What happened?

GNK Dinamo Zagreb's B team officially kicked off pre‑season on Thursday as coach Jerko Leko gathered 30 players on the auxiliary pitch "Zlatko Čiko Kranjčar". After a four‑year hiatus, the youth project returns to the Prva NL, Croatia's second tier, with the league starting on August 22.

Why does it matter for GNK Dinamo Zagreb?

Leko, former Croatian international and long‑time Dinamo academy figure, stressed that the B team is essential for bridging youngsters from youth to senior football. "Communication with the first team will be high, and that's important for player development," he said. The first team, led by Mario Kovačević, already visited the training, showing club integration. In the HNL, Dinamo currently sits first with 86 points, 27 wins, 5 draws and 4 losses, leading by 18 points over Hajduk – a benchmark that raises expectations for the B side as well.

Who's in the squad and what's the plan?

Goalkeepers Tai Žnuderl, Petar Lončarević and Luka Križić guard the net; the defence features Noa Mikić, Marko Zebić, Nikola Radnić, Borna Orlić, Gabriel Proleta, Petar Šimun Žaja, Nikolas Šimić and Sven Lovrić. Midfielders include Sven Šunta, Josip Brundić, Tomas Baković, Krešimir Radoš, Kaloyan Bozhkov and Fuzy Taylor, while the attack is led by Lovre Kulušić, Mislav Ćutuk, Leonardo Perković and Roko Ban. Missing are Zebić, Mikić and Baković on a ten‑day rest, and Šimić, Perković, Kulušić due to injuries. Preparations will feature five friendlies before the official start.

What lies ahead?

Leko outlined six weeks of intensive training, with the first three being the toughest, followed by a gradual shift to tactical work. "We need to be tactically mature to adopt the first‑team principles," he emphasized. Since the B team cannot be promoted or relegated, the focus is purely on individual growth. Over the next month, supported by staff and analyst Luka Tuđen, the youngsters will aim to impress and earn a spot in the first squad, which currently dominates the HNL with 93 goals scored, 28 conceded and a +65 goal difference.