May 30, 2023 - 19-year-old Hajduk player Niko Sigur has chosen to represent Croatia. The young footballer is on Dragan Skočić's preliminary list for the U-21 European Championship.
Niko Kristian Sigur was born in Canada, where he grew up and played football until the beginning of 2022. He then moved to NK Radomlje, a partner club of Hajduk, and then to the Hajduk Academy. This spring, he played for the first team as the right back and can also be a defensive midfielder.
Due to his dual citizenship, Sigur could have played for the national teams of Croatia or Canada. After speaking with the technical director of the A and U-21 national team, Stipe Pletikosa, Sigur and his family decided he would represent Croatia.
"Croatia is my family's homeland, so I want to wear that beautiful Croatian jersey in the future. I appreciate and love Canada, where I lived and grew up playing football, but I feel that this is the right and best decision. I thank the Croatian Football Federation for expressing the desire to have me play for Croatia and Hajduk for the opportunity to help me develop as a football player in Croatia. And also to my family for the great support I feel every day. I am looking forward to representing Croatia, a true world football superpower," said Sigur.
"Of course, we are thrilled with the decision of Niko Sigur and his family, and we welcome him to the Croatian football family. In a short time, he has shown high quality; he plays very disciplined and maturely, with technical quality, which, in addition to his physical characteristics, makes him serious national team potential. Through pleasant conversation with Niko and his family, I was convinced that he is a responsible, mature and ambitious young man who is determined to become a top footballer and with a great desire to approach playing for the Croatia national team," stated the technical director of the A and U-21 national team, Stipe Pletikosa.
Source: HNS
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May 26, 2023 - Hajduk will meet Šibenik in the last round of SuperSport HNL on Sunday, and apart from this being the last match of the season, it carries even more significance as Hajduk goalkeeper and the 2018 World Cup silver medalist Danijel Subašić will say goodbye to his football career.
This is the second time that Subašić played for Hajduk. He first arrived on loan from Zadar in the summer of 2008, and later Hajduk bought out his contract. After that, Subašić moved to Monaco in January 2012 and won the French championship in 2017. He was also named the best goalkeeper of the French championship that same year, reports Index.hr.
He returned to Hajduk in September 2021 as a 36-year-old. In total, he made 132 appearances for the Split club. He has not played in goal this season, and it is unknown whether he will defend against Šibenik in his farewell. With the Croatia national team, he won the silver medal at the World Cup in 2018 and was one of their key players.
Hajduk invited all fans to come dressed in white to Poljud on Sunday.
"We invite all fans, members and season ticket holders, sponsors and friends of the Club and all those who have Hajduk in their hearts to fill the Poljud stands to the last seat. Let's all dress in white shirts and come see off the old season and wish the team and the Club good luck in the new one. Because Hajduk makes us happy, regardless of everything else we are doing and where we are."
To celebrate winning the SuperSport Croatian Football Cup, Hajduk is also organizing an exciting entertainment program that will start on Sunday at 10 am.
From 10 am to 4 pm, all fans can take photos with the Cup trophy, the same one that Hajduk lifted again in Rijeka against Šibenik. The trophy will be set up under the eastern stand.
A DJ will be in charge of warming up the atmosphere from noon. Prize games are also organized in the amusement park for children and mascot Rico will join the Fan Zone from 2 pm. Then, from 4:15 pm, singer Jasna Zlokić and other surprise guests will raise the atmosphere for all generations of fans at Poljud. Hajduk and Šibenik kick off at 5 pm.
Source: Hajduk
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May 24, 2023 - Hajduk beat Sibenik 2-0 at Rujevica Stadium on Wednesday in the Croatian Cup final! It's the first time the Split club has celebrated the Croatian Cup trophy back to back.
We're in the final week of the SuperSport HNL season week, and with that, we get to see who will celebrate the SuperSport Croatian Football Cup ahead of the 36th round played this weekend. Hajduk and Šibenik met in the final from 19:00 at Rujevica in Rijeka. Interestingly, the two teams also meet in the final round of the league on Sunday. Hajduk has already clinched second place, while Šibenik has been relegated from first league football.
