Croatian football/soccer : Croatian First League 2011/2012 season preview

Dinamo win fifth successive league title

Since Croatia proclaimed independence in 1991, Dinamo have won the league title 13 times including six consecutive seasons. The capital club have also won their seventh domestic double last term. A run of 22 league games unbeaten between early August and mid-April epitomised the dominance of Dinamo, who conceded only 12 goals in their 30 fixtures. Dinamo also wrapped up their 11th Croatian Cup with a 3-1 victory over Varazdin to secure an emphatic 8-2 aggregate triumph.

Champions and Cup winners : Dinamo (Champions League 2nd qual. round)
Runners-up: Hajduk (UEFA Europa League)
Third place: Split (UEFA Europa League)
Cup finalists: Varazdin (UEFA Europa League)
Relegated: Hrvatski Dragovoljac
Promoted: Lucko.

Dinamo secured a place in this season's UEFA Champions League second qualifying round, while runners-up Hajduk secured a place in the UEFA Europa League, third qualifying round. Third-placed Split play UEFA Europa League, second qualifying round, after their dream debut in the top flight. Cup finalists Varazdin also clinched the UEFA Europa League, first qualifying round.

team	titles	2006/07	2007/08	2008/09	2009/10	2010/11
Dinamo	13	1	1	1	1	1
Hajduk	6	2	5	2	2	2
Zagreb	1	3	6	5	14	12
Slaven	-	5	2	4	7	7
Osijek	-	6	3	7	6	8
Rijeka	-	7	4	3	9	9
Cibalia	-	10	8	8	3	4
Sibenik	-	4	10	6	4	13
Varazdin	-	8	7	10	10	11
Inter	-	-	11	9	13	5
Zadar	-	-	9	11	12	10
Istra	-	11	-	-	11	15
Karlovac	-	-	-	-	5	6
Lokomotiva	-	-	-	-	8	14
Split	-	-	-	-	-	3
Lucko	-	-	-	-	-	-

The table shows the overall number of titles since 1992 for each club in Croatian First League and their league standings in the last five seasons.

Jurcic replaces Halilhodzic as Dinamo coach

Dinamo Zagreb have named Krunoslav Jurcic as their new coach following the departure of Vahid Halilhodzic. No contract details have been released for the 41-year-old, who guided Dinamo to two league titles and one Croatian Cup during a 13-month tenure which ended in May last year. Jurcic takes the reins after Dinamo enjoyed another successful season. However, Halilhodzic has decided to walk out on the club and local media reported that the Bosnian coach had clashed with Dinamo's chief executive Zdravko Mamic.

This page contains additional information about the 2011/2012 Croatian First League season. Latest news, statistics, results and predictions you can find on our main Euro Football > Croatia page.

Hajduk appoint Krassimir Balakov as new coach

Hajduk Split have appointed legendary Bulgarian midfielde Krassimir Balakov as their new coach. The 45-year-old replaces Ante Mise, who took over for the last five matches of last season in his second spell in charge. Capped 92 times by Bulgaria, Balakov was part of the famous side that reached the 1994 World Cup semi-finals. Balakov coached Swiss sides Grasshopper and St. Gallen and was most recently in charge at Chernomorets Burgas, whom he left by mutual consent in December. Hajduk went through three coaches last season, when they finished 17 points behind champions Dinamo Zagreb.

#	team	points	g.dif.	win-draw-loss
1	Dinamo	72	40	22-6-2 (30)

2	Hajduk	55	22	16-7-7 (30)
3	Split	53	16	16-5-9 (30)
4	Cibalia	44	9	12-8-10 (30)
5	Inter	42	-4	12-6-12 (30)
6	Karlovac	41	-2	11-8-11 (30)
7	Slaven	40	4	10-10-10 (30)
8	Osijek	39	2	9-12-9 (30)
9	Rijeka	39	-6	9-12-9 (30)
10	Zadar	38	-3	11-5-14 (30)
11	Varazdin	36	-6	9-9-12 (30)
12	Sibenik	35	-1	8-11-11 (30)
13	Zagreb	35	-7	9-8-13 (30)
14	Lokomotiva	33	-13	8-9-13 (30)

15	Istra	31	-20	9-4-17 (30)
16	Hr. Dragovoljac	23	-31	5-8-17 (30)

The Croatian First League standings for season 2010/2011.

