February 10, 2021 - For the second time in four years, Damir Mišković has allegedly managed to overthrow the Croatian Football Referees' Committee. 

The Referees' Committee of the Croatian Football Federation is being abolished, and a new one will be formed, which is the epilogue of yesterday's HNS meeting, according to numerous Croatian media, including Sportske Novosti, Index.hr and HRT. 

The Referees' Committee, consisting of Ante Kulušić (president), Domagoj Vučkov (member and head of VAR education), Draženko Kovačić, Ante Vučemilović-Šimunović Jr., Vlado Svilokos and Igor Pristovnik thus ceases to exist, and a new Committee will be formed later.

Namely, five regional centers, Split, Rijeka, Varazdin, Zagreb, and Osijek will nominate candidates for the new Committee, and the Executive Board will appoint the new Committee probably in March. That is the plan at the moment.

The meeting was convened by the executive director of the HNS, Marijan Kustić, and the decision to dissolve the Committee was accepted by all present, except Ante Vučemilović-Šimunović, the first vice president of HNS, who demonstratively left the meeting, Sportske Novosti writes. The executive board members must also state officially by 3 pm today whether they are in favor of dissolving the Committee, but it seems that this is just a formality.

"There's not much to say that you don't already know. The executive board has to confirm the decision by 3 pm, but there won't be any problems from that side. It's just proof that a lot is changing in the Federation and that we really want to have healthy football. This is just the beginning of the necessary changes," a source from HNS told Index.

Ivan Novak will continue to delegate referees for First League matches, and from now on he will also appoint VAR referees, which was done by Ante Kulušić as the head of the Committee. It will be up to Kulušić to send controllers to the matches until further notice.

Thus, for the second time in four years, the President of Rijeka, Damir Mišković, managed to overthrow the Referees' Committee. After the Rijeka-Šibenik match at Rujevica, which ended in a 2:2 draw thanks to a VAR debacle in the final minutes, Mišković called out the refereeing organization, attacking the VAR referee Goran Gabril from Split. The president of Rijeka announced changes, and it seems that he succeeded.

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page.  

November 25, 2020 - The presidents of Hajduk and HNS met on Tuesday in Zagreb to discuss several topics and open issues that directly and indirectly concern the Split club and Croatian Football Federation.

The President of the Management Board of HNK Hajduk, Lukša Jakobušić, met with the President of HNS Davor Šuker at the headquarters of the Federation in Zagreb. The meeting lasted an hour and 20 minutes, and the two discussed a number of topics and open issues that directly and indirectly concern Hajduk and HNS.

"This meeting is a logical sequence of what I announced in my inaugural speech. I want to talk about everything and for a start, I choose the most difficult topics which, understandably, are of most interest to Hajduk, but also to the wider football public. I think that the context and issues of the relationship between Hajduk and the Croatian Football Federation are well known to everyone. The president of HNS is the one who represents the Federation and who has the power to resolve the open issues and problems we discussed today. I met him and repeated things that bother not only Hajduk, but the entire football public because I have the impression that some attempts at positive changes on our part were rejected only because of the way they were presented," said Jakobušić after the meeting.

One of the topics discussed was hosting Croatia national team matches at Poljud.

"If Poljud will be the primary home of the Croatia national football team in the next few years, given the condition of Maksimir, then it is logical for HNS to invest in infrastructure. I am thinking especially for the new pitch."

Representatives of HNK Hajduk currently do not participate in the work of the HNS body.

"Regarding the presence of Hajduk representatives in the bodies of the Federation, we first want to focus on the football federation of Split-Dalmatia County where Hajduk must be the bearer and leader of positive vibes, choose the right people, renew and strengthen relations with clubs in Dalmatia, and only then participate in HNS. And we want to be ready and equipped for the HNS elections that are scheduled for next year. My personal focus is Hajduk, but Dalmatia must have representatives in HNS who are familiar with Hajduk."

