Lokomotiva – Hajduk Kranjčevićeva stadium (Zagreb) – FRIDAY 17:30

The upcoming football match will take place at Kranječevićeva stadium, and it is expected to be a packed house with Hajduk’s fans buying almost all the tickets. It will be interesting to see how Hajduk performs in an away match in front of their fans.

Karoglan, the coach of Hajduk, has done an excellent job, as the team has won six consecutive games under his leadership. He and his team have gained self-confidence, which has been evident in their press conferences. However, the first defeat will be a significant test for Karoglan, and how he handles the pressure during tough times will be crucial to his success as a coach. This match against Lokomotive might be that test.

The game is expected to showcase two different football styles. Hajduk, under Karoglan, aims to control the game from the start, employing tactics to control oponent in both attack and defense. Lokomotiva, under Čabraja, prefers a direct Dutch-style football with a lot of transition and speed.

Čabraja is likely to instruct his team to play more compactly than usual, but there will be no significant style change for this match. Lokomotiva will probably stick to their traditional 4231 formation with solid midfielders Bubanja and Marić, Tuci as the number nine, and Šotićek and Goričan on the wings. Smakaj will be out due to injury, so Mudražija will probably replace him in the number ten role. Čabraja has a dilemma in choosing between experienced Leovac or Miličević at left fullback. It remains to be seen how Čabraja will organize his team defensively.

Karoglan will probably stick to his standard Hajduk tactics, aiming to gain possession control and high press from the start. When the team loses momentum, they will likely drop back and defend, as they have done many times this season. Hajduk is expected to play in a 433 offensive and 442 defensive formation, with Krovinović playing as a front player during the defensive phase and a midfielder during the attack buildup phase. There might be some doubts about the starting lineup due to injuries, but Karoglan didn’t name any players. If everything goes well, Hajduk should probably line up as they have in their previous matches against Gorica and Istra.

It will be interesting to see how both teams adapt their tactics during the game and how the individual duels on the pitch play out.

After the game, we will be able to answer these questions:

• Will Lokomo press Hajduk high or stay in the low block?
• How will Hajduk defend Lokomotiva’s transitions?
• How will Mudražija, Bubanja and Marić cope with Žaper, Krovinović and Pukštaš when Hajduk is in possession?
• Who will win the second ball battle?
• How will defenders Živković, Mersinaj and others control the 16yard box on crosses, significantly when Pukštaš is cutting in the box from deep?
• How will Šarlija and Uremović defend Tuci?
• How will duels Šotiček – Diallo and Goričan – Sigur end up?

Gorica – Istra 1961 City stadium Velika Gorica – SUTARDAY 14:50

The upcoming match will be played in freezing weather conditions.

In the previous week’s defeat against Hajduk, Jeličić’s team used a very defensive approach. However, for this game, they are expected to play more offensively. It is anticipated that the squad will be lined up differently, with players in their natural positions. In the 4-3-3 formation, Raspopović will likely start as the right fullback, while Soldo will play in midfield alongside Mrzljak and Pršir.

Istra played an outstanding match against Varaždin last week and won 2-0 in the end. The midfield trio of Blagojević, Mlinar, and Maurić are doing an excellent job both defensively and offensively. Matheus was particularly impressive in the last match, and he is expected to take his place on the right wing once again.

Besides the midfield battle, there will also be a battle on the flank where Matheus and Kadušić will face Mitrović and Štiglec. This battle could also determine the outcome of the game.

Both teams are capable of playing possession football and quick counterattacks. Therefore, we expect a fierce fight for possession domination on the field. It remains to be seen how the match will evolve.

Dinamo – Rudeš Maksimir stadium (Zagreb) – SATURDAY 17

Rudeš has once again changed their coach, with Mijač being just a temporary solution.

Although it appears that Dinamo will dominate every aspect of the game, they must maintain their focus. Jakirović has announced that he will field the best team available, and it will be interesting to see if Mišić will play at the number eight position and if Sučić will play from the deep number six role.

Rudeš will likely have a similar lineup to the last match. Mladina was introduced as a new/old coach, but he had no time to implement his ideas due to Rudeš winning the second league and being promoted to the first division during the previous season.

Varaždin – Osijek Stadium Varteks (Varaždin) – SUNDAY 17:00

Both teams are in need of victory in their upcoming game.

Kovačević, the coach of Varaždin, is facing health issues and so Šafarić has temporarily taken over as the sporting director. However, Šafarić prefers the same style of play as Kovačević, so no significant changes in the team’s game are expected. After winning the cup match against Istra 1961 on Thursday, the Varaždin players might feel a bit fatigued, but they will probably stick to their standard 433 formation.

On the other hand, Osijek has been struggling to get good results as they couldn’t manage to win any of their last five league rounds. Zekić has introduced young Prekodravac in the starting lineup in the previous match, and he is expected to start in this match as well. It is expected to see a traditional match model where one team plays positional, and the other plays direct football.

While Varaždin is still trying to figure out how to play in the offensive third of the pitch, it is time for Lovrić, Caktaš and Mierez to lead Osijek to better results.

Rijeka – Slaven Belupo Rujevica stadium (Rijeka) SUNDAY 17:10

Belupo is currently playing a match that is of lesser importance for them compared to Rijeka. This game is crucial for Rijeka if they want to remain in the title race.

However, Rijeka is facing some major issues with their best midfielder, Selahi, who has refused to renew his contract with the club. As a result, the club has decided to exclude him from the squad until he changes his mind. Selahi is an essential player for Sopic’s 415 tactics, holding back all five offensive players. His absence will be problematic in replacing Janković, who is also absent due to yellow card suspension. Sopic will likely need to change the formation for this match, possibly to 4231. This may cause a significant problem for Rijeka’s game patterns.

Belupo will play their next match without Božić, who serves as their central defender and captain. However, the good news is that Lepinjica is back, which means that the offensive part of team will have their best lineup. Although it is expected to be a challenging game for Belupo, Rijeka’s midfield organization issues could provide them with an opportunity to win.

It will be interesting to see how the game develops. Will Rijeka lose their offensive energy? Will Lepinjica and Liber perform well against Rijeka their, home club? Let’s wait and see.