After a 1:1 draw in the first leg, Dinamo plays the return leg of the Champions League second qualifying round against Thun on Tuesday evening, with referee Radoslav Gidzhenov, known for a controversy from the 2022 HNL season.
GNK Dinamo on Tuesday, July 28, 2026 at 8:00 PM at Maksimir plays one of the most important matches of the season start. The return leg of the Champions League second qualifying round against Swiss side Thun comes after a 1:1 result in the first match, and the Blues seek advancement to the third qualifying round in front of their fans. According to Lika Online, UEFA has appointed Bulgarian referee Radoslav Gidzhenov for this match.
The name of this Bulgarian official is not unknown to the Croatian public. In 2022, Gidzhenov became the first foreign head referee to officiate a SuperSport HNL match. At that time, the Croatian Football Federation (HNS) and the Bulgarian Football Union agreed on an exchange, and Gidzhenov refereed the match between Gorica and Varaždin. However, instead of football, the refereeing was the talk: Gorica was denied a penalty, and the HNS Referee Commission publicly confirmed a few days later that it was an error. As Lika Online reports, it is precisely that confirmation of the mistake that is why many fans remember the Bulgarian referee.
Despite that poor performance, Gidzhenov's career continued to grow. Since 2023, he has held a FIFA license and belongs to UEFA's First Category, just below the elite group. He has officiated Champions League qualifiers, Europa League, Conference League, and national team matches. UEFA therefore considers him capable enough for high-pressure matches, even though a part of the Croatian audience remembers him for entirely different reasons.
Besides refereeing, Gidzhenov has also been interesting to Bulgarian tabloids, which dubbed him a "playboy among referees," reports Lika Online. Bulgarian media wrote about his fashion style, grooming habits, and nightlife, with particular attention drawn to his relationships with former tennis player Ellis Kostova and model and fitness trainer Teodora Beatrice. But at Maksimir, of course, only the refereeing will matter.
Dinamo played a 1:1 draw in the first match in Switzerland and missed several chances for a better result. Now, in front of their home crowd, the team seeks a victory that would lead to the third qualifying round of the Champions League. The return leg is on Tuesday, July 28, 2026 at 8:00 PM at Maksimir Stadium.
Alongside Gidzhenov, the entire officiating team comes from Bulgaria: assistants Miroslav Maksimov and Petar Mitrev, fourth official Dimitar Dimitrov, and in the VAR room will be Dragomir Draganov and Nikola Popov. Whether after the final whistle the main story will be Dinamo's advancement or another refereeing controversy, the evening at Maksimir will tell.