What Hajduk will continue to strongly insist on is the transparency of work within HNS and the moral credibility of all persons who represent HNS or are in any way involved in its work.

"I emphasized once again how important transparency is for the HNS institution itself. The key is what I emphasized at the inaugural press conference, and that is that people who are legally, and in the case of HNS, illegally convicted, have no place within the Federation. This is primarily important for HNS, and indirectly for all clubs, to change the climate of the general impression and restore confidence in the umbrella football institution.

We will not and do not want to run away from all these challenges, we want to confront all stakeholders with them and now, using chess vocabulary, it's the Federation's move. Maintaining the status quo suits only those who benefit from it," concluded Jakobušić.

"We spoke openly about everything, I hope that we will roll up our sleeves as soon as possible and do a lot to benefit Croatian football. We care that Hajduk is strong, competitive and that, in football jargon, it has power. The Croatian Football Federation will not interfere in the work of the Football Federation of Split-Dalmatia County, which must be independent. I would like Hajduk to be the main conductor there and an important factor, everything that its leaders must show by acting through that institution in order to enter the HNS Assembly, is important and they have my support in this matter. It is very important to us that Hajduk continues to create quality young players and that Croatia continues to draw football talents from all over Dalmatia. The national team is coming to Split again in March, and we have to do everything to provide Modrić, Perišić and the company with excellent conditions for the game. We have already made a decision on the reconstruction of the field in Varaždin, Velika Gorica and Šibenik, and my proposal at the next session of the Executive Board will be to fix the Poljud stadium pitch," concluded Davor Šuker.

Source: HNK Hajduk website, HNS wesbite

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

September 14, 2020 - The Croatian Football Federation has confirmed that spectators will return to Croatian football leagues from September 18, 2020. 

The Executive Board of the Croatian Football Federation has decided to allow spectators at stadiums from September 18, so long as they meet several conditions to ensure maximum protection of spectators and all actors in the COVID-19 pandemic.

A limited number of spectators will be able to attend the matches of the HT First League, the Croatian Football Cup, the 2nd HNL, and the First HNL for juniors, cadets, and pioneers, up to 30 percent of the capacity of each grandstand or stadium box. Visiting fans will not be allowed to attend the matches.

The host club is obliged to organize each match following the current measures of the competent local civil protection headquarters, and the organization of matches should be carried out in compliance with all prescribed epidemiological measures (maintaining the distance between spectators, ensuring the use of disinfectants, etc.)

In making this decision, the HNS Executive Board took into account the position of Uefa, which will allow the return of a limited number of spectators to the Super Cup match, and the fact that the epidemiological situation varies significantly from county to county. That is why the arrival of visiting fans will not be allowed.

The decision was made known to the National Civil Protection Headquarters and the Ministry of Tourism and Sports.

If there is non-compliance with the measures, particularly the distance between spectators or the number of spectators being exceeded, the competition commissioner is authorized to decide for the host club to play matches without spectators.

If the competent local civil protection headquarters prohibits the arrival of spectators to a certain host club, 50 people of the host club are allowed to attend HT First League matches, and 30 people of the host club are allowed to attend the 2nd HNL matches, provided that this is following epidemiological measures that city or county.

The decision shall apply from September 18, 2020.

Source: HNS

For the latest travel info, bookmark our main travel info article, which is updated daily. 

Read the Croatian Travel Update in your language - now available in 24 languages

Join the Total Croatia Travel INFO Viber community.

September 10, 2020 - Big football news today, as HNS discusses returning spectators to stadiums in the Croatian league.

24 Sata reports that about two months after the Croatian Football Federation decided that spectators could not visit stadiums "to minimize the risk of spreading the coronavirus at matches" and bring last season's competition to a successful end, fans should fill the stands of HNL stadiums soon.

"We have a working group that will propose the return of spectators to the stands, one third as allowed with the prior approval of the County Civil Protection Headquarters and, of course, with compliance with all epidemiological measures," said HNS Executive Director Marijan Kustic.

