Hajduk Split
On 9 July, fans at the Poljud in Split will come to watch Hajduk Split put Zilina on the canvas, with the Slovak visitors travelling to Croatia in search of a place in the second qualifying round of the Europa League. Kick-off is at 19:00 BST.
Hajduk Split last played in Europa League qualifying back in the 2020/21 season, when the Conference League did not yet exist, and Zilina have also been absent from this stage since that same campaign.
Hajduk Split have once again claimed silver in Croatia, which has been a stable ceiling for the club for more than 20 years. On paper, the hosts look like the obvious favourites. At home at the Poljud, they clearly plan to give the Slovak side a rough welcome from the first minute, as in terms of individual quality the clubs are now on completely different levels — based on estimated market values, the squads differ by more than a factor of three.
Hajduk Split currently boast a lethal attacking line that tore apart the domestic league last season. The main threat comes from Michele Sego, who scored 13 goals in his first season with the Split side, and the experienced Marko Livaja, who contributed 11 goals. In midfield, everything is orchestrated by young American Rokas Pukstas, who added another 10 from deep. With such a powerful trio up front, the home side will take the ball from the first seconds and start methodically dismantling the visitors’ defence.
Against this background, Zilina look frankly weak. The Slovak side botched last season: they finished only fourth and reached the Europa League through their domestic cup win. Their summer preparations also went badly: the yellow-greens did not win any of their four friendlies. They played drab draws against mid-table Czech and Polish clubs and were soundly beaten by Dynamo Kyiv (0:2). In contrast, Hajduk Split did not concede a single goal in three friendlies and won them all with an aggregate score of 6:0. The Slovak team will have to play on the counter.
With such a pliable defence, they will not be able to withstand the hosts’ attack, especially as the statistics back this up: at home, the Split club have won three of their last four European home games. A choice in favour of at least a minimal negative handicap on Hajduk Split is justified.
Kyriakos Athanasiou (Cyprus)
Matches – 7 (international fixtures, 2024/25–2026/27);
Average fouls per match – 22;
Average yellow cards per match (including second yellows) – 4.7;
Matches with red cards – 0 out of 7;
Matches with penalties – 2 out of 7.
|
Gonzalo García
|
coach | ||
| Player | Matches | Goals | |
|
Line-up
|
|||
|
Toni Silić
|
gk. | 0 | 0 |
|
Alec Van Hoorenbeeck
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Dario Marešić
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Dario Melnjak
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Mathieu Acapandié
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Šimun Hrgović
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Adrion Pajaziti
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Dalisson de Almeida Leite
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Rokas Pukštas
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Michele Šego
|
fw. | 0 | 0 |
|
Roko Brajković
|
fw. | 0 | 0 |
|
Substitutes
|
|||
|
Adam Abdelilah Huram
|
0 | 0 | |
|
Dante Stipica
|
gk. | 0 | 0 |
|
Ivica Ivušić
|
gk. | 0 | 0 |
|
Fran Karačić
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Luka Hodak
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Marino Skelin
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Ron Raçi
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Alberto del Moral Saelices
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Etnik Brruti
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Mihael Žaper
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Noa Skoko
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Marko Livaja
|
fw. | 0 | 0 |
|
Vladimir Vesely
|
coach | ||
| Player | Matches | Goals | |
|
Line-up
|
|||
|
Jakub Badžgoň
|
gk. | 0 | 0 |
|
Aleksandre Narimanidze
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Filip Kaša
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Krisztián Bari
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Timotej Hranica
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Tobiáš Pališčák
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Fabian Bzdyl
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Michal Faško
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Miroslav Káčer
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
František Kóša
|
fw. | 0 | 0 |
|
Marko Roginić
|
fw. | 0 | 0 |
|
Substitutes
|
|||
|
Marek Okál
|
0 | 0 | |
|
Dávid Šípoš
|
gk. | 0 | 0 |
|
Tamás Tarcsi
|
gk. | 0 | 0 |
|
Ján Minárik
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Andrei Gabriele Florea
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Samuel Ďatko
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Xavier Rodrigue Adang Mveng
