February 4, 2019 - The 19th round of the Croatian First League returned over the weekend with a big result for Hajduk Split. 

After a long winter break, the Croatian First League (HNL) returned to Croatia’s stadiums and television screens around the country. After missing our favorite Croatian clubs play in league games since the middle of December, this comeback was more than welcomed. 

The 19th round already saw derbies and upsets, like Hajduk overcoming Osijek away at City Garden Stadium, promising better beginnings for the team and fans. Could this be a Hajduk revival? 

We also saw an upset for Rijeka, who lost to former Second-League club Gorica at home. A spring season opener they might wish to forget. 

Without further ado, here is our 19th round recap for the Croatian First League, which was played from February 1 to 3, 2019. 

Lokomotiva Zagreb v. Inter Zaprešić (2:0)

To kick off the second part of the season, Lokomotiva and Inter met on Friday, February 1, 2019, at Kranjčevićeva Street Stadium. 

While the first half went without goals, the second half didn’t see the first goal of the game until the 81st minute when Uzuni scored for Lokomotiva (1:0). Twelve minutes later, two minutes into extra time, Ivanušec knocked a penalty into the back of the net to secure the Lokomotiva win. 

Lokomotiva is currently in third place on the table with 34 points while Inter is in 8th with 17. 

Dinamo Zagreb v. Rudeš (7:2)

Croatian champion Dinamo met Rudeš on Saturday, February 2, 2019, at Maksimir stadium. 

The game saw goals, and quite a few of them early on - with Hajrović (5, 9), Petković (19), and Gojak (40) scoring in the first half for Dinamo. Rudeš got in one goal by Štrkalj in the 23rd for 4:1 at the half. 

The second half started with more goals for Dinamo, as Orišić scored three times, in the 56th, 60th, and 65th. Štrkalj scored again for Rudeš, and the game ended 7:2. 

Dinamo is currently in first place with 48 points while Rudeš is in last with 3. 

Istra 1961 v. Slaven Belupo (1:1)

Istra and Slaven Belupo met at Aldo Drosina Stadium in Pula on Saturday, February 2, 2019. 

A rather quiet game that went without goals in the first half, N’Di scored for Istra first in the 64th minute, while Belupo was quick to equalize less than 10 minutes later with a goal by Krstanović for 1:1. 

Istra is currently in 9th place with 16 points, while Belupo is in 7th with 18.

Osijek v. Hajduk (0:1)

Osijek and Hajduk met for the highly anticipated derby on Sunday, February 3, 2019, at City Garden Stadium. 

The two rivals met in the pouring rain, which didn’t help any conditions on the pitch. The first half went without goals, though it was Hajduk’s Caktaš to score 4 minutes into the second half for 0:1. The Split club managed to hold onto their lead to kick off the second part of the season with a win, and high morale. 

Osijek is currently in 2nd place with 34 points, while Hajduk is in 6th with 26. 

Rijeka v. Gorica (1:3)

Rijeka and Gorica met at Rujevica to close out the 19th round on Sunday, February 3, 2019. 

While it was Rijeka’s Acosty to kick off the scoring of the game for 1:0 six minutes in, Gorica was given a penalty in the 30th to equalize (1:1). 

Gorica’s Dvorneković scored in the 57th minute to give the away team the lead, and Maloča scored in the 87th to secure Gorica’s win. 

Rijeka is currently in 4th place with 34 points while Gorica is in 5th with 30. 

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page. See the Croatian First League table. 

Hajduk has confirmed the news that 18-year-old Ante Palaversa signed for English Premier League club Manchester City. 

Ante Palaversa, a young Hajduk midfielder who played in Croatia's second league just a year ago, is set to sign for Manchester City on Tuesday, reports Dalmacija Danas on January 29, 2019. 

Media reports said that Ante Palaversa (18) traveled to Manchester on Monday to visit the Premier League club Manchester City and complete medical examinations on Tuesday. It seems that City and Hajduk will agree that Ante would stay on loan at Hajduk until 2020 and that the Split club would receive 6.3 million euro from the transfer (4.5 million from the transfer and 1.5 million from the loan). Hajduk would also receive 10% from Palaversa’s future transfers, and could even take in various bonuses (if Palaversa plays for City, scores and the like).

With everything in the contract, it is alleged that the transfer amount could exceed 9 million euro when all is said and done, which would make Palaversa the best transfer in Hajduk's history.

The record was held by Nikola Vlašić whose transfer to Everton was around eight million euro. But unlike Vlašić’s transfer, Palaversa has no contract clause that grants part of the transfer money to family. Instead, the full amount goes to Hajduk, reported 24 Sata. 

This could be an incredible journey for the young midfielder who played for Hajduk II in the second league just a year ago. He is now on the verge of signing with the giant English club led by celebrated coach Pep Guardiola. Palaversa could thus become one of the best Hajduk transfers in history.

It is speculated that Palaversa will have a salary at Manchester City somewhere in the rank of Phil Foden, a 19-year-old English midfielder who receives 140,000 euro a month. 

