Varazdin vs Istra 1961 Prediction: Istra 1961 are playing much better recently

Varazdin and Istra 1961 will open the 26th round of SuperSport HNL. This will be their fourth official match between them this season, and Varazdin are a bit more successful, leading by one point in the standings. Not counting Rudes, this could also be called a derby at the bottom of the table, although both teams had good moments throughout the season and could certainly have been better placed in the championship standings than ninth or eighth place.

Form: LLDLW

Varazdin welcomes the match after a difficult schedule in which they played against Dinamo, Hajduk, and Rijeka and won one point in three rounds. Varazdin are a bit better, with 26 points, one more than Istra, who have a game more. In February, Varazdin won a total of five points, drew against Lokomotiva (0:0) and Hajduk (1:1), and won against Rudes 1:0. In the last round, away to Rijeka, they held on well for 80 minutes, but in the end, they still lost 2:0.

Form: LWDWL

Istra, on the other hand, changed their coach a month ago, replacing David Catala with the Italian expert Paolo Tramezzani. In the last four games under the new coach, Istrians took 7 points, beat Osijek and Rudes, drew with Slaven, and lost against Hajduk in Poljud in the local derby 1:0. The guests arrive in Varazdin weakened because they will not be able to count on Anta Erceg, Advan Kadusic and Slavko Blagojevic due to accumulated yellow cards.

These two teams have played three competitive games this season, and so far, the hosts have always been more successful. Varazdin won at home 1:0 in the championship and 3:2 in the SuperSport Croatian Cup, while Istra 1961 won 2:1 at Aldo Drosina. At the friendly match at the beginning of the year, the team from Pula won with a score of 3:1. The difference between the two teams in the table is only one point - Istra are in ninth place with 25 points, Varazdin are in eighth place with 26. Given that the difference is only one point, we can certainly expect an interesting match. Istra are playing much better recently, but they are missing some important players in this match and I think that both teams will score and the match will end in a draw.