August 19, 2019 - The 5th round of the Croatian First League was held from August 16 to 18, 2019, and saw Hajduk humiliate an otherwise strong Gorica to hold their second-place spot on the table. 

Inter Zaprešić v. Dinamo (1:2)

Inter and Dinamo opened the 5th round on Friday, August 16, 2019, at the Zaprešić stadium in front of 2,686 spectators. 

Inter was the first to score thanks to a goal by Tsonev in the 8th minute, though Dinamo's Atiemwen equalized just before the half for 1:1. Inter’s Galić was shown a red card in the 49th minute, and Dinamo quickly capitalized on the extra man as Atiemwen scored again for 1:2 in the 50th minute. The game ended at 1:2.

Inter is currently in 9th place with 2 points, while Dinamo is in 1st with 13. 

Varaždin v. Lokomotiva (1:1)

Varaždin met at the NK Varteks stadium on Saturday, August 17, 2019, in front of 2,231 spectators. 

Glavica scored for the Varaždin lead in the 44th minute for 1:0 at the half, though Lokomotiva equalized in the 56th minute from a goal by Uzuni for 1:1, which was the final score of the game. 

Varaždin is currently in the last place with 2 points, while Lokomotiva is in 8th with 4. 

Istra 1961 v. Slaven Belupo (2:3)

Istria and Belupo met on Saturday, August 17, 2019, at the Aldo Drosina Stadium in Pula in front of 2,027 spectators.

Krstanović scored for the Belupo lead in the 12th minute,  though Gržan scored a penalty to equalize 3 minutes later for 1:1. Istra then took the lead thanks to a goal by Regan in the 35th minute, though Belupo equalized just 7 minutes later for 2:2 at the half. 

Puclin scored for Belupo in the 60th minute for a final score of 2:3. 

Istra is currently in 6th place with 6 points, while Belupo is in 7th with 6. 

Hajduk v. Gorica (3:0)

Hajduk and Gorica met on Sunday, August 18, 2019, at Poljud stadium in front of 14,054 spectators. 

Jairo scored for Hajduk to make it 1:0 in the 30th minute, which was the score at the half. Gorica was given a red card in the 60th minute, forcing the visiting team to play with a man down for the rest of the game.

In the 67th minute, Jairo increased Hajduk’s lead and his number of goals to 2:0, and just two minutes later, Hajduk defender Josip Juranović made it 3:0, which was the final score of the game. 

Hajduk is currently in 2nd place with 12 points, while Gorica is in 5th with 7. 

Rijeka v. Osijek (1:1)

Rijeka and Osijek met on Sunday, August 19, 2019, to close out the 5th round at Rujevica stadium.

Rijeka’s Čolak put the home team in the lead at 1:0 in the 34th minute. It wasn’t until the 86th minute that Žaper equalized for Osijek to end the game 1:1. 

Rijeka is currently in 3rd place with 10 points, while Osijek is in 4th with 8.

You can see the full HNL table here. 

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

August 12, 2019 - The 4th round of the Croatia First League was held from August 9 to 11, 2019. The 4th round saw a derby between Osijek and Dinamo, and Rijeka and Hajduk recorded their first defeats. 

Osijek v. Dinamo (0:0)

Osijek and Dinamo opened the 4th round on Friday, August 9, 2019, at City Garden Stadium in front of 5,127 fans. 

It was a mostly even game where both teams had periods of strength and opportunities to score, which they failed to capitalize. Osijek, however, missed too many easy shots on goal in, which should have put them in the lead on a handful of occasions. 

Osijek is currently in 5th place with 7 points, while Dinamo remains in 1st place with 10 points. 

Inter Zaprešić v. Varaždin (2:2)

Inter and Varaždin met on Saturday, August 10, 2019, in Zaprešić in front of 484 spectators. 

Inter opened the scoring spree in the 15th minute with a goal by Bosec, though Varaždin equalized just 7 minutes later after Stolnik scored for 1:1. Inter retook the lead in the 28th minute for 2:1 at the half. Just minutes after, Varaždin’s Sambolec was booked for a double yellow and sent off the pitch. Glavica then scored for Varaždin to equalize in the 54th minute. The game ended at 2:2. 

