After a lengthy break for the summer, the HNL season is back and with just one match week so far, the action returns. The team who finished second last term, Dinamo Zagreb host the team who finished second bottom of the table, Cibalia. The visitors only escaped dropping into the second division as they won the relegation play-offs while the hosts missed out on winning the league by just two points, which has forced them into Europa League qualifying.

STATS

• Dinamo Zagreb have won all five of their last five league games which unfortunately wasn’t enough to see them lift the league title. They will be hoping to add to the 2-0 win over Istra in the first game of the season. They are one of four teams who picked up three points in their first game and could go top of the table with a win.
• Cibalia have only won one of their last five HNL league games which is the form that saw them slip them into the relegation zone. Their form improved in the relegation play-off as they managed to maintain their place in the top flight. They lost 3-1 in their first game of the new season against Inter Zapresic which means they are one of four teams to lose their first game by two goals.
• Nikola Moro and Filip Benkovic helped Zagreb to their comfortable 2-0 win in the last match and both players will be hoping to add to their first goals with another against Cibalia.
• Marko Pevan scored Cibalia’s only goal of the season so far in their first game and they’ll be hoping he can add to it as the travel to the capital.

HEAD TO HEAD

Cibalia haven’t beaten Dinamo Zagreb since 2010 and that means they have met on 11 occasions in that seven-year period. Zagreb have won 10 of the 11 fixtures and Cibalia have only scored one goal in the last six meetings while Zagreb have managed 15 goals in those games.

DINAMO ZAGREB NEWS

After losing out by just a couple of points last term, Dinamo Zagreb will be desperate to reclaim their crown as Croatian champions this season and they can go top with a win in this game. They don’t have any players missing for the fixture so should be able to put the pressure on the teams around them with another three points.

Latest matches: NK Dinamo Zagreb

15.07.2017	HNL	NK Dinamo Zagreb	NK Istra 1961	2:0	W
04.07.2017	Club	NK Dinamo Zagreb	FK Tosno	0:1	L
31.05.2017	Croa	NK Dinamo Zagreb	HNK Rijeka	1:3	L
27.05.2017	HNL	NK Dinamo Zagreb	HNK Rijeka	5:2	W
21.05.2017	HNL	NK Osijek	NK Dinamo Zagreb	0:1	W

CIBALIA NEWS

Cibalia will be hoping to steer clear of the relegation places this season after their lucky escape last time around. But after losing in their last match as well as facing one of the title favourites in their second game, they are up against it from the very beginning of the season. They will need a miracle to take anything from the game.

Latest matches: HNK Cibalia-Vinkovci

14.07.2017	HNL	NK Inter Zapresic	HNK Cibalia-Vinkovci	3:1	L
07.06.2017	HNL	HNK Cibalia-Vinkovci	HNK Gorica	3:1	W
04.06.2017	HNL	HNK Gorica	HNK Cibalia-Vinkovci	0:2	W
26.05.2017	HNL	HNK Cibalia-Vinkovci	NK Lokomotiva Zagreb	1:1	D
21.05.2017	HNL	HNK Rijeka	HNK Cibalia-Vinkovci	4:0	L

SUMMARY

There is absolutely no doubt that Dinamo Zagreb go into the match as big favourites and it’s just a case of how many goals they will win the match by. Cibalia have no chance away from home against arguably the strongest team in Croatia and will have to be very lucky to take even a point from the game. Zagreb should comfortably win the game while keeping a clean sheet as well.