Šafarić: We're Going to Koprivnica to Confirm the Win Over Hajduk

Varaždin's footballers will visit Koprivnica on Sunday, August 9, 2026, at 6:30 PM, at the Ivan Kušek Apaš Stadium. In the second round of the SuperSport HNL against Slaven Belupo, coach Nikola Šafarić's team will try to continue their good run of results and confirm the victory from the previous round.

Win Over Hajduk as a Wind in the Sails

Last weekend, Varaždin celebrated a 2:1 victory over Hajduk at home. Center-back Mario Mladenovski scored his first goal for the club, which was also Varaždin's first goal of the new HNL season. "I'm happy about the goal, and even more so about the win. It was a tough match, but we gave our all and kept the three points at home," Mladenovski told HRT.

That triumph gives the team extra confidence ahead of the trip to Koprivnica. "It would be great if we could confirm this hard-fought win over Hajduk with a positive result in Koprivnica. We're going to our neighbors in good spirits," said coach Šafarić, whose team has beaten Slaven Belupo in their last two meetings.

Personnel Issues and the Strength of Unity

Šafarić will not be able to count on Elvir Duraković for the first away league match of the season, while Robert Punčec has health issues. Despite the absences, the Varaždin coach believes in his team, especially emphasizing that most of the players have stayed together. "I think our advantage is unity and the fact that we've mostly stayed together, so we know each other well. With that approach, we'll enter the match from the first minute," he stressed.

Opponent with New Faces

The Koprivnica side made quite a few changes to their squad during the summer. Šafarić estimates that Slaven Belupo now has three or four new players in the starting lineup, but he doesn't expect major changes in their style of play. "They've brought in players who fit their style, so there are no big changes. We respect them, as we do every opponent. Every match is a new test, and there's no room for complacency," Šafarić concluded.

Mladenovski: We're Going for Points

Center-back Mladenovski is aware of the challenge that an away game against the neighbors brings. "Now we face a new challenge, the neighboring derby against Slaven Belupo. We know what to expect. They're a team that always plays well at home, but we're going to Koprivnica to give our all, hoping to return home with points," the Macedonian player emphasized for HRT.

Šafarić concluded by saying there's no room for emotions and that the focus must be on the performance from the first minute. "We have to control ourselves, and I think there's no room for emotions here. Maximum focus from the first minute must be on our performance," said the Varaždin coach ahead of the trip to Koprivnica.