Inter is currently in 9th place with two points, while Varaždin is in the last place with one. 

Lokomotiva v. Istra 1961 (4:1)

Lokomotiva and Istra met at Kranjčevićeva Street on Saturday, August 10, 2019, in front of 522 fans. 

Lokomotiva scored two goals in the first half - by Datković in the 34th and Ivanušec in the 38th for 2:0 at the half. Ćuže came back with one goal for Istra in the 79th minute for 2:1, though Drozdek and Kastrati secured another two for Lokomotiva in two minutes. The game ended at 4:1. 

Lokomotiva is in 7th place with 3 points, while Istra is in 6th with 6. 

Slaven Belupo v. Hajduk (2:1)

Belupo and Hajduk met on Sunday, August 11, 2019, in Koprivnica in front of 2,879 spectators. 

Puclin scored first to put Belupo in the lead in the 37th minute for 1:0 at the half. Hajduk’s Jakoliš was shown a red card in the 56th minute, forcing the Split club to play with a man down for the remainder of the game. Belupo also saw one of their players get booked for a double yellow in the 79th minute. 

Krstanović scored a penalty for Belupo in the 84th minute for 2:0, though Eduok managed one for Hajduk in the 6th minute of injury time for the final score of 2:1. 

Belupo is currently in 8th place with 3 points, while Hajduk is in 2nd with 9 points. 

Gorica v. Rijeka (2:0)

Gorica and Rijeka met on Sunday, August 11, 2019, to close out the 4th round in Velika Gorica in front of 2,893 spectators. 

Ndiaye scored for Gorica in the 46th minute for 1:0 at the half. Suk increased Gorica’s lead in the 67th minute for 2:0, which was the final score of the game. 

Gorica is currently in 4th place with 7 points, while Rijeka is in 3rd with 9. 

You can see the full HNL table here. 

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

August 11, 2019 - Croatia national team representative and Barcelona midfielder Ivan Rakitić has been named as a player who has participated in an excessive number of matches, which could affect his health, the International Federation of Professional Footballers warned.

Namely, FIFPro, a worldwide union of football players based in the Netherlands, has published a report titled ‘At The Limit’, which warns that clubs are exhausting their players, says HRT.

Some of them have played nearly 80 games in a season, racking up over 100,000 kilometers traveling with their clubs and national teams. The union surveyed 500 elite football players, and cited the 31-year-old Barcelona and Croatia midfielder as a prime example of someone who is ‘at the limit’.

Since his arrival in Barcelona in 2014, Rakitić has been a standard member of the star-studded line-up and has also been a star for the Croatia national team. Last season, Rakitić played 68 games between May 25, 2018, and June 13, 2019. Of these, 14 were with the national team with which he traveled 30,000 kilometers.

FIFPro warns that Rakitic has played 72 percent of his matches without respecting the five-day break between them. A five-day break between games is a necessary period to avoid health problems in the short and long term.

Rakitić, along with midfielder Sergio Busquets, was last year's player with the most appearances for Spanish champion Barcelona after returning from the World Cup where he made it to the final with Croatia. Asked about his number of games in November after a match between Rayo Vallecano and Barcelona in Madrid, he laughed and said:

“You have to have strength.”

Increasingly competitive leagues and international tournaments are causing players to have shorter periods of rest every day, FIFPro warns. In some cases, footballers have less than two weeks of summer vacation. The physical and psychological exhaustion of players is becoming more pronounced, they added.

Heung-Min Son (Tottenham, South Korea), Lasse Schöne (Ajax, Denmark), Alisson Becker (Liverpool, Brazil) and Sadio Mané (Liverpool, Senegal) are also on the list of players with the highest number of matches played.

FIFPro recommends that at the end of the season, players should have a 4-week holiday and two weeks off during the winter. It is necessary to limit the number of times a footballer plays consecutively for a period of fewer than five days. Five days is the golden period between two matches played to avoid injuries and health problems.

