Dinamo's footballers play the return leg of the Champions League third qualifying round on Tuesday, August 11, 2026. After a convincing victory in Zagreb, the Blues aim to confirm their passage to the playoff in Kaunas.
Dinamo Zagreb's footballers will take the final step towards the Champions League playoff in Lithuania today. In the return leg of the third qualifying round, they will face hosts Kauno Žalgiris at the Steponas Darius and Stasys Girenas Stadium, with the match kicking off at 7 PM. The referee will be 45-year-old Italian Davide Massa.
Recall, the first leg at Maksimir was a complete debacle for the Lithuanian side. Dinamo won 5-0, practically securing their place in the next round already then. Today, a calmer match is expected, where the Croatian champions will confirm their superiority.
Dinamo coach Mario Kovačević has announced a serious approach despite the huge advantage from the first leg.
"Everyone is healthy, and that's important. Our desire is to play another good European match at this beautiful stadium in Vilnius. Also, we will give our all, of course, to win it. We must be serious; it's a European match, and we'll approach it that way from the first minute,"Kovačević said for ZG Portal.
He added that he expects a different resistance from the hosts. "Surely, the home side will be braver and more determined on their own turf than they were at Maksimir. In that first match, we showed we are better, and we want to confirm that in the return leg."
Although advancement to the next round is almost secured, Kovačević does not plan to underestimate the opponent. He emphasized that the team will play strongly, but some players who have had less playing time so far will also get a chance. "I believe we have overcome certain problems we had, and we work daily to be better. I keep repeating that we will improve as matches go by. I expect us to be at the level we strive for in the return leg as well. We won't think about the result of the first match; we want to play well again and win. That's all we care about," the coach said.
Dinamo already has a league match against Rudeš on Friday, followed by the first leg of the Champions League playoff against Norwegian side Viking next Tuesday. Due to the congested schedule, rotation is expected, but Kovačević insists on seriousness and victory.
On the other side, Kauno Žalgiris coach, Croatian expert Željko Sopić, is aware that a miracle is almost impossible.
"We know the result in Zagreb was not good, and it would be stupid to say we will come back after such a defeat. I'm not that kind of person. We must show more than we did in Zagreb. Dinamo is a level above and will probably play in the Champions League, but that's no reason for us not to put on a better performance,"Sopić said.
Still, he hasn't lost hope for a better showing from his team: "I am convinced we can play better than in Zagreb." He also called on fans to fill the stadium and enjoy the European night, noting that reaching this stage of the competition is a great success for the Lithuanian club.
Dinamo fans can follow the match on television channel MAX Sport 1. For those unable to watch the TV broadcast, intermittent reports will be available on the Second Program of Croatian Radio. Online streaming, video or live stream, is available on all usual platforms that support MAX Sport, including smartphones, tablets, computers, and Smart TV devices. A text commentary of the match can also be followed on the Index portal.
If Dinamo, which is almost certain, overcomes the Lithuanian hurdle, they will face Norwegian side Viking in the playoff, the final round of Champions League qualifiers. The team is already in Lithuania, and photos from yesterday's training, taken by club photographer Luka Stanzl, appeared on the club's social media with the message "Tuesday, but European."
