Former Croatian international Goran Vlaović analyzed the first match of the Champions League third qualifying round between Dinamo and Kauno Žalgiris for RTL Danas, while Petar Bosančić revealed Sopić's tactics.
Zagreb's Maksimir stadium hosts the first leg of the Champions League third qualifying round tonight, as Dinamo welcomes Lithuanian side Kauno Žalgiris. The match kicks off at 8 PM, with the return leg scheduled a week later in Lithuania at 7 PM. Ahead of the clash, former Croatian footballer Goran Vlaović told RTL Danas that the Blues must adopt an attacking approach.
In a conversation with RTL reporter Marija Krolo, Vlaović was clear about the approach he expects from Mario Kovačević's side. "How? Well, given that the first leg is at home, of course-attacking. It would be good to build a lead that gives us a smoother journey there and less nerves; I believe we have the quality for that," Vlaović said.
He also reflected on Dinamo's European campaign so far this season, which has been far from easy. "Not much time has passed, and it's a fact that the two European matches were quite stressful. From a fan's perspective, we were the better team in both, but the results were quite 'scrappy.' Ultimately, both matches ended in draws, and we only managed to decide the winner in extra time of a long contest. I hope that won't be the case tonight," he added.
On the visitors' bench sits Croatian coach Željko Sopić, who managed to include two high-profile reinforcements on UEFA's list at the last moment-former Hajduk midfielder Anthony Kalik and experienced striker Gabriel Debeljuh, who has previously scored against Dinamo while playing for Romanian side Cluj. Both new signings trained at Maksimir and are in contention for the squad.
Petar Bosančić, a former Hajduk defender who has been playing in Lithuanian football for a year and a half, previewed the match for Sport Klub. He warned of the danger of counter-attacks. "Before Sopić, they often struggled with a low block, but against Dinamo, they might just play that way and try to catch them on the break. We lost to them at home 3-0-we dominated the first half, but one counter-attack broke the game open, and it went in a different direction," Bosančić said.
He also noted that Sopić knows Kovačević's team inside out. "It won't be easy; Sopić knows everything about Kovačević's side, he'll have extra motivation, and he'll surely pass that on to his players."
If Dinamo advances, they will face Norwegian side Viking in the Champions League play-off round. The first legs of that round are scheduled for August 18 and 19, 2026, with return legs on August 25 and 26. If they are eliminated by Kauno Žalgiris, the Blues drop into the Europa League play-off round, where they would face the winner of the tie between Czech side Hradec Králové and Turkish club Beşiktaş.
Coach Mario Kovačević has decided to field the following lineup: Filipović, Valinčić, Dominguez, McKenna, Perez Vinlöf, Stojković, Mišić, Zajc, Lisica, Beljo, Hoxha. On the other side, Sopić has sent out: Švedkauskas, Moutachy, Tolordava, Lekiatas, Konatar, Baldassarra, Ourega, Slivka, Benchaib, Kreković, Oliveira. Belgian referee Erik Lambrechts will officiate the match.