Furthermore, it is necessary to consider introducing the maximum number of matches a footballer can play in a season in order to preserve his health and performance. In addition, an early alert system should be introduced to monitor the players' workloads and help them plan their performances.

To meet the demands of the match calendar, players are often asked to push their limits, without enough rest and refreshment, said Theo van Seggelen, Secretary-General of FIFPro.

This means that they cannot provide maximum impact, but even worse, players face periods of great mental and physical tension. Scientific research has confirmed that the health of top-level footballers is in jeopardy due to the current tight schedule and number of matches.

Van Seggelen called on all participants of football competitions to jointly establish a mechanism that would reduce pressure on players and preserve their health, career, and play as such.

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

The 2nd round of the Croatian First League was held from July 26 to 28, 2019, and featured big wins for Hajduk and Dinamo, while Osijek suffered a major upset to Gorica. 

Inter Zaprešić v. Istria 1961 (0:2)

Inter and Istria met on Friday, July 26, 2019, at the Zaprešić stadium to open the 2nd round of the 2019/20 season. 

While the first half went without goals, Istria’s Cuze scored in the 83rd minute for the 0:1 lead, and increased the lead in the 93rd minute for the 0:2 Istria win.

Inter is currently in 7th place with one point, while Istria is in 6th with 3 points. 

Slaven Belupo v. Dinamo Zagreb (0:3)

Belupo and Dinamo met on Saturday, July 27, 2019, in Koprivnica for the second game of the 2nd round in front of 2,517 spectators. 

Dinamo’s Petković was quick to score in the 4th minute for a 0:1 Dinamo lead. Atiemwen increased Dinamo’s lead to 0:2 five minutes before the half. Dinamo secured one last goal in the 89th minute thanks to Moro, and walked away with a 0:3 victory. 

Belupo is currently in the last place with 0 points, while Dinamo is in 1st place with 6 points. 

Lokomotiva v. Rijeka (0:1)

Lokomotiva and Rijeka met on Saturday, July 27, 2019, at Kranjčevićeva stadium in Zagreb in front of 829 fans. 

The game went without goals until the final minutes when Rijeka’s Čolak scored in the second minute of added time for the 0:1 win. 

Lokomotiva is currently in 9th place with no points, while Rijeka is in 3rd with 6 points. 

Gorica v. Osijek (3:1)

Gorica and Osijek met on Sunday, July 28, 2019, in Velika Gorica in front of 1,280 spectators. 

Gorica was the first to score in the 35th minute thanks to a goal by Ndiaye for 1:0 at the half. Miya increased Gorica’s lead to 2:0 in the 53rd minute,  and Ndiaye came back with his second goal of the match for 3:0 in the 75th minute! While there was not much hope for Osijek, they were able to get one goal in the 90th minute thanks to Marić. 

Gorica is currently in 4th place with 4 points, while Osijek is in 5th place with 3 points. 

Varaždin v. Hajduk (0:3)

Varaždin and Hajduk met on Sunday, July 27, 2019, to close out the 2nd round at the NK Varteks stadium in front of 5,132 spectators. 

While the first half went without goals, Hajduk pressed in the second half to score all three goals of the game - the first by Dolček in the 49th minute, then a Caktaš penalty in the 55th, and a debut goal for new Hajduk player Eduok in the 86th for 0:3. 

Varaždin is currently in 8th place with zero points, while Hajduk is in 2nd with 6 points. 

You can find the full HNL table here.

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

On July 7, 2018, Croatia and Russia met in front of 40,000 fans for the quarterfinal of the World Cup in Sochi. The stadium shook like an earthquake. 

It was rumored that Vladimir Putin, the KGB, and special units helped Russia reach this stage of the competition, though nothing could help the host nation that night in Sochi. Croatia won on penalties and thus secured a spot in the World Cup semi-final, reports 24 Sata on July 7, 2019.

