Dinamo Zagreb received the worst possible club to play in the Conference League playoff round this February — Real Betis. Betis is currently 7th place on the La Liga table and only seven points behind a Champions League berth. Although, the way Dinamo have been playing in Europe, I don’t think they would be able to scrape up any results against the bottom-half of the Spanish league.
On paper, Dinamo should probably lose the February 15/22 2-legged tie by 3+ goals. However, who knows where Betis will be in their domestic season and how they will rotate players for the Dinamo clash. Real Betis got to Conference League by finishing 3rd in their Europa League behind Rangers and Sparta Prague.
How this this affect Dinamo’s domestic schedule this winter? It won’t be too grueling on the front end. Dinamo will play Lokomotiva, Real Betis, Varaždin, and then Real Betis again — all in 12 days. However, coming out of the second Betis match, Dinamo have a HUGE HNL match as Rijeka come to town. It will be interesting to see squad rotation and if Jakirović rates HNL games ahead of Conference League at that time. There’s really not much Dinamo can gain from Conference League except a few extra bucks — unless they make a run to the quarterfinals or better. I just don’t see that happening though.
Hey I’m gonna do this early, but to all you wonderful people… Sretan Bozic and a fruitful 2024! Enjoy yourselves folks, don’t drink too much lol.
https://youtu.be/WPn5dpv_l94?si=CFZrxpcTpgKw0Ey4&t=32
This was the opening goal (33′) by Frigan in Westerlo’s important win (2-1) over fellow struggler Kortrijk two weekends ago. Frigan had to leave the game early in the 2nd half due to an injury.
Last week, Westerlo appointed a new coach. In Rik De Mil’s first match in charge, Frigan was supposed to start the game (vs another struggler, Eupen) but had to miss out after picking up an injury during the warm-up. Westerlo won 2-0 and moved up to 13th place in the league which is one spot below safety (the bottom four teams i.e. finishing in 13th to 16th places at the end of the regular season, will battle for survival in the relegation play-offs).
https://www.croatiaweek.com/fifa-world-rankings-croatia-ends-2023-in-top-10/
Croatia stayed in the Top 10, throughout 2023! Congratulations.
He scores 1 goal in 12 games played for Man City and people around here are acting as if Kova’s a world beater. 😆 Unless he pulls out at a minimum 5 goals this season he’s still a dud. 11 goals in just over 220 games since he started at Inter in 2013. People around here should seriously pump the brakes. Get a grip, most people and the media would be crapping all over him if he had another name.
Get a new schtick dude. Tiresome.
There’s a lot of crap that I read on here that is tiresome. None of what I said isn’t true so why do you care? Nobody is forcing you to read it. Also there is no player on the NT at the moment that deserves it more than him.
Majer is on a downward trajectory, that isn’t good I hope that he hits it in high gear next year. He had a good time at Dinamo, and one good season at Rennes but since that hadn’t produced much, for a forward thinking midfielder he needs to showcase some goals and assists to be an asset, I don’t see a Modric style player in this guy but I could be wrong.
Majer is fine, he’s actually playing better these last 6 months, but he’s never gonna be a star or “modric” type. Hes slow (for a professional athlete) and not huge either. He probably will be a role player for decent teams for the next 5 years, including Croatia. Best suited, in my opinion, for bringing in to a game after 1/2 time when needing a goal and everyone else already has a few kilometers on their legs. He’s Uber creative and probably helps a team like Croatia more than a mid table German or Spanish side.
Yes he his limitations, but he’s an elite passer and very creative.
Skillsets like this do not grow on trees and he could take another step in his development.
Yeah I hope you’re right, that he could take another step in his development. Same goes for Vlasic imo.
https://www.bavarianfootballworks.com/2023/12/20/24006355/bayern-munich-loanee-josip-stanisic-bayer-leverkusen-transfer-bundesliga-alonso-muller-kimmich-coman
He’s suggesting that he’ll leave Bayern this summer. Probably a good idea.
At 29, Mateo entering his prime nogometaš years ( 29 – 34).
He will be relevant for the next 2-3 international tournaments.
Man city gets you better.
If you put together a highlight reel of his top 10 goals/assists you would think he was world class.
This past one may have been the most ruthless goal of his career. Explosive sprint through the back line and bangs it past the keeper to the upper left corner.
No hesitation. He usually waits too long as if he is going to pass the ball into the net and the window always closes.
This time he took it early and was the protagonist.
At worst he provides depth for our midfield. At best he leads us beyond the Modrić and Brozovic era until the young bucks get into their groove.
Yes, No argument here. Glad to see him evolve.
Do we say the kova goal was against inferior competition or just celebrate that
Cause that was A1 from him
Awesome
As Always, let’s hope he is a true Croat and hits another level at 30
If you want to be the best you have to beat the best;)
Let’s go Dinamo!
Kova’s goal was something we have not seen from him since his Inter Milan days. See a gap behind the backline and attack it without the ball. I think Pep is going to force him to start scoring and more importantly get up the field. Way too many Kova haters on here. Its nonsensical, he will never be Modric. Stop comparing him to that. He is actually a wonderful technician on the ball. He simply needs to be forced to go to goal. Never too late to get better. IE Modric and Rakitic both got better with age. Way to go Kova.
Glad to see it. Ask, and Ye shall receive!
Nothing wrong with critiques regarding elephants in the room. That’s how everyone gets better. No participation awards at that level of play, with so much money changing hands. If you don’t get better you end up a poster on a sports website like me. Did not look like a Kova finish of the past, looked decisive. Even greater pass assist.
First Luka scores, now Kova. Nice goals too…
Recent reports say that in our March friendlies we will play in China against China and North Korea
Kovacic scores to make it 2-0.
https://www.goalstube.online/2023/12/urawa-manchester-city.html?m=m3
LOL, who is this guy and what did he do with the real Mateo? 🤣
Fair to say at this point that Gvardiol is a bust?
either
a) this is a joke
b) you are a joke
Open your eyes, sinko moj
I haven’t watched much Just what I’m hearing here
Sounds like he is being pushed out of position
At worst he is “playing like a bust”
Only old schoolers here know that
Tho I’m sure you may be a ziva istina disciple and are familiar
Let’s give him time
Lots of pressure on the young man
He is slowly forming
He’s not playing like a bust. He’s playing well, just making a few positional errors. Even though he missed the preseason, he is still slotting into a very good team as a starter (out of his natural position). He’s improving game by game, and I looks like Pep is trying to turn him into a goal threat, getting him to push forward all the time.
Real Betis not Madrid, have faith, we shall be victorious 🤪