Hajduk was the big favorite and has also been in great form. They haven't conceded a goal in six games, nor have they lost. The Cup final was also unique for Hajduk. It was the first time in eighteen years that Hajduk had the opportunity to win the trophy two seasons in a row.
Hajduk had loud support from the stands. Most of the east stand was filled with fans from Split, while the north stand was reserved for Šibenik fans who bought only a few hundred tickets for the final. Rujevica was thus not sold out, and around 6,500 fans were in attendance.
Regarding the lineups for each team, Hajduk was without Mikanović, Lovrencsics, and Kalik, while Šibenik could not count on Điro and Radonjić due to injuries.
Lineups
Hajduk: Lučić - Sigur, Awaziem, Ferro, Melnjak - Pukštas, Krovinović - Sahiti, Benrahou, Mlakar - Livaja
Šibenik: Đaković - Kvržić, Perić, Kvesić, Mina - Đorić, Soldo - Arai, Hiroš, Dolček - Špeljak
Match report
Hajduk found the back of the net in the 4th minute, but Mlakar's goal was disallowed after VAR. Hajduk completely dominated Sibenik so far at Rujevica.
Hajduk continued to dominate, but they didn't have any great opportunities in the next 20 minutes. On the other hand, Šibenik, now in the second division, held their own at Rujevica.
Hajduk had two great chances in the 39th minute. Mlakar was one on one with the keeper, who brilliantly saved before the ball went out for a corner. Livaja just missed the goal off the corner.
A minute of stoppage time was played, and the first half ended 0-0.
Hajduk put on the pressure in the first few minutes of the second half, but Melnjak missed an open goal.
Hajduk had their 8th corner in the 56th minute, and Livaja headed to the right of the goal. Sibenik had 0 corners at this point.
And then it happened. Benrahou shot into Šibenik's defense. After the rebound, the ball reached Melnjak, who scored for Hajduk and the 1-0 lead in the 63rd minute!
Sibenik held their own to not concede another goal, but Hajduk's defense remained solid and tried to get their second.
Four minutes of stoppage time were added.
And Hajduk was awarded a penalty in the final minutes off a Pukstas foul in the box! Livaja scored for 2-0!
The match ended 2-0 for Hajduk, winning the Croatian Cup trophy for the second consecutive time!
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April 30, 2023 - With a 0-0 draw against Hajduk at Poljud, Dinamo becomes the 2022/23 Croatian football champion, defending the title four rounds before the end of the 2022/23 SuperSport HNL season.
Dinamo currently has 71 points, 12 more than the second-placed Hajduk, who cannot theoretically reach Dinamo this season. Dinamo has thus secured their sixth consecutive and 24th overall national championship title.
A draw at Poljud was enough for Dinamo to become the Croatian champion once again. Dinamo maintained a 12-point advantage over second-placed Hajduk four rounds before the end, and since they have a better head-to-head this season, it is unattainable for Hajduk to catch them.
Two of the best Croatian clubs played an even game at a packed Poljud, though both teams were left without a serious chance to score.
The biggest excitement happened in the 23rd minute when Melnjak snatched the ball from Špikić about 30 meters from Dinamo's goal and then brilliantly played past Mlakar, who was at the top of the penalty area. Mlakar beat Livaković with an excellent shot into the back of the net, putting Poljud into a trance. However, the ref took his time and decided to consult VAR, which ultimately ruled the goal offside, and the game stayed 0-0.
Hajduk had more chances in the second half and was hungrier, while Dinamo was happy to play for a draw, knowing it would bring them the title. Hajduk had 47% possession compared to Dinamo's 53%, both teams had only one shot on target, with 5 total attempts for Hajduk and 8 for Dinamo.
Dinamo thus secured the Croatian Championship title with 71 points. Hajduk is safe in second place with 59 points, given that they have 14 points more than Osijek in third and 15 more than Rijeka in fourth.
The 32nd round still features Rijeka-Slaven Belupo and Lokomotiva-Gorica, who will play tomorrow. On Saturday, Istra beat Sibenik 3-0 and Osijek beat Varazdin 3-1.
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April 24, 2023 - Hajduk Juniors failed to take home the UEFA Youth League title after losing to AZ Alkmaar in the final (5-0).