Judging by the game against Denmark, after Russia, it was clear the entire country needed psychiatric help, or pills to pop to get them through over 120 brutal minutes. This quarter-final was not for the faint of heart.

It was a game where Danijel Subašić fought through the pain to magically save a penalty with one foot, 

“During the warm-up, I felt pain in my muscle. I massaged my leg and saw that I could continue. The pain came again later, but I did not want to give up, I knew that the coach needed another substitution because many of them complained about problems,” said Subašić.

However, Suba became a hero, a hero of the nation, who eliminated Russia and Denmark.

Many players could barely stand on their feet during the game and looked at the bench after any hope a change could be made. 

"I do not know where they gathered their strength, they made a miracle," coach Zlatko Dalić said.

“During the break, masseuses quickly served the players, as in a Formula 1 box. I had a small edema, but I survived, as we survived the entire tournament,” said Subašić.

After 90 minutes, the game was 1:1, and after 120 minutes - 2:2. Croatia's fate would be decided by penalties for the second consecutive game.

But after the team and Croatians across the world spent all of their nerves against Denmark, how would anyone survive this drama again?

“How did I survive through penalties? Here, my stomach is still shaking. Horror, but who cares, we have entered the top four in the world,” said Mario Mandžukić.

Just as against Denmark, the last penalty came down to Ivan Rakitić - and the world stopped. Rakitić scored, and Croatia was off to the World Cup semi-final. 

The Croatian players sprinted from the half towards Rakitić, jumped on Zlatko Dalić and embraced Ivica Olić.

And there were tears. 

“I cried. No words can describe that feeling at that point, especially when it's over,” says Rakitić.

Before the game, Rakitić said he watched ‘Rocky’, the cult classic with Sylvester Stallone, as a motivator. 

Slobodan Kadić

"I watched Rocky fight against Ivan Drago and he wondered if we could do something like that because the Russians were strong, aggresive and tall. But we have come to the victory tonight, like Rocky,” said Rakitić after the game.

Before the game, defender Vedran Ćorluka was certain Croatia would move on.

“They do not have a chance. I know them very well and we are better in all positions, just about all,” said Ćorluka of the Russia team.

"I am experiencing all of the emotions, there is a lump in my throat, I’m crying on the bench, I'm overwhelmed, I could not stop. I was not able to stop the tears, so much happened. The players ran to the penalty box, where they went for Rakitić,” Dalić wrote in his book" Russia of Our Dreams ".

The dressing room celebration lasted for three hours. The team belted “Moja domovina”, “Nije u šoldima sve”, and “Dome moj”.

Croatia finally left without voices, with exhaustion swept across their faces. But who cared. After twenty years, they had repeated Croatia's greatest success and secured a spot in the World Cup semi-final. 

And their World Cup fairytale continued. 

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

June 25, 2019 - The football legends of Bayern Munich and the Croatia national team will meet at the Pula Arena on July 8, as part of a spectacular program prepared by the Istria County Tourist Board. The ancient amphitheater will transform into a football field or, more accurately, due to the lack of space, a futsal field, for the very first time. 

Copyright Romulic & Stojcic

The Istria County Tourist Board announced the names of some of the Bayern Munich legends we can expect in Pula, including Ivica Olić, Paulo Sergio, Giovane Elber, Martín DeMichelis, Luca Toni, Klaus Augenthaler and Marcel Witeczek.

Some of the famous footballers who will represent Croatia are Stipe Pletikosa, Robert Jarni, Ivan Klasnić, Marjan Mrmić, Ardian Koznik, Petar Krpan, and Ognjen Vukojević.

Inside the arena, a small field of 40 meters by 20 meters will installed. Presale tickets can be purchased online at ticketshop.hr. Prices begin at 12 euro, and proceeds will be directed to humanitarian purposes.

Between the games, the experience will be complemented by a music program and numerous performances, and after the winner is announced, the VIP Lounge in the Arena will continue with an entertainment program and DJs.

Presale tickets can be purchased at ticketshop.hr, at all Tisak selling points, and the box office in front of Arena on the day of the event. 

