Croatian football/soccer : Croatian First League 2011/2012 season preview
Dinamo win fifth successive league titleSince 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.
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.
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 coachDinamo 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 coachHajduk 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.
The Croatian First League standings for season 2010/2011. Dinamo favorites to win championshipThe online bookmakers are tipping Dinamo Zagreb to win with odds of 1.25, followed by Hajduk 3.55 and Split with odds of 20.
The preseason odds for the outright winner of the 2011/12 Croatian First League. Croatian Cup finals in last five seasons
* Dinamo won 4:3 on penalties |
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