- Team form: GNK Dinamo Zagreb have won five consecutive matches in all competitions, including victories over Zalgiris Kaunas in UEFA Champions League qualification and a 4-0 rout of NK Rudes Zagreb in the league.
- Varazdin form: NK Varazdin are also in good form, winning four of their last five matches and three consecutive HNL 2026/2027 games.
Top of the table matchup awaits in Zagreb
Match context:
GNK Dinamo Zagreb and NK Varazdin will face off in what could be an early-season top of the standings clash in the Croatian HNL 2026/2027 this Saturday. The Modri will face a stern test in the visiting side, who have made a fine start to the new campaign.
Varazdin's setup:
Nikola Safaric has kept Varazdin compact and competitive since his appointment on 8 December 2023. He has got them structured, clear in their shape (3-4-2-1) and speedy in their counter-attacks, which has seen them win four and lose one of their five matches.
Dinamo’s relentless press is working
Dinamo have won all five of their matches since Mario Kovacevic took over as head coach on 4 June 2025 and his players have been relentless with their press from the first whistle.
Varazdin will sit back and try to frustrate Dinamo while Ivan Canjuga is their main man in transition, but Dinamo should find the game where this matchup will be decided – the tempo battle.
- Kovacevic's side have scored six goals across two home games in the HNL 2026/2027.
- The Modri's 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 systems are possession heavy and high-intensity affairs where they come at you.
Take the hosts to edge a close game
The odds make Dinamo a bit of a no-brainer at 1.26, but Varazdin are a 9.85 underdog for a reason and the 5.7 draw is also too low, so the home side will have to do this one on their own. I'm taking the hosts to win and for that bet to land with more than 2.5 total goals, which would fit with Dinamo's red-hot form and Varazdin's open numbers away from home in 2026/2027 (won 1, scored 4.00 goals, conceded 1.00).
Varazdin have failed to win their last three visits to Dinamo in the HNL and the derby vibe has the momentum with the home team on such a great run.
