Zagreb-Hajduk
Zagreb have a solid team this year. They sold Lovrek, Ibričić and Nadarević, 3 best players but still there have good quality. They bought Vugrinec, great player who left Dinamo (I think that was mistake from Dinamo) and Bosnian last season 1st goalscorer Krstanović.
On preparations in France they didn't get some great results.
This season they lost at Varaždin and won at Kantrida. That is maybe surprise but who followed Rijeka from start of season that isn't surprise.
I expekt from Zagreb to be in golden middle of table this year.
Before 5 days they played friendly game against my club Samobor (3rd league) and won 6-1. But they played very bad and Samobor's fear was too big and they had too much respect.
Hajduk have improved a lot this summer, bought some great players, get new board and it becoming a totally new club. They bought Ibričić from Zagreb who will surely have big motive today, Skoko from Birmingham who will have debut here but I expekt really a lot from him, Buljat from Dinamo who was excellent player before injury (called for international) but now is looking form. At start of season they won Zadar 1-0 and only 1-1 with Varteks at home but they were much better squad.
Hajduk , just like Dinamo, are very motivated this season to win league because new rules of Champions League competition and it will be much easier for clubs from small countries to get in CL. Also, Hajduk is much better side here if we look quality of players and I can't imagine how could Zagreb win here.
Pick: Hajduk 0.64 sbo or ibc
Predicted score: 0-2
Cibalia – Šibenik
Cibalia started not very good in season. First they had 0-0 draw with good Slaven Belupo and then lost at Osijek 2-0. They have problems with 2 best players Leutar (virus) and Bagaric (leg). Problem is that they must win this game (at least their coach look on that game like that) and surely there is pressure on them. Cibalia always have respectful squad and they should with less problems than last season stay in league.
Šibenik surprisingly won at Zaprešić 3-2 where they player really nice but then they lost surprisingly at home vs. Sesvete. Croatia Sesvete is very good team, I expekt they play great this season so I don't really see why is Šibenik so dissapointed with lose against them. They have limited squad for me, not big quality and I expekt they have hard fight to stay in league this season.
I see here not very quality football with a lot of fouls and small number of goals because Cibalia is team with more quality but they score very hard. Maybe everything open them on this game, but I don't think so and I expekt 1-0 hard win.
Pick: under 0,83 sbo
Varteks-Slaven Belupo
Varteks always starting season with problems about old payments to their players and they were almost disqualified because that. But, as always, with their great coach Dražen Besek and great young school they play great. Almost all squad from last season stayed same and long injured Vukman finally back.
At start of season they won good Zagreb 2-1 at home and luckily get draw from Split. I like this team because they play attractive and attacking football. Today they are with full squad and everything is ready for great game at Varaždin.
Slaven Belupo easily passed 1st qualification round in uefa cup and in league took 4 points. They are known like home team and not so good away. But, it's tradition that games with „city“-rival (about 30km distance from this 2 clubs) finish with a lot of goals. Last season they won them at home 6-0!
Varteks is highly motivated to back Slaven for that result, but surely Varteks can't beat them so high. I see open game because clubs are not on pressure, they took 4 points, more than they expekt and there are not problems in squad.
Pick: over 0.89 sbo
Predicted score: 2-1 or 2-2
FLAT STAKE 10/10