Unfortunately, there will be no fans for the biggest Croatian derby between Hajduk and Dinamo, which will be played on Saturday at Poljud. However, spectators should be allowed again, starting from the fifth round.

It should be reminded that in the 29th round of the HNL last season, HNS allowed spectators before the last round, when coronavirus cases were growing in Croatia. The last round, however, was played without fans. 

For the latest travel info, bookmark our main travel info article, which is updated daily. 

Read the Croatian Travel Update in your language - now available in 24 languages

Join the Total Croatia Travel INFO Viber community.

September 2, 2020 - An agreement on continuing cooperation between the Croatian Football Federation and Croatia Airlines was signed today at the Croatian Football Federation's headquarters, by which the Croatian national airline remains the official airline of the World Cup finalists and HNS.

The contract was signed by Davor Suker, President of HNS, and Jasmin Bajic, President of the Croatia Airlines' Management Board, announced HNS.

After the Croatia national team returned to Croatia on a special Croatia Airlines flight with silver medals won at the World Cup in Russia, in September 2018, a cooperation agreement was signed between HNS and Croatia Airlines. Given that the cooperation took place mutually, both organizations' leaders decided to continue the partnership for the next two years.

"I am happy to continue cooperation with Croatia Airlines because I consider it natural that the Croatia national team flies with the Croatian national airline. We are in demanding public health circumstances, and that is why I am glad to continue our cooperation with Croatia Airlines because I am sure that the health of passengers comes first and that as our partners, they will do everything to ensure that the team has the best and safest possible conditions for travel. I sincerely hope for a large number of joint, safe, and winning flights," said the president of HNS Davor Suker.

"The continuation of the partnership with HNS is further proof of the strong connection between the Croatian national airline and the Croatia national football team, which has lasted for more than two decades. I believe that further cooperation between two recognizable Croatian brands, aviation, and football, will contribute to the successful promotion of our country around the world," said Jasmin Bajic, President of the Management Board of Croatia Airlines.

The tradition of transporting the Croatia national football team from major competitions began 22 years ago, in July 1998, when the football team returned home on a Croatia Airlines plane with a bronze medal won at the World Cup in France. Twenty years later, in July 2018, a specially branded Airbus 319 aircraft with the inscription 'Bravo Vatreni!' returned the silver-medalists from Moscow to Zagreb on a solemn flight, over the crowded Ban Josip Jelacic Square.

For the latest travel info, bookmark our main travel info article, which is updated daily. 

Read the Croatian Travel Update in your language - now available in 24 languages

Join the Total Croatia Travel INFO Viber community.

September 1, 2020 - The Executive Board of the Croatian Football Federation has decided that the Nations League match between Croatia and Portugal will be played in Split.

The last round match of the Nations League Group C between Croatia and Portugal will be played on November 17 at Poljud Stadium in Split, announced HNS.

The 2018 World Cup finalists thus return to Split after a spectacular match against Hungary in the European qualifications for EURO 2020, which was played on October 10 last year.

HNS Executive Director Marijan Kustic and Executive Board member Ile Topuzovic held a meeting today with representatives of the City of Split, led by Mayor Andro Krstulovic-Opara, who gave their consent for the match in Split.

We remind you that in Group C of the Nations League, Croatia will compete against Portugal, France and Sweden. After the September opening in Porto and Paris, Croatia will host Sweden and France in October in Zagreb, while in November they will play against Sweden and then finish the group competition in Split against Portugal.

For the latest travel info, bookmark our main travel info article, which is updated daily. 

Read the Croatian Travel Update in your language - now available in 24 languages

Join the Total Croatia Travel INFO Viber community.

September 1, 2020 - The Croatian Football Federation has released the new Croatia uniforms to be worn at the upcoming Nations League matches and the Euros next summer.