Schedule of events:

20:00 - 20:30 Junior’s match

20:30 Event announcement with a presentation of partners and sponsors

          Presentation of all teams (two ‘Vatreni’ and two Bayern Munich teams)

          Draw

20:50 – 21:15 First semi-final match

21:20 – 21:45 Second semi-final match

21:45 – 21:55 Music program/Performances

22:00 – 22:25 Match for third place

22:30 – 22:55 Final

The games are followed by an awards ceremony and after-party with DJs in the VIP lounge of the Arena.

This event is the result of the strategic partnership of Istria and FC Bayern, which was signed in June last year for three-year cooperation.

Before the friendly match, from June 25 to 27, there will be about 110 representatives of the management of the German first-division club, co-owners and strategic partners of Bayern.

The strategic partnership is the largest and most important marketing project in Istrian tourism, and it is also a strategic project in positioning Istria as a destination.

The basic idea of the strategic partnership was to connect two premium brands which would be identified by their quality and top-class products through the networking of marketing activities offline and online, e-marketing, social networks and concrete marketing campaigns in cooperation with Bayern.

In the framework of the strategic partnership, the Istria County Tourist Board has contracted 10 marketing projects to use the strength of the FC Bayern Munich brand and thus incorporate a part of the image and reputation of Bayern into the brand of Istria. This contract represents the biggest and most powerful advance of Istria as a destination in the marketing sense, and the effects of this partnership will have an impact on the global level, primarily thanks to the popularity of the legendary club around the world.

The organizer, the Istria County Tourist Board, promises an unforgettable and unprecedented experience for everyone.

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

June 24, 2019 - Croatia and England met for the final group stage game of the U21 Euros on Monday. Because both teams stood at the bottom of Group C, they would not be advancing further in the tournament and only played for pride.

Croatia's U21s ended the Euros in San Marino against England with a Recall, Croatia’s young side lost 4:1 to Romania and 1:0 to France in their first two games of the tournament.

Coach Nenad Gračan made some changes in the lineup compared to the games against Romania and France. Namely, in the initial list, the previous reserves were Grbić, Čabraja, Kalaica, Moro, and Kulenović. Today's starting lineup included Grbić, Uremović, Kalaica, Katić, Čabraja, Vlašić, Šunjić, Moro, Majer, Kulenović, and Brekalo.

The game started with a bit of bad luck on Croatia's side as England was awarded a penalty in the 11th minute to lead 0:1. Both teams had chances in the following minutes, with England having the better of them. 

However, Croatia finally got their chance in the 39th minute. The promising Josip Brekalo sprinted up the left side, cut into the middle of the box to beat the defender and hit a far-post rocket for the equalizer! The game was 1:1 at the half.

England dimmed Croatia's hopes just three minutes into the second half. After a blunder in Croatia's defense, James Maddison put England back in the lead for 1:2.

But Croatia wouldn't allow England's lead to last long. Majer capitalized on a catastrophic defensive mistake by England, found the foot of Kulenović who then touched the ball to Nikola Vlašić for his second goal of the tournament and the equalizer! The game was 2:2 in the 62nd minute. 

Unfortunately, England took the lead for the third time in the game. Kenny scored in the 70th minute for 2:3. But Croatia continued to press, and a perfect through ball to Brekalo saw him nutmeg the keeper for 3:3!

The game ended 3:3, which was Croatia's only draw of the tournament. Croatia has also finished last in Group C. 

By advancing to the semifinal of the Euros, Croatia would have automatically secured a spot at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, which would have been historic for Croatian football.

However, Croatia's young side will have to wait a bit longer. 

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

June 24, 2019 - Hajduk, the City of Split, and HNS held a historic meeting at Poljud to discuss, among a laundry list of items, the Croatia national team’s arrival in Split for the first time since 2015, and just the third time in 20 years. 

The City of Split and the Croatian Football Federation met on Monday at 10:30 at Poljud Stadium in Split. The City, as the majority owner of the stadium, invited representatives of HNK Hajduk to the meeting. The central theme was, of course, the Euro 2020 qualifier between Croatia and Hungary on October 10, though equally as important was mending the relationship between Hajduk and HNS to better Croatian football for good. 