Dinamo favorites to win championship

The online bookmakers are tipping Dinamo Zagreb to win with odds of 1.25, followed by Hajduk 3.55 and Split with odds of 20.

team	odds	team	odds
Dinamo Zagreb	1.25	Hajduk Split	3.55
Split	20	Inter Zapresic	45
Cibalia Vinkovci	45	Slaven Koprivnica	45
Osijek	150	Karlovac	150
Rijeka	150	Zadar	150
Varazdin	150	Sibenik	150
Zagreb	150	Lokomotiva	150
Istra	150	Lucko	150

The preseason odds for the outright winner of the 2011/12 Croatian First League.

Croatian Cup finals in last five seasons

2007	Dinamo - Slaven	1:0	Slaven - Dinamo	1:1
2008	Dinamo - Hajduk	3:0	Hajduk - Dinamo	0:0
*2009	Dinamo - Hajduk	3:0	Hajduk - Dinamo	0:3
2010	Hajduk - Sibenik	2:1	Sibenik - Hajduk	0:2
2011	Dinamo - Varazdin	5:1	Varazdin - Dinamo	1:3

* Dinamo won 4:3 on penalties

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key players
(with transfer market value in m€)

Cibalia Vinkovci

Goalkeeper Mladen Matkovic (0.6); Defense: Mario Lucic (0.8), Petar Tomic (0.7), Ninoslav Parmakovic (0.7), Dario Rugasevic (0.6); Midfield: Tomislav Mazalovic (0.6), Tomislav Pavlicic (0.4), Frane Vitaic (0.4), Tomislav Radotic (0.4); Forward: Dino Kresinger (0.9), Mladen Bartolovic (0.5).

Dinamo Zagreb

Goalkeeper Ivan Kelava (1); Defense: Sime Vrsaljko (4), Tonel (3), Igor Biscan (2), Domagoj Vida (1.8); Midfield: Sammir (6), Milan Badelj (5), Arijan Ademi (2.5), Pedro Morales (2.5); Forward: Fatos Beqiraj (2), Ante Rukavina (2).

Hajduk Split

Goalkeeper Danijel Subasic (1.5); Defense: Mario Maloca (2), Masahiko Inoha (1.2), Ruben Lima (0.9); Midfield: Anas Sharbini (4), Marin Tomasov (2), Mirko Oremus (1.5), Srdjan Andric (1), Mario Brkljaca (1); Forward: Ante Vukusic (4), Ivan Vukovic (0.5).

Inter Zapresic

Goalkeeper Krsevan Santini (0.5); Defense: Josip Barisic (0.4), Sasa Balic (0.4), Hrvoje Jancetic (0.4), Ivan Herceg (0.4); Midfield: Tomislav Saric (0.8), Stjepan Babic (0.4), Armand Dubois Yankep (0.3), Goran Todorcev (0.2); Forward: Tomislav Bosec (0.5), Arber Abilaliaj (0.5).

Istra

Goalkeeper Josip Skoric (0.4); Defense: Jurica Karabatic (0.6), Vedran Turkalj (0.6), Dalibor Pauletic (0.3), Slobodan Stranatic (0.3); Midfield: Armend Alimi (0.5), Mislav Andjelkovic (0.4), Goran Roce (0.4), Mateo Susic (0.4); Forward: Asim Sehic (0.7), Mario Juric (0.3).

Karlovac

Goalkeeper Hrvoje Sunara (0.5); Defense: Kenan Cejvanovic (0.4), Marijan Budimir (0.3), Toni Golem (0.2); Midfield: Ante Batarelo (0.6), Viktor Spisic (0.6), Edin Husic (0.5), Goran Paracki (0.5), Zeljko Kovacevic (0.5); Forward: Enes Novinic (0.4), Josip Jerneic (0.4).

Lokomotiva

Goalkeeper Romeo Mitrovic (0.2); Defense: Josip Pivaric (0.6), Mislav Komorski (0.5), Ivor Horvat (0.4), Ivan Boras (0.3); Midfield: Ivan Sesar (0.5), Mate Males (0.5), Domagoj Antolic (0.4), Marcelo Brozovic (0.4); Forward: Nino Bule (0.5), Ivan Peko (0.5).