"Croatian football is a term for pride, passion, skill and those irresistible checkers, all of which can be seen in the new, dynamic Nike collection that the Croatia national team will wear in the upcoming cycle, which includes the European Championship next summer," announced HNS on Tuesday.

In the new collection, the traditional home jersey features the large and striking world-famous Croatian checkers. The traditional red and white jersey again has checkers on the sleeve of the jersey. The logos of HNS and technical partner Nike adorn the front of the jersey, with the number located in the center, while a blue line runs down along the torso side.

The words "Croatia" and "Vatreni" are printed inside the jersey as a symbol of pride, and white shorts and red socks complete look. The same words can be found on the new pre-match warm-up shirt with a modern design with two shades of blue and an unusual square pattern.

"Croatia is always a great inspiration to Nike because of the strength of its identity," said Scott Munson, vice president of Nike's football department. "The new home jersey is faithful to Croatian football heritage, while the reserve jersey is another great interpretation of Croatian design for players and fans."

HNS

The 2018 World Cup finalists get a fresh look on the reserve jersey, which has abstract black and gray checkers extending throughout the jersey and also appear on the socks. The Federation's coat of arms, the red line, and other red details give this jersey a special look.

"I like the new jerseys, I think they will suit us very well," said captain Luka Modric. "The first jersey is a classic design with a modern touch - and those striking checkers I remember from the time I watched the national team as a boy. The reserve jersey is new, different, and exciting, something we haven't had before."

The new jerseys are available on nike.com from September 1, and the entire collection is available from September 4 in all Nike stores and its partners.

For the latest travel info, bookmark our main travel info article, which is updated daily. 

Read the Croatian Travel Update in your language - now available in 24 languages

Join the Total Croatia Travel INFO Viber community.

August 30, 2020 - HNS Executive Director Marijan Kustic explained the current situation in HNS, after they announced that members of the U-21 national team staff are coronavirus-positive.

Gol.hr reports that COVID-19 has entered the Croatian Football Federation. HNS issued a statement on Saturday:

"Two members of the youth national team staff, including coach Igor Biscan, are positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus (without symptoms), so the current coach will not lead the U-21 national team at the upcoming September gathering.

Due to close contact with the infected, other members of Biscan's staff, in addition to Renato Pilipovic, have to go into self-isolation for 14 days,” reads the HNS statement, among other things.

Nova TV reporter Milan Stjelja discussed the topic with HNS executive director Marijan Kustic.

"For the sake of prevention, we tested the staff of the senior and youth national teams. Unfortunately, we have now heard that the coach of the U-21 national team, Igor Biscan, is positive for the coronavirus, as well as another member of the staff. We heard from each other on several occasions today, Igor has no symptoms, but the result is positive, so he and his staff have to go to self-isolation for 14 days due to close contact,” Kustic said in the introduction.

The young national team will play two important matches in the Euro U-21 qualifiers at the beginning of September. Who will replace Biscan on the bench?

"We only had consultations today, in which Biscan also participated by phone. We agreed that the U-17 national team coach Tomislav Rukavina and the HNS chief instructor Petar Krpan would take over.“

Luckily, there are no positive results in the headquarters of the senior national team.

"It is gratifying, the entire staff headed by coach Dalic is negative. For the sake of prevention, we tested everything so as not to get into a situation where the virus, God forbid, spreads at the gathering, to bring playing the matches into question.”

What about the players?

"They must come to the gathering with negative results that must not be older than 72 hours."

Certainly of interest to the Croatian public is the HNS decision to play an exhibition match in Donji Miholjac between the veterans of Jedinstvo and veterans of the Croatia national team, which also featured the president of the Federation Davor Suker, with a limited audience.

When we know that HNS decided to play the end of the season without spectators, and there are currently no spectators in the new season,  was the wrong step taken?

"I can only say that the club Jedinstvo from Donji Miholjac, on the occasion of their anniversary, asked veterans of the Croatia national team to come and enhance their jubilee. Of course, before that, they had a meeting with the local Civil Protection Headquarters, with the obligation to respect all epidemiological measures. I am convinced that this was the case,"  concluded Kustic.

