Varazdin
- Varazdin are red-hot coming into this one, winning four games on the spin and have collected four wins, three draws and two defeats at home in HNL 2025/2026 (1.56 goals scored and 1.33 conceded per home game).
- Varazdin sit fourth in the HNL 2025/2026 standings on 29 points from 20 games, while 9th placed Osijek have 17 points from the same number of matches.
- Varazdin boss Nikola Safaric has been in charge since December 2023 and has implemented a possession-based 4-2-3-1 system that suits his squad and is based around patient build-up play, structured geometry, and the use of full-backs in overlap when in possession.
Osijek
- Osijek have just one win from nine road trips (1 win, 3 draws, 5 defeats) and have conceded 15 goals on the road.
- Osijek’s away form has been poor in HNL 2025/2026 (1 win, 3 draws and 5 defeats from nine) and they have failed to win in their last three trips to Varazdin.
- Sopic’s Osijek have been much more direct since his arrival, preferring rapid vertical progression with wide rotations and quick balls in behind the defence to find pockets of space between the lines.
Head-to-Head
Varazdin are unbeaten in their last five matches against Osijek (Won 2, drawn 3), winning a 5-3 thriller at home in the Croatian Cup 2025/2026 two months ago.
Key Players
The Croatian marksman has three goals in Varazdin’s last five HNL games, while Nail Omerovic is Osijek’s key man with six goals in 20 appearances in the league.
Betting Insights
- The bookmakers make Varazdin slight favorites at 2.2 with Osijek going off at 3.3 and the draw 3.0, and we expect the hosts to edge a tight contest at their favoured price.
- Both Teams to Score is favoured at 1.83 ahead of this HNL clash, which should be entertaining with both sides looking to get at one another.
Prediction
With a crucial head-to-head advantage, superior recent form, home advantage and differing tactical styles at play, Varazdin should take the spoils in this high-paced, open contest.
