GNK Dinamo Zagreb is preparing for a challenging Europa League draw following their elimination from the Champions League qualifiers. According to an analysis by Index.hr published this week, the new competition format could present tougher opponents than they might have faced in the elite tournament.
The Europa League no longer features traditional four-team groups. Instead, there is a single league of 36 teams where each club plays eight matches against eight different opponents. Each team gets two opponents from each of the four seeding pots. Dinamo Zagreb, likely to be placed in the second or third pot, will have to face clubs from all levels. The top eight teams advance directly to the round of 16, while teams placed 9th to 24th compete in a knockout play-off. Every point will be key for progression to the knockout phase.
According to the analysis, the biggest threat to Dinamo could come from the third pot. English clubs Crystal Palace, Bournemouth, and Sunderland could be placed there. These Premier League teams possess financial power that surpasses most European clubs in this competition. Although Dinamo will avoid some of the absolute favorites from the first pot like Milan, Bayer Leverkusen, Marseille, and Real Sociedad, a match against any English representative presents a huge challenge. For comparison, last season Dinamo earned ten points in the Europa League league phase against clubs like Fenerbahçe, Maccabi Tel Aviv, Celtic, and Lille, which was enough for the play-offs.
After the failure against Viking in the Champions League qualifiers, the club's focus is now entirely on the Europa League. The coach and players know they must be concentrated from the first minute of every match because the new format does not forgive bad days. The club will rely on experience gained last season when they were eliminated in the play-offs by Belgian side Genk after two dramatic matches (3:1, 1:3, 3:3 after extra time).
Besides English clubs, other serious opponents from strong leagues can be found in the second and third pots. This includes teams from Germany, Italy, Spain, and France that dropped down from the Champions League or qualified from their domestic competitions. Dinamo's strategy will need to be flexible, adapted to each individual opponent. It will be essential to seize every opportunity for points, especially in matches at Maksimir. The current squad and player statistics are available on our squad page.
The first Europa League league phase match for Dinamo Zagreb is scheduled for September 25th, with the draw taking place on August 30th in Monaco. This will be an opportunity for the club to show it can be competitive against teams with vastly larger budgets. The final position in the league will determine whether Dinamo will be playing European football in the spring.
