Kauno Žalgiris coach Željko Sopić did not hide his emotions after the return leg in Kaunas. Although his team lost 2:1 to Dinamo, he said he was proud of his players and revealed his deep connection with the Maksimir club.
Dinamo defeated Lithuanian side Kauno Žalgiris in the return leg of the Champions League third qualifying round. On August 11, 2026, the Zagreb side celebrated a 2:1 victory in Kaunas, confirming their place in the play-off with an aggregate score of 7:1. However, the match took on a special note when the home team's coach, Zagreb native Željko Sopić, spoke about his feelings towards the 'Modri'.
Sopić, who once worked at Dinamo, did not hide his emotions despite another defeat. He emphasized that this is a unique moment in his coaching career.
"I'm satisfied with how brave we were; today I'm proud of my team, even though we lost. This is probably the first time in my career that I'm proud of a team after a loss. Dinamo is my first and last love; it wasn't easy for me to play against Dinamo. I'm from Zagreb, and I worked at the club; I know all the Bad Blue Boys songs,"
said Sopić, as reported by Tportal. Novi list notes that the Croatian expert also previously coached Rijeka.
Although his team had a man advantage after a Dinamo player was sent off, Sopić admitted it wasn't enough for a comeback. He stressed that he is aware of the difference in quality and that such matches are a rarity for Lithuanian football.
"In Lithuania, you can only watch teams like this on TV or abroad. Of course, it was easier for us after the red card, but we were very brave. If I had made different decisions during the match, maybe we would have been closer to a second goal. But it's not easy to solve all these problems that could arise in such a tight schedule. I always look for the best solution for my team; this time it was to stay healthy, because more important matches await us now,"
Sopić explained.
He also commented on what likely awaits his team in the Europa League play-off, a clash against Turkish side Beşiktaş. He vividly explained the comparison with Dinamo in his own way.
"I'll explain it to you in basketball terms; for us, they are the Chicago Bulls. They have thousands of passionate fans, but I'm happy to be part of such a match. It's not just a big match for this club, but also for me as a coach, the biggest of my career. Can we compare Beşiktaş and Dinamo? Dinamo will never be able to bring in a player like Beşiktaş brought in Trossard from Arsenal; I think that says it all,"
Sopić concluded.
While Sopić prepares his team for new challenges, Dinamo turns its attention to the next hurdle on the road to the Champions League. After eliminating Kauno Žalgiris, the 'Modri' will face Norwegian side Viking FK in the play-off. The match is scheduled for August 18, 2026, at 9 PM at Maksimir Stadium.
The club has announced all ticket sale details via social media. The pre-sale for members begins on Wednesday, August 12, at 11 AM and lasts until Thursday, August 13, at 11:59 PM. General sale starts on Friday, August 14, at 11 AM and will continue until match day, August 18, at 9:45 PM. Ticket prices range from €12 for the North lower tier, exclusively for members, to €28 for the West lower tier for other fans. Season ticket holders can release their seats via the online service until August 18 at 12 PM, and to speed up entry into the stadium, the club asks fans to use the QR code display feature in the 'My Tickets' section.