Lucko

Goalkeeper Kristijan Dumencic (0); Defense: Andre (0.5), Zlatko Palcic (0.3), Vinko Buden (0.2), Haris Mehmedagic (0.2); Midfield: Leopold Novak (0.2), Krunoslav Rendulic (0.2), Sasa Hojski (0.1); Forward: Sandi Hudorovic (0.2), Marin Zulim (0.1), Marko Loncar (0.1).

Osijek

Goalkeeper Ivan Kardum (0.3); Defense: Dino Gavric (0.4), Ivo Smoje (0.4), Marko Leskovic (0.2); Midfield: Marko Babic (0.9), Vedran Jugovic (0.7), Zoran Kvrzic (0.6), Josip Lukacevic (0.6); Forward: Ivan Milicevic (1), Josip Barisic (0.9), Dino Spehar (0.5).

Rijeka

Goalkeeper Robert Lisjak (0.8); Defense: Igor Cagalj (0.8), Duje Bakovic (0.4), Mario Tadejevic (0.3); Midfield: Damir Kreilach (0.8), Andro Svrljuga (0.7), Milan Djurisic (0.5), Kristijan Caval (0.5), Neven Vukman (0.4); Forward: Sandi Krizman (0.4), Ilija Sivonjic (0.3).

Sibenik

Goalkeeper Goran Blazevic (1); Defense: Mladen Jurcevic (0.6), Daniel Georgievski (0.5), Marko Kartelo (0.3), Ivan Medvid (0.3); Midfield: Zeni Husmani (1), Stipe Bacelic-Grgic (0.8), Drazen Govic (0.3); Forward: Antonio Jakolis (0.5), Zeljko Malcic (0.4), Drazen Jelic (0.4).

Slaven Koprivnica

Goalkeeper Silvio Rodic (0.8); Defense: Elvis Kokalovic (1.3), Borislav Pilipovic (0.8), Alen Maras (0.8), Vedran Puric (0.8); Midfield: Josip Brezovec (1), Josip Milardovic (1), Goran Mujanovic (0.8), Stjepan Poljak (0.6); Forward: Aljosa Vojnovic (0.9), Leon Benko (0.4).

Split

Goalkeeper Andrija Vukovic (0.7); Defense: Ivica Krizanac (1.5), Goran Milovic (0.6), Velimir Vidic (0.5), Igor Budisa (0.4); Midfield: Josip Serdarusic (0.8), Ante Vitaic (0.7), Sead Bucan (0.6); Forward: Bojan Golubovic (0.6), Duje Cop (0.6), Ivan Baraban (0.5).

Varazdin

Goalkeeper Denis Krklec (0.7); Defense: Roberto Puncec (0.9), Dino Skvorc (0.9), Karlo Simek (0.7), Adam Susac (0.5); Midfield: Srebrenko Posavec (0.5), Dejan Glavica (0.3), Nikola Safaric (0.3); Forward: Josip Golubar (0.4), Filip Skvorc (0.4), Davor Vugrinec (0.3).

Zadar

Goalkeeper Antonio Jezina (0.3); Defense: Ante Puljic (0.5), Marin Con (0.3), Matej Jonjic (0.3); Midfield: Josip Bilaver (0.5), Luka Begonja (0.5), Antonio Mrsic (0.4), Ivan Curjuric (0.4), Jure Jerbic (0.4); Forward: Ivan Santini (0.7), Vedran Gerc (0.1).

Zagreb

Goalkeeper Goran Basic (0.1); Defense: Jefthon (0.7), Mateo Pavlovic (0.5), Vedran Celiscak (0.3), Mladen Pelaic (0.2); Midfield: Hrvoje Strok (1), Damir Sovsic (0.7), Besart Abdurahimi (0.6), Igor Jugovic (0.6); Forward: Josip Jurendic (0.5), Lovro Medic (0.2).

Croatian First League pages

Croatian First Division statistics, news and predictions
Croatian First Division standings
Croatian First Division transfers
Season 2011/2012 preview - key players, 2011 standings