Betting Tip
FC Thun's title win was a fine fairytale, but the team fell apart at the end of the season. In the final stage, the Swiss side picked up just one point from five rounds: four defeats and a draw. They only held on to the title thanks to the huge cushion they had built earlier. Then things got tougher. The coach who built this team left for Union Berlin, and the leaders followed him out: Genoa CFC took Meichtry, while Panathinaikos signed Rastoder. In friendlies, there was a win over Neuchatel Xamax (6:2), a draw with SV Elversberg (1:1) and a recent setback against Waldhof Mannheim (1:2). The Swiss league has not started yet, so the hosts have no competitive rhythm.
Dinamo Zagreb steamrollered last season: 86 points, 93 goals scored, 28 conceded, an 18-point gap to Hajduk Split, plus the Croatian Cup. In their first three summer friendlies, the Zagreb side stayed unbeaten and posted a goal difference of 16:2. Dion Drena Beljo scored 31 league goals. Against a defence that conceded an average of 1.37 goals per game, that is a serious threat.
Dinamo Zagreb have noticeably more European experience. Last autumn, the Zagreb side played in the league phase of the Europa League, then faced Genk in the play-off ties. FC Thun are also familiar with the Champions League: in the 2005/06 season, the Swiss side reached the group stage, but they have not appeared at that level since. Mario Kovacevic will set them up in his usual 4-2-3-1, try to suffocate the hosts with control and keep the ball for most of the match. The visitors need an advantage before the return leg at Maksimir, and nobody is coming here to shut the game down.
Bookmakers are offering 1.90 on the favourites — for this gap in readiness, that is a gift. No insurance bets and no Draw No Bet options. Dinamo Zagreb are coming for a straight win — and they will take it home.