Croatian Football Season 2022/2023
Nenad Bjelica is finally sacked by Osijek. What makes it weird is that it didn't happen earlier when they lost to Kyzylzhar and then went 5 games in a row without a win in the league, sinking to the bottom of the table, but then it happened one day after they beat Hajduk which ended the poor run of results and performances. Such a weird club...
The Croatian league is looking very weird, such a huge gap between the first place and the other teams so early in the season...
Well, Hajduk played less games, so they can cut the gap somewhat.
Well, Hajduk played less games, so they can cut the gap somewhat.
1. Dinamo 8 7 1 0 27 10 +17 22
2. Slaven 8 4 2 2 7 11 -4 14
3. Hajduk 6 4 0 2 13 8 +5 12
4. Varaždin 8 3 3 2 11 11 0 12
5. Lokomot. 8 3 0 5 13 14 -1 9
6. Osijek 8 2 3 3 10 13 -3 9
7. Šibenik 8 1 5 2 6 7 -1 8
8. Istra 1961 8 2 2 4 7 11 -4 8
9. Gorica 7 1 2 4 7 11 -4 5
10. Rijeka 7 1 2 4 6 11 -5 5
The championship is already decided, Dinamo is ahead of the rest of the league. Hajduk will probably be the second, and the rest are very evenly matched. An interesting fight for survival awaits us, as well as for 2 places in the ECL qualifications.
2. Slaven 8 4 2 2 7 11 -4 14
3. Hajduk 6 4 0 2 13 8 +5 12
4. Varaždin 8 3 3 2 11 11 0 12
5. Lokomot. 8 3 0 5 13 14 -1 9
6. Osijek 8 2 3 3 10 13 -3 9
7. Šibenik 8 1 5 2 6 7 -1 8
8. Istra 1961 8 2 2 4 7 11 -4 8
9. Gorica 7 1 2 4 7 11 -4 5
10. Rijeka 7 1 2 4 6 11 -5 5
The championship is already decided, Dinamo is ahead of the rest of the league. Hajduk will probably be the second, and the rest are very evenly matched. An interesting fight for survival awaits us, as well as for 2 places in the ECL qualifications.
Only two teams have a positive goal difference - Dinamo (+17) and Hajduk (+5).
Slaven Belupo is on second place with a goal difference of -4 and only 7 scored goals in 8 games. 10 of their 11 conceded goals came from two 5-1 defeats (to both Dinamo and Hajduk).
Meanwhile, Serse Cosmi took over the coaching position in Rijeka to try to save them from relegation.
Slaven Belupo is on second place with a goal difference of -4 and only 7 scored goals in 8 games. 10 of their 11 conceded goals came from two 5-1 defeats (to both Dinamo and Hajduk).
Meanwhile, Serse Cosmi took over the coaching position in Rijeka to try to save them from relegation.
Without the safety net of NK Hrvatski Dragovoljac, Rijeka will have to put some effort to evade relegation
It sure won't be boring with the guy like Cosmi at the helm. Though I'd be surprised if he lasts until the end of the season.
Last edited by nogomet on Mon Sep 05, 2022 13:59, edited 1 time in total.
Big return of Bruno Petkovic to the national team, he's had a very good summer for Dinamo. If he can keep this up and rise at least partially to the level he reached in 2019, this would be a major improvement of our attacking options.
Vida and Lovren are still somehow among the 25, taking advantage of Caleta-Car and Pongracic losing their form.
Ideal squad at this moment is:
----------------- Ivusic -------------------
Juranovic - Sutalo - Gvardiol - Sosa
--------- Modric - Brozovic -------------
----- Majer - Kovacic - Perisic ----------
--------------Kramaric (or Petkovic) -------
Vida and Lovren are still somehow among the 25, taking advantage of Caleta-Car and Pongracic losing their form.
Ideal squad at this moment is:
----------------- Ivusic -------------------
Juranovic - Sutalo - Gvardiol - Sosa
--------- Modric - Brozovic -------------
----- Majer - Kovacic - Perisic ----------
--------------Kramaric (or Petkovic) -------
What happened to Rijeka? They were competitive last season.
They lost all key players and the coach during the summer because many of them were on loan or had contracts that expire soon so they had to sell. The ones they brought in were not in good physical shape, plus the new coach had very little experience and was obviously not the calibre to lead a big club (in domestic terms) like Rijeka.
Turns out Rijeka had an agreement with Matjaz Kek to return to the coaching position in early June, but right before the start of the training camp he got COVID that got complicated, so they decided to sign domestic coach Tadic, which turned out a very bad decision.