For the latest travel info, bookmark our main travel info article, which is updated daily. 

Read the Croatian Travel Update in your language - now available in 24 languages

Join the Total Croatia Travel INFO Viber community.

August 5, 2020 - Executive director of the Croatian Football Federation, Marijan Kustic, spoke about the just-finished season, the Cup final, the playoffs, referees and VAR, the national team and coach Zlatko Dalic, the junior championship that stirred relations with Hajduk, and other current events in his latest interview. 

The interview with Lovorko Magdic is transmitted in full, as reported by HRT:

The end of the season is just around the corner, as are the playoffs for the First HNL. What is your impression of the Cup final?

"I am happy that the final of this year's Cup was played in Kresimir's city, the city of the greatest athlete in the history of Croatia, Drazen Petrovic. I think that the match between Rijeka and Lokomotiva took place in a nice atmosphere. The slightly luckier team won, and I am really happy and proud that everything went well and that nothing happened after the game," says Kustic.

At one time during the corona era, there were spectators, now again, there are not.

"We monitor the epidemiological situation on a daily basis, and we simply did not want to get into a situation where we do not start the new competition season, which starts very soon. That is why we decided that there will be no spectators in the last round, in the Cup final and the qualifying matches of Istria and Orient, and we will most likely start the new championship also without spectators. With the current decision, the Nation's League is also played without spectators, which is why we decided to play the national team matches in Zagreb."

HNS quickly adapted to the health situation in Croatia and the world regarding football competitions in the country.

"As soon as we got into this situation with the coronavirus, we set up a working group, with doctors, epidemiologists and our people who run competitions within HNS. We followed the everyday situation, so we made decisions. When we stopped competing, few believed that we would bring the season to an end, which was perhaps the most interesting since the founding and independence of Croatia, because the order on the table was not known until the last round."

Your impression of the referees?

"There are always those who are satisfied and dissatisfied. Our goal was to introduce a VAR system; with this, we wanted to reduce errors to a minimum. What we always like to say is that we don’t want tails to be chased after games, but we can state that the reffing was very good. The application of VAR proved to be a great hit, we are satisfied and happy, we need even more education, and over time it will improve."

The playoffs for the First HNL used to be very interesting, the fight between the First League ninth place and second-place finishers from the Second League. Have the playoff matches lost their competitive charm?

"All these qualifying matches have their charm and I hope that there will be great matches in the future as well. Most importantly, it was shown in the 1st HNL that by investing in infrastructure and building better and better pitches, we have better and better games, more goals, fewer cards and fewer injuries to players."

The first league is more and more stable, even more interesting in the media, and a new agreement on media rights is on that track.

"That is great for Croatian football, for Croatian clubs. All funds will be directed to clubs, the first league, women's league, futsal league. It’s a big step forward, especially in this situation, because it’s not easy for clubs to raise funding to sustain and endure an entire season."

Will the second division endure all the turbulence currently happening?

"I deeply hope it will. The other day we had an assembly of clubs in the Second League, and as the Federation, we will also participate when it comes to financial assistance in paying club fees, with some 90 thousand kuna per club. We are doing everything to help the clubs, and we will do it in the future as well. Our goal is for the clubs to survive, not to shut down."

Onto the Croatia national team - the start of the Nations League is in September, is the start of this competition in any way in danger?

"The dates are known, and at this moment the decision is such that there will be no spectators, so it was much more practical and simple to organize in Zagreb, so the matches will be played in Zagreb for now."

The contract with coach Zlatko Dalic has been renewed.

"From the beginning, we said that there would be no problems, it was a mutual wish and we are looking forward to our further cooperation and the success of the Croatia national team."

There were many different comments, arguments and justifications about the final of the Croatian Junior Championship.