It was a historic final for both teams. After beating AC Milan (3-1), Hajduk became the first Croatian club in history to reach the final of any UEFA club competition in any category. The Fair Cities Cup, won by Dinamo in 1967, was not a UEFA competition then. AZ also became the first Dutch team to play in the final of this competition. In the semi-final, they eliminated Sporting Lisbon on penalties.
Hajduk's juniors had incredible support from the stands. Over 10,000 fans occupied Geneva since morning, and the club's famous songs could be heard throughout the city.
Hajduk had a difficult journey on the way to this historic success. They kicked out Gabala and Apollonia without much difficulty before meeting European giants. Hajduk beat Shakhtar and Manchester City at Poljud and Borussia Dortmund away.
AZ Alkmaar also knocked out big teams on the way to the final, beating Eintracht Frankfurt (5-0), Barcelona (3-0), and Real Madrid (4-0).
The final tournament was initially supposed to be played in Nyon, Switzerland, but due to the great interest of the fans, UEFA moved it to Geneva and a stadium with 30,000 seats.
Lineups
Hajduk: Buljan, Š. Hrgović, Vušković, Jurić-Petrašilo, Đolonga, Capan, Kavelj, Vrcić, Pukštas, Brajković, Antunović
AZ Alkmaar: Owusu-Oduro, Goes, Beukers, Mastoras, Addai, Kwakman, Schouten, Smit, de Jong, Poku, Daal
Match report
Buljan had to make his first save in the 2nd minute, and Hajduk played nervously in the first five minutes when they finally had their first corner.
Hrgovic shot from 20 meters at the AZ keeper a few minutes later.
Buljan had to make another save in the 16th minute, and AZ had three attempts on target compared to Hajduk's one at this point in the match. By the 20th minute, AZ showed much more. They play maturely, organized, and controlled the game. Hajduk concentrated on defense and relied on counters.
Another dangerous attempt by AZ in the 30th minute saw Buljan make another flying save to keep the result 0-0. And another close call just three minutes later.
In the 44th minute, an unnecessary foul by Vuskovic in the penalty area resulted in a penalty for AZ and the 1-0 lead just before halftime.
The second half started. Meerdink entered instead of Daal, while Hajduk made no changes.
Kavelj received a yellow card in the 50th and Hajduk had a great chance in the 54th minute. Vrcić broke through on the right side and played in the middle, but Pukštas couldn't get a shot off.
AZ completely controlled the match and Hajduk waited for a counterattack. But that plan failed. Hajduk was down 3-0 by the 76th minute. And 4-0 by the 79th.
The Hajduk juniors entered the final with high expectations, but the Dutch club was superior for the entirety of the match. In the end, they deservedly celebrated. Even though the final ended 5-0, this historic success is worth celebrating, and Hajduk's young side will be welcomed in Split at 6 pm.
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April 24, 2023 - The SuperSport HNL 30th round was played from April 21 to 23, 2023. This round saw Dinamo draw against Istra, Belupo beat Osijek, and Gorica defeat Rijeka to jump from 10th to 9th place in the standings.
Lokomotiva - Sibenik (1-0)
Lokomotiva and Sibenik opened the 30th round on Friday, April 21, in Zagreb in front of 581 fans.
The only goal of the match came in the 81st minute when Tuci found the back of the net for 1-0. Lokomotiva had 61% possession and 14 total attempts compared to Sibenik's four attempts.
Lokomotiva is in 8th place with 37 points, and Sibenik has dropped to last place with 24. Lokomotiva plays Rijeka next weekend and Sibenik meets Belupo.
Slaven Belupo - Osijek (2-1)
Belupo and Osijek met on Friday in Koprivnica in front of 3,590 fans.
While the first half went without goals, Caktas made it 0-1 for Osijek in the 52nd minute. Two quick stoppage-time goals gave Belupo the win - Krstanovic scored a penalty in the 91st minute for 1-1, and Boras made it 2-1 in the 10th added minute. Belupo had 56% possession and 14 total attempts on goal, while Osijek had 20. Both teams had four shots on target.
Belupo is in 4th place with 40 points, and Osijek is in 5th with 39. Belupo meets Sibenik next, and Osijek meets Istra.