In the derby, the clash between the new coaches of Rijeka and Osijek, Serse Cosmi vs Rene Poms 0:3. With this victory, Osijek rose to fourth place in the HNL, and Rijeka cemented itself even more at the bottom. Cosmi praised Rijeka's Armada and its cheering even when they were losing 0:3, but also criticized the character of his players, whom he called scared. The plan is to suffer as little damage as possible until the break, and then make significant moves in the club.
This shows that the problem in Rijeka is not the coaches, but the playing staff!
Dinamo barely beat Gorica with a goal from Oršić in stoppage time!
# Klub Uk Pob Ner Por G+ G- GR Bod
1. Dinamo 9 8 1 0 28 10 +18 25
2. Slaven 8 4 2 2 7 11 -4 14
3. Hajduk 7 4 1 2 14 9 +5 13
4. Osijek 9 3 3 3 13 13 0 12
5. Varaždin 8 3 3 2 11 11 0 12
6. Lokomotiva 8 3 0 5 13 14 -1 9
7. Šibenik 9 1 6 2 7 8 -1 9
8. Istra 1961 8 2 2 4 7 11 -4 8
9. Gorica 8 1 2 5 7 12 -5 5
10. Rijeka 8 1 2 5 6 14 -8 5
This shows that the problem in Rijeka is not the coaches, but the playing staff!
Dinamo barely beat Gorica with a goal from Oršić in stoppage time!# Klub Uk Pob Ner Por G+ G- GR Bod
1. Dinamo 9 8 1 0 28 10 +18 25
2. Slaven 8 4 2 2 7 11 -4 14
3. Hajduk 7 4 1 2 14 9 +5 13
4. Osijek 9 3 3 3 13 13 0 12
5. Varaždin 8 3 3 2 11 11 0 12
6. Lokomotiva 8 3 0 5 13 14 -1 9
7. Šibenik 9 1 6 2 7 8 -1 9
8. Istra 1961 8 2 2 4 7 11 -4 8
9. Gorica 8 1 2 5 7 12 -5 5
10. Rijeka 8 1 2 5 6 14 -8 5
Rijeka plays Šibenik at home next. At least that they should win, because in other case...
UEFA - We care about money. Pravda za Kolubaru!
# Klub Uk Pob Ner Por G+ G- GR Bod
1. Dinamo 9 8 1 0 28 10 +18 25
2. Varaždin 9 4 3 2 13 12 +1 15
3. Slaven Belupo 9 4 2 3 7 14 -7 14
4. Hajduk 7 4 1 2 14 9 +5 13
5. Osijek 9 3 3 3 13 13 0 12
6. Istra 1961 9 3 2 4 10 11 -1 11
7. Šibenik 9 1 6 2 7 8 -1 9
8. Lokomotiva 9 3 0 6 14 16 -2 9
9. Gorica 8 1 2 5 7 12 -5 5
10. Rijeka 8 1 2 5 6 14 -8 5
Rijeka is currently the weakest, it is unlikely that it can beat Šibenik as well.Never a more even league and it is very difficult to predict who might be relegated. Rijeka will definitely strengthen significantly in the winter transfer window, Gorica outplayed Dinamo and unfortunately lost, they are much better than the point standings seem. Who would have thought that Rijeka, Gorica and Lokomotiva would be at the bottom after 1/4 of the championship?
Slaven-Istria 0:3
Lokomotiva-Varaždin 1:2
It is realistic to expect that the first 3 places will be occupied by Dinamo, Hajduk and the rising Osijek. With this victory, Varaždin moved to second place, they are playing the most beautiful football and I think they have the most chances for Europe behind this trio.
Hajduk sacked Valdas Dambrauskas.
A bonehead move. What did they expect from him - to beat Villarreal? To be an equal opponent to Dinamo who has 3x more money than them and has significantly invested into the squad during the summer?
Dambrauskas won the Cup - the first trophy for Hajduk since 2013. Dambrauskas won the second place in the league - the first for Hajduk in a decade. Dambrauskas knocked out Vitoria Guimaraes - Hajduk's first qualification against a seeded opponent since 2010. Not enough it seems.
A bonehead move. What did they expect from him - to beat Villarreal? To be an equal opponent to Dinamo who has 3x more money than them and has significantly invested into the squad during the summer?
Dambrauskas won the Cup - the first trophy for Hajduk since 2013. Dambrauskas won the second place in the league - the first for Hajduk in a decade. Dambrauskas knocked out Vitoria Guimaraes - Hajduk's first qualification against a seeded opponent since 2010. Not enough it seems.