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Lukáš Prokop
|
fw. | 0 | 0 |
|
Patrik Baleja
|
fw. | 0 | 0 |
|
Patrik Iľko
|
fw. | 0 | 0 |
Dinamo Tirana
Hajduk Split
Hajduk Split
Dinamo Tirana
Hajduk Split
Zira
Zira
Hajduk Split
Hajduk Split
Ružomberok
Ružomberok
Hajduk Split
HB Tоrshavn
Hajduk Split
Hajduk Split
HB Tоrshavn
PAOK
Hajduk Split
Hajduk Split
PAOK
Zilina
Rakow Czestochowa
Rakow Czestochowa
Zilina
Zilina
Gent
Gent
Zilina
Levadia
Zilina
Zilina
Levadia
Zilina
Jablonec
Jablonec
Zilina
Zilina
Tobol
Tobol
Zilina
| # | Team | Form | Matches played | W | D | L | G | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
Benfica
|
|
4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 13:3 | 12 |
|
2
|
Bournemouth
|
|
4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 11:2 | 12 |
|
3
|
Ferencvárosi
|
|
4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 11:3 | 12 |
|
4
|
Saint-Gilloise
|
|
4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 10:2 | 10 |
|
5
|
Juventus
|
|
4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 11:4 | 10 |
|
6
|
Olympiacos Piraeus
|
|
4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4:1 | 10 |
|
7
|
Bayer 04
|
|
4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 8:1 | 9 |
|
8
|
Beşiktaş JK
|
|
4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 11:8 | 7 |
|
9
|
Dinamo Zagreb
|
|
4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5:4 | 7 |
|
10
|
Levski Sofia
|
|
4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4:3 | 7 |
|
11
|
Sunderland
|
|
4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4:4 | 7 |
|
12
|
NEC Nijmegen
|
|
4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 8:9 | 7 |
|
13
|
Lyon
|
|
4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 6:7 | 7 |
|
14
|
AZ Alkmaar
|
|
4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 7:4 | 6 |
|
15
|
Anderlecht
|
|
4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 6:3 | 6 |
|
16
|
OFI Crete
|
|
4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 5:4 | 6 |
|
17
|
Rennes
|
|
4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 4:3 | 6 |
|
18
|
Omonia
|
|
4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 6:7 | 6 |
|
19
|
União Torreense
|
|
4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 7:9 | 6 |
|
20
|
Real Sociedad
|
|
4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 9:4 | 5 |
|
21
|
Crystal Palace
|
|
4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 9:6 | 5 |
|
22
|
Sparta Prague
|
|
4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6:6 | 4 |
|
23
|
Hoffenheim
|
|
4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6:6 | 4 |
|
24
|
Sturm Graz
|
|
4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3:6 | 4 |
|
25
|
NK Celje
|
|
4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5:9 | 4 |
|
26
|
Red Bull Salzburg
|
|
4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3:8 | 4 |
|
27
|
Celta
|
|
4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4:6 | 3 |
|
28
|
AC Milan
|
|
4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4:7 | 3 |
|
29
|
Jagiellonia
|
|
4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4:7 | 3 |
|
30
|
Viktoria Plzen
|
|
4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3:7 | 3 |
|
31
|
Marseille
|
|
4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2:6 | 3 |
|
32
|
Celtic
|
|
4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 6:11 | 3 |
|
33
|
Hapoel Be'er Sheva
|
|
4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1:8 | 1 |
|
34
|
Lillestrom
|
|
4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2:10 | 1 |
|
35
|
Lech
|
|
4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2:12 | 1 |
|
36
|
Ararat-Armenia
|
|
4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4:14 | 0 |
| # | Team | Form | Matches played | W | D | L | G | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
Benfica
|
|
2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 7:2 | 6 |
|
2
|
Bournemouth
|
|
2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6:0 | 6 |
|
3
|
Ferencvárosi
|
|
2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6:2 | 6 |
|
4
|
Olympiacos Piraeus
|
|
2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3:1 | 6 |
|
5
|
Saint-Gilloise
|
|
2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5:1 | 4 |
|
6
|
Juventus
|
|
2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 7:2 | 4 |
|
7
|
Beşiktaş JK
|
|
2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6:3 | 4 |
|
8
|
NEC Nijmegen
|
|
2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4:2 | 4 |
|
9
|
Rennes
|
|
2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2:1 | 4 |
|
10
|
Crystal Palace
|
|
2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5:1 | 4 |
|
11
|
Sturm Graz
|
|
3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3:3 | 4 |
|
12
|
Bayer 04
|
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2:1 | 3 |
|
13
|
Dinamo Zagreb
|
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3:4 | 3 |
|
14
|
Levski Sofia
|
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1:1 | 3 |