"I have repeatedly stated my opinion on this. Decisions were made, we asked for the opinion of Uefa, which said its own and presented the practice on which the countries in Europe were based when it comes to the same or similar issues regarding the conclusion and selection of clubs for European competitions. Before the final decision was defined, we consulted with them and sent a letter to them. We have acted according to the practice in Europe, although I have stated before that it is always best to solve it on the pitch, but such decisions are always the most difficult to make."

The Executive Director of HNS also commented on the work of the health commission headed by Dr. Dragan Primorac.

"Truly all praise to our health committee and the working group that is working hard on it. I hope that the new tests will not have any coronavirus-positives, so as not to get into a situation where we have to question play and regularity."

HNS's cooperation with the International Olympic Committee, whose new member is former Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic, is intensifying.

"Congratulations to her once again on her election, it is a great success to be elected to such a body. As for the cooperation itself, we are working on its improvement, not only in the interest of HNS, but in the interest of all federations in Croatia. We have intensified this collaboration over the last year. I will be a representative in the Assembly of the Croatian Olympic Committee on behalf of HNS, so I am looking forward to working with Mr. Zlatko Mates. I hope that we will all work together for the benefit of Croatian sport."

In the two years since Croatia played the World Cup final, when you say that you are the executive director of HNS, or that you come from Croatia, how much has the attitude of people from abroad changed?

"It has certainly changed; it should not be emphasized much. Whatever country you go to, everyone mentions Modric and our other players - this is the biggest promotion of Croatia in the world. Looking at our cooperation with other federations in general (basketball, handball ...), I think that we should all work together for the benefit of Croatia with the Law on Sports and the Financing of Sports. If we all work together in that direction, we will make a big step forward. I hope that the future will be better and brighter for sports in general," concluded Marijan Kustic.

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

July 30, 2020 - Last week, the HNS Executive Board concluded a long-running saga about the Junior Champions League at a session of the Executive Board. They decided that the Dinamo juniors would go to the elite competition, even though Hajduk was in first place at the time the Junior First HNL was suspended. Hajduk had two more points than the second-placed Dinamo at the time, though Dinamo had played one game less.

Namely, when the junior championship was interrupted in March due to the coronavirus epidemic, Hajduk had 42 points, but also a game more than Dinamo, which collected 40 points. The Blues did not manage to play the match against Dugopolje before the break.

This caused a rift between Dinamo and Hajduk, a match was proposed, and the HNS Competition Commission sought advice from UEFA and sent a proposal to the Executive Board that the Zagreb club goes to the Champions League next season based on a better average of points played this season.

UEFA did not respond to the HNS inquiry, so the bodies of the Federation proposed that Dinamo go to the junior Champions League. The proposal was accepted.

At the time of the break, the Hajduk team had 42 points in 17 games played (2.47 points per game), and the Dinamo team had 40 points in 16 games played (2.5 points per game). HNS clarified the decision with the opinion of UEFA, which stated earlier in the letter that other countries that were in similar situations used the method of the ratio of points won and rounds played, i.e., coefficients.

Hajduk responded to the decision on Thursday:

"We are witnessing another farce directed by the Croatian Football Federation, which this time attacked our juniors, and whose decision was confirmed today by the HNS Arbitration Court. Unfortunately, we did not expect a different decision from the Federation, and HNS once again showed its true face, despite stories and promises of change and transparency by the Federation and its executive director Marijan Kustic. Decisions are always made in the interest of one and the same club. We are sending a beautiful message to our future generations.

Apart from the introduction of VAR, we have not seen any significant changes and shifts in the development of Croatian football, let alone the fulfillment of demands made by HNK Hajduk, which were presented for more righteous and fairer relations for all clubs, not just Hajduk. We can't help but ask ourselves and use the quote of the legendary captain Frane Matosic to the FSJ: "Do you have at least a gram of honesty here?"

Mr. Kustic has, on several occasions, denied himself on the topic of the junior champion, so we have attached his statements to the entire public over the last three months, which speak more than anything about the functioning of the Croatian Football Federation, but also the people who represent it.

