A Week of Shocks: From Baton Attacks to Dalić's New Job
The past week brought heated reactions from Hajduk legends, an unpleasant incident with a former Dinamo player in Slovenia, and a convincing victory for the Blues at Maksimir.
The past week brought heated reactions from Hajduk legends, an unpleasant incident with a former Dinamo player in Slovenia, and a convincing victory for the Blues at Maksimir.
The past week in Croatian football was rife with dramatic results, sharp comments from football greats, and unpleasant incidents that shook the domestic scene. From a shocking 95th-minute goal at Poljud, to an attack with telescopic batons on Tihomir Pejin, and all the way to Dinamo's convincing victory and the new engagement of coach Zlatko Dalić, Net.hr's sports section delivered a series of exclusive stories.
One of the most distressing pieces of news came from Osijek, where Tihomir Pejin was attacked with telescopic batons. "Honestly, I'm in shock, but the most important thing is...", Pejin told Net.hr, without going into details of the incident that unsettled the sports public.
Across the border, in Slovenia, former Dinamo player Fran Tomek had an unpleasant experience. The 24-year-old midfielder, who has been wearing the Koper jersey for two seasons, revealed to Tonko Medvedec the background of a conflict with fans. "We'll break your legs, take off that jersey," Tomek recounted the words of members of the Tifozi fan group, who had previously insulted him on ethnic grounds and called him a Ustasha.
Hajduk received a cold shower on their home turf when Istra secured a point with a goal in the 95th minute. This result triggered an avalanche of comments from former players of the Whites. Celebrated striker Ardian Kozniku was direct: "They have to win now. Honestly, Hajduk doesn't have that..."
Legendary Ante 'Zonzi' Ivković added his concern: "For the first time I saw that, but Hajduk's kids are missing..." Zoran Vulić, another club legend, analyzed the situation more deeply. "The media pressure has affected Livaja, and this is the root cause of our football's problems," Vulić said for Net.hr. Croatian record holder Vjeran Simunić was also critical: "This can't go on any longer; we shouldn't have lost this player."
A completely different mood prevails at Maksimir. Dinamo thrashed Kauno Žalgiris 5-0, and former Blues player Dražen Besek had warned before the match: "Sopić knows Dinamo well, but this is the most important thing." After the match, former Vatreni Robert Špehar did not spare words of praise for one player: "They say he's old, that's nonsense. It's time for him to play for Croatia."
Marijo Tot added an optimistic forecast: "I expect Dinamo in the Champions League, and one player is a true leader. He makes the difference."
The news that echoed through Croatian football is the new job of coach Zlatko Dalić, who accepted a lucrative offer. Igor Pamić commented on the decision: "They will love and appreciate Dalić there, and for that money, Croatia will look good from afar."
The coach himself also touched on a boxing topic, commenting on Itauma: "New Tyson? Nonsense, he fought against nobodies. Hrga is a warrior."
In the first leg of the Conference League third qualifying round, Rijeka celebrated a minimal victory against Ilves at Rujevica, but renowned coach Dragan Skočić warned that a serious challenge lies ahead. "They are like an airplane designed in flight," Skočić vividly described Kek's team.
Osijek, on the other hand, shone in the domestic league by scoring six goals against Rudeš, with Omerović netting a hat-trick. Ivo Smoje praised the direction the club is taking: "The results are brilliant, and the club increasingly has an Osijek and Slavonian identity." The club legend added: "We are surprised, and he is an incredible copy of Mierez."
In a special edition of "Career After Career," former Croatian Olympian Vedrana Malec shared her experience and gave valuable advice: "Life led me in a different direction."
