Dinamo: Oršić's Poor Performance and Bjelica's Call for Patience

Result and Statistics

Dinamo Zagreb finished the first play‑off round of the Champions League 2:2 against Norwegian Viking. Viking equalised after ten minutes, and Dinamo had more than 20 shots on goal, but left the game without an advantage. Mislav Oršić received an average rating of 2.1, with the only lower rating belonging to Smail Prevljak.

Oršić's Poor Performance

Oršić has played only six matches this season, totaling 356 minutes on the pitch. Although he was in the starting XI in four of five European matches, he was sparingly used in the domestic league. He played only the last 15 minutes against Slaven Belupo and was on the bench against Rudeš. He has neither a goal nor an assist, and among all players who have played in the three forward positions, he is the only one without a result.

Reasons for the Weakness

Oršić is 33 years old and carries a knee injury from two and a half years ago. For a player whose game was built on speed, biological age is not an ally. Moreover, Dinamo has changed tactics: previously they played transitional football with Bruno Petković, who dropped deep and created space for Oršić, but now they rely on positional football and line‑to‑line combination. In attack, Dion Drena Beljo is now the winger, who is not a creator but a finisher.

Bjelica and the Future

Nenad Bjelica, who built Dinamo’s generation, recently commented on Oršić’s adaptation. "Oršić is known for needing a little time to find form. He is a sprinter, preparation is hard for him, the first month he usually suffers. But he gives a great contribution to the team when he reaches his true level. With Oršić we just need to be patient," he said.

Alternative Wingers

Dinamo is considering options such as Arber Hoxha, who was a key player last season and is known for aggression and sharpness. Gabriel Vidović has been sold to Paderborn, and Noah Nsoki and Dani Rodriguez are not in optimal form. Hoxha is one of the few players who can accelerate the tempo of a match, but he faces the challenge of fitting into the current pace of the squad.

Conclusion

Dinamo has no choice but to wait for Oršić. The club cannot immediately drop the sprinter, as it could be counter‑productive, and the current wingers still do not provide enough solutions for finishing matches. Dinamo will continue with Oršić until a clear alternative emerges.