When compared to the 3,000 euro a month Palaversa was getting at Hajduk (let us remind you, his contract at City would be 45 times more), it is clear why this would be the contract of a lifetime. 

Salary aside, however, this would be an invaluable experience for the young Split footballer, even if he only trained with City's cream of the crop.

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page. 

After the draw for the Euro 2020 qualifiers was held last week, the Croatian Football Federation (HNS) sent a letter to Hajduk asking if they wanted to organize one qualifying match of the Croatia national football team, reports Gol.hr on December 7, 2018. 

Hajduk confirmed their interest and expressed their desire to host the national team at Poljud in October or November next year in the games against Hungary or Slovakia. Though the Split club has four requests for HNS.

Hajduk’s statement reads:

"Simultaneously, HNS requested a meeting in Split, where HNK Hajduk presented their proposals with the aim of improving the work of the Federation, and what should be in the interest of all stakeholders. 

In the memo, among other things, it is stated that for the active entry of HNK Hajduk to create other activities, it is necessary to accept the following four points:

1. Implementing all provisions of the Sports Act in the work of HNS (at the county and national level) immediately and without delay

2. Professional engagement of a foreign trial commissioner (for at least 3 years, due to the need for independent reform of the judicial organization and re-evaluation of judges at all levels of competition)

3. Returning the Association of Clubs 1. HNL as the leader of the competition 1. HNL (or at least a meeting of the clubs with independent decision-making)

4. Transparent financial statements

Further requirements of HNK Hajduk are as follows:

5. Transparently defining the selection criteria for all HNS governing functions and operational bodies with the inclusion of regional representation criteria in the independent selection of regional level representatives (through the cooperation of county federations within a particular region)

6. Creating a football strategy by 31 December 2019

7. Implementing new elections for HNS governing bodies after drafting the strategy and implementation of all provisions of the Sports Act"

Schedule of all Croatia national team games in the Euro 2020 qualifiers:

March 21, 20:45 (Thursday): Croatia - Azerbaijan

March 24, 18:00 (Sunday): Hungary - Croatia

June 8, 15:00 (Saturday): Croatia - Wales

September 6, 20:45 (Friday): Slovakia - Croatia

September 9, 18:00 (Monday): Azerbaijan - Croatia

October 10, 20:45 (Thursday): Croatia - Hungary

October 13, 20:45 (Sunday): Wales - Croatia

November 16, 20:45 (Saturday): Croatia - Slovakia

To read more about Hajduk, follow TCN's dedicated page here. 

The international governing body of association football (FIFA) will compensate the football clubs whose players participated in national team preparations and at the World Cup itself. Among them are three Croatian clubs, reports HRT on December 5, 2018. 

“The FIFA World Cup is the pinnacle of football, generating passion and emotion from every player and every fan in every corner of the world. It is FIFA’s responsibility to redistribute the revenues of this unique competition among the entire football community, and clubs, obviously, deserve to share in this success as they were key contributors. I’m very pleased to see that teams from so many different regions will benefit from this programme, which will help to develop football even further around the globe,” said FIFA President Gianni Infantino on the FIFA website on Tuesday. 

FIFA announced that they would pay $209 million as compensation to clubs who had players participating in the World Cup in Russia this summer. Among them are three Croatian clubs - Dinamo, Rijeka, and Hajduk.

Dinamo will receive the most ($680,615), followed by Rijeka ($547,605) and Hajduk ($66,505).

Almost 76 percent of this money will be awarded to European clubs, or precisely - $157.8 million. In first place is Manchester City, who will receive $5 million in compensation, followed by the European Champion Real Madrid ($4.803 million) and Tottenham in third ($4.385). Barcelona will receive $4.145 million. 

England clubs will receive a total of $37.4 million in compensation. Behind them are the clubs from Spain ($22.5 million), Germany ($18.9), Italy ($17.45) and France ($15.3).

As far as clubs from other continents are concerned, Saudi club Al Hilal will receive $2.02 million and Egyptian club Al Ahly will receive $1.7 million. 

Boca Juniors front south American clubs (to receive $1.13) and Mexican club Pachuca (to earn $1.035 million) stands out among the CONCACAF clubs.

The full list of clubs and their benefits can be found here. 

To read more about the World Cup in Russia this year, follow TCN’s dedicated page here. 

The 15th round of the Croatian First League was played from November 23 to 25, 2018, which included the highly anticipated derby between Rijeka and Dinamo. 

The 14th round of the Croatian First League was played from November 9 to 11, 2018, which saw Hajduk finally make the jump up to 6th place. 

The 13th round of the Croatian First League was held from November 3 to 5, 2018, which saw an exciting derby for Dinamo against Osijek. 

The results of Wednesday’s afternoon games in the round of 16 of the Croatian Cup came as no surprise.

The 12th round of the Croatian First League (HNL) was played from October 26 to 28, 2018. Dinamo Zagreb still leads the pack.