In the third qualifying round of the Champions League, Dinamo faces the Lithuanian champions led by Željko Sopić. The first leg is on August 4 at Maksimir; victory secures a play-off spot and guaranteed European autumn.
In the third qualifying round of the Champions League, Dinamo will face Lithuanian champions Kauno Žalgiris. The team is led by Croatian coach Željko Sopić and includes former Hajduk player Leon Kreković, adding extra intrigue for the Croatian public. The first leg will be played on August 4 at Maksimir Stadium, with the return leg on August 11 in Lithuania, reports Lika Online.
The Croatian champion secured this tie in dramatic fashion. Against Swiss side Thun, they trailed 2-0 after just 22 minutes and were on the brink of elimination. The turning point came when Thun's Marco Burki was sent off in the 67th minute. Dion Drena Beljo pulled one back in the 74th, Lukas Kačavenda equalized in the 78th, and Moris Valinčić scored in extra time to make it 3-2. With this comeback, the Blues not only advanced to the third qualifying round but also secured at least the league phase of the Europa League.
Kauno Žalgiris defeated two opponents before facing Dinamo. In the first qualifying round, they eliminated Kosovo's Drita, then KI Klaksvík from the Faroe Islands. The first leg ended 0-0, while in the return leg, Kreković scored the only goal in the 85th minute for a 1-0 victory, leading the Lithuanian club to a historic achievement. The club was founded in 2004 under the name FM Spyris and has been called Kauno Žalgiris since 2016. They won their first Lithuanian league title in 2025, and earlier this year they also won the Super Cup.
Željko Sopić took over the team in June 2026 and, in a very short time, led them to their greatest European achievement. Alongside him, Ivan Fiolić and the aforementioned Kreković, who arrived from Hajduk this summer, also play for the Lithuanian club. Sopić's organized and disciplined squad has not conceded a goal at home in four qualifying matches.
According to Transfermarkt, Dinamo's squad value is around €64.6 million, while Kauno Žalgiris is valued at approximately €9 million. The gap in experience is also significant: Dinamo has regularly competed in the league phases of UEFA competitions for years, whereas the Lithuanian champions are playing this stage of qualifying for the first time this season. However, Kauno Žalgiris's European exploits show that the favorite cannot afford to relax.
The winner of the two-legged tie will secure a place in the Champions League play-off and be one step away from the elite league phase. Dinamo is already guaranteed a European autumn, but reaching the play-off would also bring a significant financial boost. Two matches will determine the direction of the Blues' season, and the first test at Maksimir will be a preview of what lies ahead.
