GNK Dinamo Zagreb learned their opponents for the Europa League group stage following Friday's draw. Former club player Daniel Šarić commented on the draw for Net.hr, describing the group as challenging but with opportunities for Dinamo.
Dinamo was drawn into a group with Bayer Leverkusen, Anderlecht, Sturm, NEC, AZ Alkmaar, Rennes, Sunderland, and Hapoel Beer-Sheva. Šarić, who played for the Zagreb club from 1995 to 2000, believes the fixture schedule could favor the team. "Dinamo has four consecutive home games against Bayer Leverkusen, Anderlecht, Sturm, and NEC, I see a chance for points there," Šarić said.
What does Dinamo's schedule look like?
The first match awaits Dinamo away against AZ Alkmaar. Šarić commented that this is a winnable fixture. That is followed by a home game against Bayer Leverkusen, which he sees as a good schedule. The club will also play away against Sunderland, who represent a serious challenge from the world's richest league.
Dinamo currently leads the Croatian Football League with a perfect record of three wins from three matches. You can see on our standings page that the club has nine points, nine goals scored, and only one conceded. The next task is an away match against Istra 1961 on Saturday, which you can follow on our fixtures page.
What does Šarić say about the chances of advancing?
The former international believes Dinamo has the potential to reach the next round. "Dinamo can reach the second round, there are opponents ripe for taking points," he stated. He particularly highlighted the match against Hapoel Beer-Sheva, which will be played in Budapest and not at their home ground, which could be an advantage.
However, he warned about the quality of all opponents. Bayer Leverkusen and Sunderland are the favorites in the group in his estimation. Rennes comes from a strong French league, and all clubs are serious. Dinamo will need to show their best game to finish among the top eight, who go directly to the round of 16.
How does the Europa League competition work?
The Europa League group stage begins on September 16 and 17 and ends on January 28, 2027. Each club plays two matches against four different opponents, once at home and once away. Dinamo finished 23rd last season and was eliminated in the play-offs by Genk.
The final will be held on May 26, 2027, in Frankfurt. Dinamo was in the second pot before the draw, with clubs like Benfica, Juventus, and Milan among the top seeds. The draw was conducted by former German footballer Sebastian Rode.
What does this mean for Dinamo for the rest of the season?
Dinamo enters the European campaign with confidence from an excellent start in the domestic championship. The club has a strong goal difference and good rhythm, as visible on our stats page. Success in the Europa League will require focus on both fronts, and the match schedule provides an opportunity for a good start. The first step is the match against Istra 1961, followed by preparation for the European challenges.