1. "Let's go step by step. We are waiting for the commissioner's report and then we will make a final decision. If you ask me personally, I am always that such things are handled on the pitch, not administratively." - Dnevnik Nova TV, May 6, 2020

2. "The decision has so far been made as it is, I have said that I am in favor of resolving this on the pitch, but because of various decisions, we have made a decision according to the principle used in Europe." - Dnevnik Nova TV, July 23, 2020

3. 

- HNS's response to the lawsuit to the Arbitration Court, July 28, 2020

The competition commission, composed of Ante Vucemilovic-Simunovic, Neven Sprajcer, Zeljko Mihalj, Pero Vican, Ivan Novak, Ivan Peraic, Bozidar Sikic and Zeljko Bel, proposed to the HNS Executive Board that according to the only criterion in favor of GNK Dinamo (average coefficient) points won with regard to the number of matches played), which is also debatable, send a proposal to UEFA that the Zagreb club represents Croatian football in the junior Champions League. Let us remind you once again, Neven Sprajcer is a final convict in the "fair trial" affair. Transparent and fair, above all, in line with the HNS's predictable actions so far.

In its statement, HNS listed the leagues and federations that decided in favor of GNK Dinamo, ignoring other federations and leagues in which this criterion was not taken in terms of decision-making. Such an argument is completely missed for several reasons, primarily because it is completely irrelevant what decisions were made in other leagues, which, indisputably, have their own special regulations different from the regulations of the HNS (including a separate organization of first league clubs) and in particular since such a criterion in cases in those countries did not deprive any of the clubs covered by those decisions of the right to participate in UEFA club competitions. All the more so, as there are many other federations/leagues in which such a criterion has not been used to decide on the right to participate in UEFA club competitions.

On this occasion, we clearly articulate once again the arguments that make it quite clear that the decision of the HNS Executive Board is contrary to the opinion of Uefa, which has continuously, in all its instructions to national football federations, stressed the need "to determine places in European competitions by results and that decisions should be based on objective, transparent criteria without discrimination."

1. At the time of the suspension of the First HNL Championship for juniors, Hajduk was in first place with a game more and two points more than Dinamo.

2. Hajduk's juniors were first at the end of the mid-season,

3. In the only direct clash this season, Hajduk beat Dinamo 1:0

4. Hajduk had a total of 11 goals better than the second-placed Dinamo.

5. At the time of the break of the First HNL for juniors, Hajduk played 17 games, of which 9 home and 8 away games, while Dinamo played 16 games, of which as many as 10 home games and only 6 away games. So, if the Federation applied the same coefficient method separately for domestic and away matches of clubs (which it obviously should have done given the determined disproportion of played domestic and away matches of clubs) Hajduk would have achieved a coefficient of 3 points for domestic matches and a coefficient of 2.12 for away matches, while Dinamo would achieve a coefficient of 3 points for domestic matches and a coefficient of 1.67 for away matches, which would mean that the junior team of Hajduk has a total coefficient of 2.56 (5.12:2), and the junior team of Dinamo has a total coefficient 2.33 (4.67:2).

You can judge for yourself whether the decision of the Federation is objective and with transparent criteria without discrimination, considering all the arguments we have stated.

Following all the above, we will consider whether our juniors will play in the First HNL competition for juniors in the 2020/21 season, because it is obvious that Croatian football can only be represented by one club in the Junior Champions League. We all remember the situation from 2015, when the juniors of RNK Split won the championship, and in that situation, the Federation enabled Dinamo to participate in the UEFA Youth League through legal stunts.

HNK Hajduk will take and use all legal steps and opportunities to protect their children who, by diligent work on the pitch, have earned something that is taken away from them in the HNS offices. We repeat, the Club maintains that playing the so-called "Masters" was the best and fairest solution, and which would ultimately satisfy the basic principle in choosing the right to play in the UEFA club competition, the principle of sports results."

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.