Istra 1961 - Dinamo (0-0)
Istra and Dinamo met on Saturday in Pula in front of 3,340 fans.
The game ended without goals, though Dinamo had 57% of possession and a total of 8 attempts on target compared to Istra's 7.
Dinamo remains in first place with 67 points, while Istra is in 7th with 38. Dinamo meets Varazdin next and Istra plays Osijek.
Hajduk - Varazdin (2-0)
Hajduk and Varazdin met on Saturday at Poljud Stadium in front of 10,596 fans.
Benrahou put Hajduk ahead in the 25th minute for 1-0 at the half. Sahiti scored a stunning far-post goal assisted by Benrahou in the 65th minute for the final 2-0. Possession was equal during this match, while Hajduk had 14 total attempts, of which eight were on target.
Hajduk is in 2nd place with 57 points, while Varazdin is in 6th with 39. Hajduk plays Gorica next, and Varazdin meets Dinamo.
Gorica - Rijeka (1-0)
Gorica and Rijeka closed out the 30th round on Sunday in Velika Gorica in front of 2,362 fans.
While Gorica's first goal in the 2nd minute was called offside due to VAR, Fucak made it 1-0 in the 63rd minute for the Gorica win. Rijeka had far more possession in the match at 63%, with 11 total attempts on target, too.
Gorica has now jumped to 9th place with 26 points, while Rijeka is in 3rd with 41. Gorica and Hajduk meet next, while Rijeka meets Lokomotiva.
You can check out the HNL table HERE.
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April 21, 2023 - The Hajduk Juniors side made Croatian football history tonight, beating AC Milan 3-1 in the UEFA Youth League semi-final! The young Hajduk side will play in the final on Monday against AZ Alkmaar.
Hajduk was the first Croatian club to reach the semi-finals of the Youth Champions League and the first Croatian club to reach the semi-finals of any UEFA competition since Hajduk's seniors played in the semi-finals of the UEFA Cup in the 1983/1984 season. Tonight, they continued to write history.
On their way to the UEFA Youth League finals, Hajduk knocked out football giants including Shakhtar, Manchester City, and Borussia Dortmund.
The UEFA Youth League finals are usually played at the Colovray Sports Center in Nyon, the headquarters of UEFA. This year, due to the extremely high interest of the participating clubs, the games were held at the FC Servette stadium in Geneva.
Earlier today, AZ Alkmaar beat Sporting Lisbon on penalties for a spot in the final.
Lineups
Hajduk: Buljan, Đolonga, Jurić-Petrašilo, Vušković, Š. Hrgović, Pukštas, Kavelj, Skoko, Vrcić, Antunović, Brajković
Milan: Nava, Bozzolan, Nsiala-Makengo, Coubis, Casali, Stalmach, Eletu, Zeroli, Cuenca, El Hilali, Sia
Match report
Both sides played cautiously for the first 15 or so minutes, though Hajduk had better chances. Vrcic just missed a great ball in the box from Pukstas in the 18th minute. Milan finally showed up in the 38th minute and began pressing Hajduk's defense, but Hajduk reacted well with counterattacks. The first half ended 0-0.
Everything changed in the second half. A quick goal from Vrcic in the 51st minute put Hajduk ahead, followed by a stunning header into the goal by Pukstas in the 69th. Hrgovic made it 3-0 for the Split club just 7 minutes later!
While the winner was all but confirmed at this point, Milan did find the back of the next in the 83rd minute, and Hajduk goalkeeper Buljan had to make some stellar saves to make sure that didn't happen again.
With five minutes of stoppage time added, Milan had no luck, and Hajduk advanced to their historic UEFA Youth League final on Monday!
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April 20, 2023 - The Hajduk Juniors will play in the semi-finals of the UEFA Youth League final tournament on Friday, April 21, against the young AC Milan side.
All matches are played at Servette FC stadium in Geneva. Sporting and AZ Alkmaar will play in the first semi-final match, while Hajduk will meet Milan in the second on Friday at 6 pm.
The Hajduk U19s qualified for the 'Youth Champions League' semi-finals after defeating Borussia Dortmund on penalties at Signal Iduna Park in Dortmund. Milan advanced to the semis with a 2-0 victory against Atletico Madrid.
