Qualification for the third qualifying round of the Champions League sparked heated reactions from fans, while Slaven Belupo announces the start of the HNL season, and Dinamo unveils a white kit after 21 years.
GNK Dinamo Zagreb secured a place in the third qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League after a dramatic return leg at Maksimir against Swiss side FC Thun. Following a 1:1 draw in the first leg, the Blues found themselves in serious trouble when the visitors took a 2:0 lead in the first half. The final 3:2 result brought celebrations, but also guaranteed at least a spot in the Conference League and a minimum of €3.695 million in UEFA revenue, writes Zagreb.info.
That amount consists of a fixed fee of €175,000 for the qualifying round played and a guaranteed €3.17 million for participation in the league phase of the Conference League.
Fans did not hide their dissatisfaction with what they saw, especially the performance in the first half. On the Facebook page of Zagreb.info, sharp comments piled up. "First half was terrible! The Blues got through, yes, but it can't go on like this if they want to reach the Champions League," one reader wrote.
Others doubted the outcome would have been different if the opponent hadn't received a red card. "All good, only I wonder if the match would have ended the same way without the Swiss player's sending off," read one comment. Some fans were already looking ahead to the upcoming domestic championship with specific lineup wishes: "I hope that against Slaven the center-backs will be Galešić and Radeljić, and the midfield line Mišić, Miha, and Stojko."
Ahead of the new season, Dinamo also unveiled the away kit lineup that will evoke nostalgia among fans. The reserve kit for the Maksimir club is once again classic, all white with blue details, which hasn't happened since the summer of 2005, reports Sportske novosti. Last season the away kit was a light gray shade, while white had only occasionally appeared as part of the reserve kit in the 2020/21 and 2022/23 seasons.
The new HNL season begins on Thursday, July 31, 2026, and Slaven Belupo will visit Dinamo at Maksimir at 8 PM. Farmaceuta coach Mario Gregurina spoke at a press conference on July 30 about expectations from the rejuvenated squad and the state of the roster. "I congratulate Dinamo on their advancement. Of course, we watched the match. An extremely demanding match awaits us against the best Croatian team. We have one more training session and we will prepare as best we can," he is quoted by Podravski list.
Gregurina also revealed two primary goals for the season: stabilizing results to avoid a relegation battle and secure a mid-table position, and developing young players, which is the club's long-term livelihood. "We are in a transition period; we were a bit too old over the past two years. The guys will need a period of adaptation to the city, to certain principles, and to the speed of events on the pitch, but I am confident they will reach a serious level," he added.
Regarding the squad, new player Itsuki Urata should be ready for the match despite a mild viral infection. Another newcomer, Icelandic Arnor Gauti Jonsson, arrived from Breidablik where the season is ongoing, but he will need to adapt to natural grass and temperatures of 35 degrees Celsius, as opposed to 10 or 15 degrees in Iceland. Injured Grgić and captain Božić are expected back in about ten days, the coach announced.
The biggest unknown remains the condition of midfielder Caimacov, whose injury is puzzling even for doctors. "Believe me, I don't even know, and neither do the doctors. It's something rare. He even went to Germany to doctors who encountered this type of injury for the first time. It's a big question mark, and I'm afraid we won't see him on the pitch anytime soon, unfortunately," Gregurina said for Podravski list.
