Dinamo is on the brink of the Champions League after demolishing Kauno Žalgiris 5-0, and the return leg in Lithuania will be a chance for bench players. Coach Kovačević and chief Boban know that a hellish playoff against Norwegian Viking awaits, and in the meantime, the departure of one of the key strikers has been confirmed.
Dinamo's footballers will merely go through the motions in Kaunas on Tuesday. The return leg of the Champions League qualifier against Lithuanian champions Kauno Žalgiris carries no uncertainty after the Zagreb clash ended in a convincing 5-0 win for the Croatian champions. The quality gap between Croatian and Lithuanian football was more than evident, and it was confirmed a day later by Hajduk, who also scored five goals against Dinamo's rival from Vilnius.
The huge advantage from the first match allows coach Kovačević to field a mixed lineup in Lithuania. Players who are usually far from the starting eleven will get their opportunity, which is an ideal situation for fine-tuning and testing squad depth ahead of the season's most important test. Dinamo had a quiet week before the away trip as the match against Rijeka was postponed due to mutual European commitments, so Kovačević had enough time in training to bring the team to optimal condition.
Once Kauno Žalgiris is officially eliminated, Dinamo will face Norwegian side Viking in the playoff for a spot in the Champions League. Norwegian football is experiencing noticeable growth, and last season Bodo/Glimt played brilliantly in the Champions League, clearly showing that the Blues are in for a tough task. Securing a place in the elite competition would bring the club a massive financial boost, the opportunity to further strengthen the squad, and an increase in the value of all players.
Dinamo's chief Zvonimir Boban is aware of what the Champions League would mean for the club, but also for him personally. Although criticism of coach Kovačević continues to surface, with claims that Dinamo is too big for him, Boban has given him his support. Reaching the Champions League would erase all that and confirm the correctness of Boban's decision to stick with Kovačević despite the pressure.
In the meantime, Dinamo has officially confirmed the departure of Mounsef Bakrar. The former Dinamo striker will continue his career at Egyptian club Al Ahly. "You thought we forgot, but how could we forget 18 goals in a season?" the club posted on social media, along with a farewell message: "Dear Baki, thank you for everything!" Bakrar scored 18 goals in the season and was one of the key players in the attack.
