Dinamo Zagreb vs Osijek Prediction: Osijek are good, but Dinamo are the best

After the great success and victory in Salzburg, Dinamo will continue with the HNL challenges at the weekend. On Sunday, they will host Osijek at Maksimir. After 10 rounds, Dinamo are in third place with 20 points, 4 less than the leading Hajduk, while Osijek are in fifth place with 13 points. Under Bjelica, Dinamo recorded three wins and two draws, along with fantastic performances in the Champions League, while they had to do better in the league matches. 

Form: WDWDW

Nenad Bjelica will be on the Dinamo bench for the first time against the club he last managed in Croatian club football and did not part ways on the best of terms. For the "Blues", this match is also very important because they lost points in the previous round against Istra and cannot afford another setback. In this match, Dinamo could once again rest Bruno Petkovic, who returned injured from the national team matches. I expect that he could once again enter the end of the match after it was enough for him to score in Salzburg. Sandro Kulenovic, the best scorer of the team this season, will play in the center-forward position. It remains open who Bjelica will use on the wings after his predecessor preferred Arber Hoxha and Marko Pjaca.

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On the other hand, Osijek under coach Federico Coppitelli did not open the season well, but they are slowly recovering, and it is expected that they will end up in one of the positions that lead to Europe next summer. Osijek only completed their playing staff in October, when the team was strengthened by the Portuguese Tiago Dantas, who is expected to contribute offensively in this match as well. The problem for the visiting team is certainly the injury of the gifted Anton Matkovic, but it is expected that the young Domagoj Bukvic will shine in his place, another talent who is predicted to have a promising future. Arnel Jakupovic is currently the first choice in the center forward position, and the Portuguese Hernani also has something to say going in the attack. Vedran Jugovic remains the most experienced name in the middle of the field, and the defense is led by Luka Jelenic. A lot of work awaits him and the back line at Maksimir, as well as Marko Malenica between the posts. In the last 5 matches, this team has 4 wins and a defeat.

So far, Dinamo have played 108 games with Osijek in the HNL and achieved 70 victories with 26 draws and 12 losses. The goal difference is 218-82. At home, Dinamo won 41 games, drew 11 times, and lost 3 times, with a goal difference of 126-36. In the last 10 games against Osijek, Dinamo have a 6-3-1 ratio, and in Maksimir, the ratio is 7-3-0 in the last 10 games. The last time Osijek celebrated at Maksimir was on April 18, 2018, when Dinamo were in desperate shape. Either because of their reputation or because of their standings, the bookmakers have declared Dinamo the clear favorite in this match. I, on the other hand, believe that the Blues have a complicated game ahead of them, in which they will have to work hard if they want to win. Both teams have great solutions going forward, but weaknesses in defense. This should come to the fore on Sunday so my betting tips start by recommending both teams to score in a match that will have more than 3 goals.