Fans of the Hajduk team fondly recall their matches against the Varaždin club. Hajduk has won the title three times in four seasons, each time after defeating the Vortex in the final round. The most recent memory of this, although it has been 19 years, is from May 2005. In this match, the Split team won their final championship title by defeating the Varaždin club on their home ground. This was not a one-off occurrence as they had also defeated Varteks in Poljuda and won the title in the previous year, and did the same in 2001 in Varaždin. Stanko Bubalo and Ivan Leko each scored two goals in their victorious 4-2 celebration.
Varaždin Welcomes Hajduk In A Homelike Atmosphere
This specific match is a reminder to the fans of what is scheduled for today at 3 p.m. Hajduk supporters filled the stands when Varaždin was whitewashed then, and it is expected to be the same today. A new wave of supporters is preparing to invade the baroque city. Varaždin will host Hajduk in the 24th round of the HNL at an almost fully booked city stadium. Those who could not secure their tickets can watch the match on Max Sport 1.
Torcida has already secured its tickets for the away stand, and the rest of the stands will be filled with fans from Varaždin and throughout Croatia. This is a common sight at Hajduk matches, with the team attracting large crowds wherever they play.
The Split team is riding on a positive wave after victories against Slaven Belup and Rudeš. Unfortunately, a serious injury to Mihael Žaper spoilt their last victory. Dario Melnjak, Ferro, and Ivan Perišić are also missing due to earlier injuries, and Nikola Kalinić is unavailable for this match. Despite these setbacks, Hajduk has had a good run against the residents of Varaždin in recent years, with a streak of eight wins. Their last loss was in December 2020 when they lost 4-2. Considering Hajduk’s quality and the presence of Josip Brekalo and Marko Livaja, as well as the home atmosphere, they are the clear favorites for this match. Anything other than a Hajduk victory would be a surprise.
“It’s been like this since Varteks, they tend to play well. They are a serious competitor for everyone, as seen by how they just missed out on winning points last weekend. Our players are not performing their best… The competition is tight, we need to win points. It’s important for us to win every time,” said Mislav Karoglan before the match. Varaždin coach Nikola Šafarić added, “Hajduk is not just Livaja, nor is Livaja just Hajduk. They have a huge attacking force this half season. Kalinić, Pukštas, Kleinheisler, Sahiti, and Kalik are all stepping up. We need to be very focused against them and put up a strong defense. We need to maintain possession of the ball for as long as possible because if we allow them to attack us constantly, we will not fare well. However, our game against Dinamo gives us hope that we can do it.”
It’s worth noting that these two clubs will also meet on Tuesday at Poljud in the quarter-finals of the Cup.
Another match scheduled for Saturday is Istria hosting Rudeš on its home ground from 5:10 p.m.