Eight HNS representatives came to Split, including Executive Director Marijan Kustić, and Vice Presidents Damir Misković and Ante Kulušić. The President of HNS, Davor Šuker, did not attend the meeting. Hajduk’s delegation was led by Marin Brbić and the City of Split by Mayor Andro Krstulović Opara. The police secured the meeting, and in total, 16 people participated.

The meeting did not end until almost 4 pm and Split Mayor Andro Krstulović Opara was the first to address the media. 

“I am very pleased to announce that at today's meeting, HNS was able to agree with many of Hajduk's requests. We want to finally solve the problem of non-communication between HNS and Hajduk in favor of Croatian football and football in southern Croatia. I look forward to hosting the Croatia national football team in Split,” said Andro Krstulović Opara.

“I look forward to continued cooperation. I look forward to the Croatia national team at Poljud.”

Hajduk president Marin Brbić addressed the media next. 

"I'm pleased to say that we finally started communicating with HNS. We will discuss each issue individually. We've always wanted the national team here. Today we felt a hint that something might change. The national team was never disputed, and we will continue to monitor the development of the situation.

We had a good, quality meeting. It will take time to solve each item, but it is important that there is a will and desire. I look forward to the arrival of Hungary in Split in cooperation with the City, and we will work to include Hajduk.”

Hajduk will not participate in the organization of the match, and will join the moment problems begin to resolve, Brbić added.

Recall, Hajduk said on Saturday that “without any concrete changes in relations with HNS, they will not change their attitude" and will not participate in the organization of the match.

The City of Split, as the majority owner of the stadium, unanimously voted at last week's City Council session to host the match in Split, but with a preliminary apology from the top of HNS.

The HNS Executive Committee at its session on June 12 decided that the Euro 2020 qualifier between Croatia and Hungary would be played at Poljud, but failed to inform Hajduk or the City of Split of their decision, which questioned the game happening in Split at all.

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

June 23, 2019 - On Monday, June 24, at 10:30 am, a meeting between the City of Split and the Croatian Football Federation will be held at Poljud. The City of Split, as the majority owner, invited representatives of HNK Hajduk to attend the meeting, the Split club officially confirmed on Saturday. 

In their recent statement, Hajduk presented their position on relations between the Club and the Federation and consequently where the Euro 2020 qualifier between Croatia and Hungary would be held. 

“On this occasion, HNK Hajduk clearly emphasizes how they firmly stand behind their statement and that their attitude will not change without any concrete changes in the relationship.

The Club is ready to actively participate in the meeting on Monday at Poljud exclusively to talk about the first steps towards more transparent and fairer relations with all clubs, to overcome the problems that have accumulated over the years. Only when these changes occur, or when we are convinced that the HNS leaders have translated their words into concrete actions, HNK Hajduk is ready to take on an active role in the process of organizing one of the next national team games,” Hajduk concluded on their official website. 

Recall, HNS announced that the Croatia national team would play their next home qualifier for Euro 2020 against Hungary at Poljud, though they failed to inform Hajduk or the City of Split of the news. As you can imagine, this was considered poor play by the Federation who is allegedly ‘trying’ to mend the relationship with Hajduk and Split. You can read more about that here. 

Whether the game would be played in Split at all seriously came into question as a result of the saga, and Hajduk released a statement rejecting that they were the obstacle standing in the way of it happening at all. 

“We have repeatedly stated that we are eagerly awaiting the arrival of the Croatia national team at Poljud. However, how HNS communicates with the Club and its supporters, the City of Split and its inhabitants, has been the reason why for several years, and especially recently, we have reason to doubt whether the Federation’s decision is sincere and of good intentions. Moreover, the question is whether the Croatian Football Federation is aware of the real mood of the fans in Split and Dalmatia,” Hajduk said. 

