After suffering a humbling defeat to Bayern München (2-9) in the opening round, Dinamo Zagreb won two games and drew once in their next three matches. As a result, the Croatian club currently occupies 16th place in the table and has qualified for the next stage of the tournament.
Under the tactical guidance of coach Nenad Bjelica, the team drew with Monaco 2-2 early October, where Dinamo even had opportunities to secure a victory. They employed a 5-3-2 / 6-3-1 formation, playing in a low defensive block with only 38% of ball possession, but they occasionally threatened with dangerous counter-attacks.
The standout player for Dinamo is 21-year-old playmaker Martin Baturina. His exceptional dribbling, high-quality passing, and good speed have significantly enhanced Dinamo’s counterattacking play. His performances have put him on the radar of top-five European leagues. If he maintains this trajectory, a move seems inevitable.
In addition to Martin Baturina, Dinamo Zagreb also features Sandro Kulenović, who scored two goals in their 4-1 victory against Slovan and netted another goal in the 2-0 win over Salzburg. Another rising star is Petar Sučić, who excels at progressing the ball through the center of the pitch and carving out opportunities in the opponents’ penalty area.
Even though Dinamo Zagreb employs a very defensive style in their Champions League matches, they consistently generate dangerous chances through well-coordinated quick transitions from defense to attack.
On home turf, the Croatian club is likely to create even more challenges for the vulnerable defense of their upcoming opponents.
in their most recent Bundesliga home fixture, Borussia Dortmund dismantled Freiburg 4-0 at Signal Iduna Park, showcasing an impressive performance on their home field.
Under Nuri Şahin’s leadership, Dortmund have been invincible on home turf, winning all eight of their home matches this season with an aggregate scoreline of 24-7.
This excellent performance is supported by a dynamic attacking game filled with unpredictable tactical surprises, constantly unsettling their opponents.
In the match against Freiburg, full-backs Ramy Bensebaini and Julian Ryerson delivered unorthodox runs, drifting into central areas between the lines, creating overloads that Freiburg struggled to contain.
Meanwhile, Marcel Sabitzer and Julian Brandt played exceptionally well in midfield, providing creative passes and intricate one-touch combinations, along with strong pressing and counter-pressing to regain possession quickly. Jamie Gittens and Donyell Malen lit up the flanks with their explosive dribbling and clinical finishing, making Dortmund a nightmare to defend against.
Based on their home matches, Borussia Dortmund appears ready to compete for the Bundesliga title and, like last season, has the potential to advance to the later stages of the Champions League.
However, Dortmund struggle significantly in away games, having suffered six consecutive defeats with an aggregate score of 8-18. Dortmund’s pressing worsened on the road, leading to numerous mistakes and a tendency to concede goals.
Additionally, their attacking intensity often lacks the energy needed to score more goals when playing away.
Given this situation, Dortmund is currently not considered a strong favorite in their upcoming match against Dinamo Zagreb, with odds of 1.70 for a win. This is quite high, considering the shape of both clubs.
Bet hereBorussia Dortmund have scored goals in six out of eight away matches this season, despite several defeats. Die Borussen have a powerful attacking lineup that is likely to exploit the weaknesses in Dinamo’s defense.
On the other hand, Dinamo Zagreb have shown defensive fragility, conceding nine goals to Bayern Munich and two against Monaco.
Even domestically, their defense has been far from impenetrable, frequently leaking goals in the Croatian Football League. Therefore, it seems unlikely that the home team will be able to contain Dortmund’s forwards, even when employing a defensive strategy.
Additionally, Dortmund have consistently conceded goals in their last six matches, which suggests we can expect both teams to score.
Dinamo Zagreb have scored 30 goals in 14 matches in the Croatian Football League, which is the best record in the league. Moreover, the Croatian club have scored at least one goal in all of their Champions League matches this season, regardless of the opponent’s caliber.
With a host of talented young players like Baturina and Kulenović, Dinamo possess the tools to capitalize on defensive lapses, particularly against a Dortmund backline that has shown vulnerabilities on the road. This makes it highly likely that Dinamo Zagreb will score at least once in this encounter.
Disclaimer: The content provided on this page, including all football predictions, odds, and related information, is for entertainment and informational purposes only. While we strive to ensure accuracy and timeliness, we do not guarantee the correctness or reliability of any predictions, data, or information presented here.
Make sure to bet on Dinamo Zagreb vs Borussia Dortmund with our 22Bet Sportsbook!
Bet hereDate and Time: Sunday, December 29, 15:00 GMT+1 Venue: Craven Cottage, London, England Fulham vs…
Date and Time: Sunday, December 29, 3 PM GMT+1 Venue: Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, Naples,…
Date and Time: Sunday, 29 December, 4 PM GMT + 1 Venue: Selhurst Park, London,…
Date and Time: Sunday, December 29, 16:00 GMT+1 Venue: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, England Tottenham…
Date and Time: Sunday, December 29, 12:30 PM Venue: Bluenergy Stadium, Udine, Italy Udinese vs…
Date and Time: December 29, 17:15 GMT+1 Venue: London Stadium, London, England West Ham vs…
This website uses cookies.