The young Hajduk side trained at Poljud until Wednesday when UEFA's production team arrived to film a short documentary about their journey to the semi-finals and the Split club itself.
"They will follow the young Hajduk players and their activities from the last training session at Poljud stadium until the departure and landing in Switzerland, where on Friday, they will have the support of over 3,500 fans who have bought tickets for the Hajduk sector," said Index.hr earlier this week.
Hajduk coach Marijan Budimir took 24 players to compete in the final tournament: Ivan Bosančić, Borna Buljan, Davyd Fesyuk, Niko Đolonga, Mateo Jurić-Petrašilo, Luka Vušković, Boško Jemo, Marko Capan, Mate Antunović, Jere Vrcić, Roko Brajković, Šimun Hrgović, Noa Skoko, Rokas Pukštas, Domagoj Begonja, Tomislav Arković, Duje Reić, Nino Duić, Krešimir Nazor, Niko Pavić, Marin Ćalušić, Mark Hrvojević, Frane Bobanović and Ante Kavelj.
Šimun Hrgović will try to continue a series of excellent games in this elite European competition.
"Our first goal is to get to the final. I have played all the previous Youth Champions League matches, and now we have reached the semi-finals, and we are proud of that. Of course, Milan is a respectable opponent, but we want to finish this," said the young Hajduk player.
Hajduk's assistant coach Zvonimir Milić pointed out that it is an exceptional honor to represent one's club, city, and country on the big stage.
"In two seasons of the Youth Champions League, we played 12 games and were never defeated in 90 minutes. All the players are available this time, which we are thrilled and grateful for, and the fact that many fans will be cheering us on in Geneva gives us special satisfaction," said Milić.
Hajduk is the first Croatian club to reach the semi-finals of the Youth Champions League and the first from Croatia to reach the semi-finals of any UEFA competition since Hajduk's seniors played in the semi-finals of the UEFA Cup in the 1983/1984 season.
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April 10, 2023 - The SuperSport HNL 28th round was held on Friday, April 7, and Saturday, April 8, due to the Easter holiday. This round saw Igor Bišćan debut on Dinamo's bench with a victory, while the last-placed Gorica shocked Osijek, and Hajduk only took one point against Istra at Poljud.
Slaven Belupo - Varazdin (1-1)
Belupo and Varazdin opened the 28th round on Friday, April 7, 2023, in Koprivnica in front of 1,513 fans.
Crnac gave Belupo the lead in the 12th minute, a result that was held for over 90 minutes when Domjanic equalized in the 6th minute of stopped time for the final 1-1. Varazdin had 69% of possession during the match with 17 total attempts on goal, four of which were on target - the same as Belupo.
Belupo is in 6th place with 37 points, while Varazdin is in 5th with 38. Belupo plays Dinamo next, and Varazdin meets Istra.
Hajduk - Istra 1961 (2-2)
Hajduk and Istra met for the second match on Friday at Poljud in front of 14,966 fans.
Mlakar put Hajduk ahead in the 2nd minute for 1-0, but two quick goals from Istra followed. Hujber scored in the 19th minute and Bakrar in the 21st for the Istra lead. Mlakar scored his second goal just before halftime to level the result (2-2). The second half saw two players sent off - Borevkovic was shown a straight red card just one minute into the second half, while Maresic was shown his second yellow with 10 minutes to go. Hajduk scored in the 56th minute, but it was called offside after consulting VAR.
Hajduk is in 2nd place with 54 points, while Istra is in 7th with 36. Hajduk plays Rijeka next without Livaja and Krovinovic (cards), and Istra meets Varazdin.
Gorica - Osijek (2-0)
Gorica and Osijek met on Saturday, April 8, in Velika Gorica in front of 1,349 fans.
While the first half went without goals, Fucak put Gorica ahead in the 73rd minute before scoring 10 minutes later for the final 2-0. Osijek had 51% of possession during the game with 11 total attempts, while Gorica had three attempts on target, two of which ended in goals.
Gorica is in last place with 20 points, while Osijek is in 3rd with 38. Gorica plays Sibenik next, and Osijek meets Lokomotiva.