About the fans in the region, the club went on to say that the game shouldn’t be forced under these circumstances or organized at all costs, and that the national team does not deserve to be exposed to such division, but an atmosphere of communion and the unity of fans.

“The Croatian national team has not played in Split for too long. From 1998 until now, there were 66 official matches in Croatia, of which only two were played in Split! Of these two, one was played without fans. Therefore, the next national team appearance at Poljud deserves an atmosphere of strong support, without the unresolved problems in Croatian football. The Croatian Football Federation must accept its part of the responsibility for it, and not incorrectly transfer all of the responsibility to HNK Hajduk and the City of Split with the view that ’it is all on them, whether they want the national team in Split or not’.

We can achieve this goal, but only in an atmosphere of mutual respect, reasoned dialogue, and clear and measurable goals for the prosperity of all Croatian football. Croatia is ours and we want it at Poljud."

You can read the statement in its entirety here. 

HNK ended by inviting HNS's executive director Marijan Kustić to a meeting where HNK Hajduk would present their attitudes and intentions.

“Open conversations and an atmosphere of real dialogue have no alternative. They are a prerequisite for solving the accumulated problems.”

A few days after Hajduk’s press release, the Split City Council announced the arrival of the Croatia national team at Poljud but also expects changes at the root of HNS. 

With 25 votes for (from 26 councilors), the council unanimously decided that Croatia would play against Hungary at Poljud. However, changes at the root of HNS's relationship with the City of Split and Hajduk was demanded, as is an apology from HNS and a quick agreement from the Federation that all sides would get together as soon as possible.

You can read the City of Split’s statement in full below:

The Split City Council wants the Croatia national football team in our town for the official qualification match against the national team of Hungary at Poljud stadium.

The Split City Council demands from the Croatian Football Federation a rooted change in the current relationship between the leadership of the Croatian Football Federation towards the City of Split and the Croatian football club Hajduk, which is best reflected by the fact that Croatia has only played two official matches in Split in the last 20 years, one of which was played without the public.

Due to the many years of an inappropriate and unacceptable relationship with our city and club, an apology by the Croatian Football Federation is needed as an act of goodwill and a step towards recovering Croatian football and strengthening its communion.

In the interest of Croatian football, we are looking for an agreement at a meeting between the Croatian Football Federation and HNK Hajduk, in the presence of representatives of the City of Split, related to achieving a solution for the numerous deviations and the accumulation of problems that have burdened Croatian football for a long time, as well as an agreement on organizing the desired football match in our city of Split, said the Split City Council.

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

The Split City Council announced the arrival of the Croatia national team at Poljud but also expects changes at the root of HNS.

It was a marathon session of the Split City Council, where the decision of whether the Croatia national team would play against Hungary at Poljud was finally revealed around 8 pm on Wednesday, reports Gol.hr on June 19, 2019. 

With 25 votes for (from 26 councilors), the council unanimously decided that Croatia would play against Hungary at Poljud.

However, changes at the root of HNS's relationship with the City of Split and Hajduk was demanded, as is an apology from HNS and a quick agreement from the Federation that all sides would get together as soon as possible.

You can read the City of Split’s statement in full below:

The Split City Council wants the Croatia national football team in our town for the official qualification match against the national team of Hungary at Poljud stadium.

The Split City Council demands from the Croatian Football Federation a rooted change in the current relationship between the leadership of the Croatian Football Federation towards the City of Split and the Croatian football club Hajduk, which is best reflected by the fact that Croatia has only played two official matches in Split in the last 20 years, one of which was played without the public.

Due to the many years of an inappropriate and unacceptable relationship with our city and club, an apology by the Croatian Football Federation is needed as an act of goodwill and a step towards recovering Croatian football and strengthening its communion.

In the interest of Croatian football, we are looking for an agreement at a meeting between the Croatian Football Federation and HNK Hajduk, in the presence of representatives of the City of Split, related to achieving a solution for the numerous deviations and the accumulation of problems that have burdened Croatian football for a long time, as well as an agreement on organizing the desired football match in our city of Split, said the Split City Council.

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