GNK Dinamo Zagreb missed out on the Champions League after being eliminated by Norway's Viking, and former player and pundit Igor Pamić believes it was an unforgivable miss. In an interview with 24sata this week, Pamić expressed disappointment and pointed to the deficiencies that cost the 'Blues'.
Pamić is clear in his assessment. "I am sad, really sad. Dinamo had to, by any means, get past that Viking," he told 24sata. While acknowledging Viking's organization, Pamić is convinced Dinamo had the more talented squad and that losing to a weaker opponent was due to insufficient performance. He stressed the club must now focus on the Europa League.
One of the main problems Pamić highlighted is the goalkeeper position. According to him, none of the current keepers have the required level for major European challenges. This season, Dinamo's goalkeepers made too many mistakes in the qualifiers, putting pressure on the rest of the team. While he doesn't want to place all the blame on them, Pamić believes this issue should have been resolved earlier. Currently, according to the official roster, the goalkeepers are Dominik Livaković, Danijel Zagorac, and new signing Roko Jurišić.
After the qualification failure, questions arise about the squad's depth. Pamić mentions the club did not bring in serious reinforcements and that a large number of key players were sold. This leaves the coach with a relatively thin squad for fighting on two fronts. Dinamo currently has 28 players in the first team, including young talents like Martin Baturina and Marko Bulat. Urgent reinforcements are needed before the transfer window closes to ensure competitiveness in the Europa League and the defense of the HNL title. The full player list is available on our squad page.
Dinamo now turns to the Europa League, where they will face more demanding opponents. The first group stage match is already next week. The club must quickly reorganize and use the remaining time before the transfer deadline. Pamić believes sporting director Mario Kovačević and his team will make the necessary moves. Dinamo has won the domestic double in the last two seasons, showing quality at home, but European success requires more. The schedule of all upcoming matches can be found on the fixtures page.
Alongside European challenges, Dinamo must maintain its dominance in the Croatian Football League. They are currently top of the table with an unbeaten record after several rounds. Maintaining a high level in two competitions will test the squad's depth. Coach Sergej Jakirović has the task of finding the right balance between league and European duties. For a detailed overview of the title race, visit the standings page. Dinamo will play their next league match against Istra 1961 on Saturday, September 12, 2026.
