As blame is sought for another away collapse and a painful European elimination, questions about squad quality, transfer policy, and the work of the management led by Ivan Bilić come to the forefront.
Football fans are rightly asking uncomfortable questions after Hajduk opened the new HNL season with a defeat in Varaždin (1:2). What is particularly concerning is that the team from Poljud, which also played a European match on Thursday, looked completely exhausted, while Varaždin, with a five-times smaller wage budget, ran fresher and deservedly celebrated.
According to financial reports, Hajduk spent €12.95 million on player wages in 2025, while Varaždin's budget for the same item was only €2.37 million. That huge difference was nowhere near visible on the pitch, which further fuels doubts about the quality and depth of the Split squad.
After five matches in the new season, Hajduk has a record of two wins and three losses. Both wins came at Poljud, while all three away games ended in defeat. Particularly painful was the European elimination by Pafos (0:4) in Limassol, which left deep scars on the team.
According to Slobodna Dalmacija, the problem is not just current fatigue. "The formula of this team is young players plus second-tier foreign signings, plus a few veterans. The result is a team that looked completely lost in all three away matches this season." The club is facing a chronic lack of quality and a winning mentality, which is especially evident in numerous unforced errors on the road.
Interestingly, Varaždin coach Nikola Šafarić has recorded three wins in nine head-to-head meetings against Gonzalo Garcia's teams (including when Garcia led Istra 1961), while the current Hajduk coach has won only once. This statistic further highlights the tactical inferiority of the Split side in this matchup, despite all financial advantages.
Slobodna Dalmacija raises a key question: is a five-times larger player budget worth just one higher league position and one more qualifying round in Europe? Last season, Hajduk finished second with 14 points more than third-placed Varaždin, and in the Conference League, they were eliminated in the third qualifying round by Albania's Dinamo City. Varaždin was knocked out in the second round by Portugal's Santa Clara.
Sporting director Robert Graf, according to sources, is searching for reinforcements across Europe with an empty wallet, while coach Garcia is crying out for new players after half of last season's spine left the club. In situations where the game's tempo needs changing, players like Brruti and talents Hodak and Huram remain on the bench.
Questions are also increasingly directed at club president Ivan Bilić, who has been at the helm of Hajduk for over two years. Since his arrival, financial problems have been constantly discussed, the quality of the team has declined, and so have realistic ambitions. During his tenure, money has also been spent, and it's not just about the inherited budget from former president Lukša Jakobušić.
Jutarnji list highlights that Hajduk faces blows from which it won't recover easily, and coach Garcia urgently needs to find solutions to at least two burning issues before the next match.
Hajduk will already travel to Lithuania on Thursday, August 6, 2026, to face Žalgiris in the third qualifying round of the Conference League. The hosts are rested and fully prepared for this clash, as they postponed their city derby with Kauno Žalgiris to fully focus on the Split side. Given the current state of the dressing room and on the pitch, the Whites face an extremely tough away match.