|
15
|
Sunderland
|
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1:2 | 3 |
|
16
|
Lyon
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3:2 | 3 |
|
17
|
AZ Alkmaar
|
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3:3 | 3 |
|
18
|
Anderlecht
|
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3:2 | 3 |
|
19
|
OFI Crete
|
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2:2 | 3 |
|
20
|
Omonia
|
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2:4 | 3 |
|
21
|
União Torreense
|
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4:4 | 3 |
|
22
|
Hoffenheim
|
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5:3 | 3 |
|
23
|
Jagiellonia
|
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3:4 | 3 |
|
24
|
Celtic
|
|
3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5:7 | 3 |
|
25
|
Real Sociedad
|
|
2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2:3 | 1 |
|
26
|
Sparta Prague
|
|
2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2:4 | 1 |
|
27
|
NK Celje
|
|
2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2:5 | 1 |
|
28
|
Hapoel Be'er Sheva
|
|
2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0:2 | 1 |
|
29
|
Lech
|
|
2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1:5 | 1 |
|
30
|
Red Bull Salzburg
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0:4 | 0 |
|
31
|
Celta
|
|
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2:4 | 0 |
|
32
|
AC Milan
|
|
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0:4 | 0 |
|
33
|
Viktoria Plzen
|
|
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1:5 | 0 |
|
34
|
Marseille
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0:1 | 0 |
|
35
|
Lillestrom
|
|
3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1:9 | 0 |
|
36
|
Ararat-Armenia
|
|
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1:8 | 0 |
| # | Team | Form | Matches played | W | D | L | G | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
Benfica
|
|
2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6:1 | 6 |
|
2
|
Bournemouth
|
|
2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5:2 | 6 |
|
3
|
Ferencvárosi
|
|
2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5:1 | 6 |
|
4
|
Saint-Gilloise
|
|
2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5:1 | 6 |
|
5
|
Juventus
|
|
2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4:2 | 6 |
|
6
|
Bayer 04
|
|
2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6:0 | 6 |
|
7
|
Olympiacos Piraeus
|
|
2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1:0 | 4 |
|
8
|
Dinamo Zagreb
|
|
2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2:0 | 4 |
|
9
|
Levski Sofia
|
|
2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3:2 | 4 |
|
10
|
Sunderland
|
|
2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3:2 | 4 |
|
11
|
Lyon
|
|
3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3:5 | 4 |
|
12
|
Real Sociedad
|
|
2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 7:1 | 4 |
|
13
|
Red Bull Salzburg
|
|
3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3:4 | 4 |
|
14
|
Beşiktaş JK
|
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5:5 | 3 |
|
15
|
NEC Nijmegen
|
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4:7 | 3 |
|
16
|
AZ Alkmaar
|
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4:1 | 3 |
|
17
|
Anderlecht
|
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3:1 | 3 |
|
18
|
OFI Crete
|
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3:2 | 3 |
|
19
|
Omonia
|
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4:3 | 3 |
|
20
|
União Torreense
|
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3:5 | 3 |
|
21
|
Sparta Prague
|
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4:2 | 3 |
|
22
|
NK Celje
|
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3:4 | 3 |
|
23
|
Celta
|
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2:2 | 3 |
|
24
|
AC Milan
|
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4:3 | 3 |
|
25
|
Viktoria Plzen
|
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2:2 | 3 |
|
26
|
Marseille
|
|
3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2:5 | 3 |
|
27
|
Rennes
|
|
2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2:2 | 2 |
|
28
|
Crystal Palace
|
|
2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4:5 | 1 |
|
29
|
Hoffenheim
|
|
2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1:3 | 1 |
|
30
|
Lillestrom
|
|
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1:1 | 1 |
|
31
|
Sturm Graz
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0:3 | 0 |
|
32
|
Jagiellonia
|
|
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1:3 | 0 |
|
33
|
Celtic
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1:4 | 0 |
|
34
|
Hapoel Be'er Sheva
|
|
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1:6 | 0 |
|
35
|
Lech
|
|
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1:7 | 0 |
|
36
|
Ararat-Armenia
|
|
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3:6 | 0 |