Lokomotiva - Dinamo (1-2)
Lokomotiva and Dinamo met in the second match on Saturday in front of 3,961 fans in Zagreb.
Lokomotiva took the lead thanks to Ibrahim in the 35th minute. Ivanusec equalized in the 50th minute, and Menalo made it 1-2 in the 79th. This was the first game under new Dinamo coach Igor Bišćan. Dinamo had 51% possession and 17 total attempts on goal, of which five were on target.
Lokomotiva is in 8th place with 33 points, while Dinamo is in first with 63. Lokomotiva plays Osjek next and Dinamo meets Belupo.
Rijeka - Sibenik (1-0)
Rijeka and Sibenik closed out the 28th round at Rujevica in front of 4,437 fans.
While the first half went without goals, Frigan gave Rijeka the win in the 48th minute. Rijeka dominated the match with 67% of possession and 15 total attempts on goal.
Rijeka is in 4th place with 38 points, while Sibenik is in 9th with 24. Rijeka plays Hajdyk next and Sibenik meets Gorica.
You can check out the HNL table HERE.
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April 3, 2023 - The SuperSport HNL 27th round was played from March 31 to April 2, 2023. The round of 1-1 draws also featured a crucial win for Hajduk, now just 7 points behind Dinamo in the first place.
Slaven Belupo - Istra 1961 (2-0)
Belupo and Istra opened the 27th round on Friday, March 31, in Koprivnica in front of 593 fans.
Mudrazija put Belupo ahead in the 39th minute for 1-0. Krstanovic made it 2-0 in the 73rd minute, which is how the game ended. Surprisingly, Belupo only had 35% possession during the match, but a total of 13 attempts on goal, five of which were on target.
Belupo is currently in 5th place with 36 points, while Istra is in 7th with 35. Belupo meets Varazdin next weekend, and Istra meets Hajduk.
Gorica - Dinamo (1-1)
Gorica and Dinamo met on Saturday, April 1, in Velika Gorica in front of 4,084 fans.
After a scoreless first half, Ljubicic put Dinamo ahead in the 60th minute for 0-1. Mitrovic equalized in the 85th minute for the final 1-1. Dinamo had 60% possession during the match and 14 total attempts, with four on target, while Gorica had 15 total attempts and seven on target.
Gorica is in last place with 17 points, while Dinamo is in first with 60. Gorica plays Osijek next, and Dinamo meets Lokomotiva.
Sibenik - Hajduk (2-3)
Sibenik and Hajduk met on Saturday, April 1, in Sibenik in front of 2,718 fans.
A goal from Livaja in the 45th minute made it 0-1 for Hajduk at halftime. Mlakar and Pukstas made it 0-3 for Hajduk by the 60th minute. Dolcek returned with a goal for 1-3 in the 63rd minute and Kvrzic for the final 2-3 in the 90th. Sibenik had 54% of possession and 13 total attempts compared to Hajduk's 14 total attempts and eight on target.
Sibenik is in 9th place with 24 points, while Hajduk is in 2nd with 53. Sibenik plays Rijeka next and Hajduk meets Istra.
Rijeka - Osijek (1-1)
Rijeka and Osijek met on Sunday, April 2, at Rujevica in front of 5,864 fans.
Frigan put Rijeka ahead in the 31st minute for 1-0. Zaper didn't equalize for Osijek until the match's final minute for 1-1. Rijeka had 47% possession compared to Osijek's 53%, while both sides had 14 total attempts on goal.
Rijeka is in 6th place with 35 points, while Osijek is in 3rd with 38. Rijeka plays Sibenik next and Osijek meets Gorica.
Lokomotiva - Varazdin (1-1)
Lokomotiva and Varazdin closed out the 27th round on Sunday, April 2, in Zagreb in front of 759 fans.
Gorican made it 1-0 in the 5th minute, and Puclin equalized in the 51st for the final 1-1. Lokomotiva had 58% of possession during the match with 20 total attempts, 11 of which were on target.
Lokomotiva is in 8th place with 33 points, while Varazdin is in 4th with 37. Lokomotiva plays Dinamo next and Varazdin meets Belupo.
You can check out the HNL table HERE.
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