croatian football. So it would be all the more surprising if a prediction on the underdog in the cup final between Dinamo Zagreb vs Istra 1961 comes true.
On Wednesday evening, the Istra coach will have almost all options in the squad at his disposal. Only Majkic and Buric will have to rest due to injury.
Predicted Istra 1961 line-up:
Lucic – Gonzalez, Sutalo, Galilea – Tomasevic, Halilovic, Bandé, Ivancic, Hujber – Hara, Vuk
