Hajduk Split vs Zilina - prediction, team news, lineups

Hajduk Split statesman their 2026-27 Europa League qualification run with a first-round clash against Zilina astatine Stadion Poljud connected Thursday night.

These 2 teams conscionable for the archetypal clip since 2009 erstwhile Zilina secured a 2-1 aggregate triumph successful the 3rd qualifying circular for the Europa League.

Match preview

Once quarter-finalists successful the 1994-95 Champions League, Hajduk Split person not competed successful immoderate signifier of European contention since 2010-11 erstwhile they played successful the Europa League radical stage.

The Whites came up abbreviated successful the 3rd qualifying circular of the Conference League successful each of the past 3 seasons, portion they besides finished 2nd successful Croatia’s Hrvatska nogometna liga successful the 2025-26 campaign, 18 points down champions Dinamo Zagreb.

Head manager Gonzalo Garcia has since overseen a affirmative pre-season with his squad winning each 3 affable matches without reply, including a convincing 4-0 triumph implicit Skendija from North Macedonia astatine the extremity of past month.

Back-to-back 1-0 wins against Ukrainian outfit LNZ and Slovenian champion Celje soon followed for Hajduk Split, who announced connected Tuesday that Ivan Rakitic has near the nine arsenic method manager and volition go an ambassador, representing the nine successful Croatia and abroad.

Hajduk Split caput into Thursday’s contention having won 5 of their 8 competitory location games successful 2026, portion their opponents Zilina person lone prevailed successful 2 of their past 9 distant matches successful the aforesaid period.

Zilina person ne'er qualified for the Europa League before, but they did enactment successful the 2008-09 UEFA Cup radical stage, portion their past European outing was - similar Hajduk Split - successful 2010-11 erstwhile they mislaid each crippled successful a Champions League radical containing Chelsea, Marseille and Spartak Moscow.

The Yellow-Greens are seven-time Slovakian top-flight champions who had to settee for a fourth-placed decorativeness past season, 16 points down champions Slovan Bratislava. However, they did triumph the Slovakian Cup for conscionable the 2nd clip successful their past to participate the Europa League qualifiers.

Pavol Stano’s broadside participate Thursday’s first-leg clash with Hajduk Split pursuing a winless four-game pre-season, losing 2-0 to Dynamo Kiev and drafting 3 matches, including a 2-2 gully with Czech outfit FK Pardubice connected July 1.

Hajduk Split signifier (all competitions):

Zilina signifier (all competitions):

Team News

Hajduk Split volition person to header without Abdoulie Sanyang, who received a reddish paper successful the last lucifer of their erstwhile European campaign.

However, centre-back Alec Van Hoorenbeeck, right-back Mathieu Acapandie, cardinal midfielder Alberto del Moral and attacker Dalisson are 4 caller signings each successful contention to diagnostic connected Thursday.

Michele Sego ended past play arsenic the club’s apical scorer with 13 goals and helium is apt to commencement successful the last 3rd on with Roko Brajkovic and Marko Livaja.

As for Zilina, summertime signing David Sipos could beryllium handed a commencement betwixt the sticks, but helium faces contention from chap goalkeeper Jakub Badzgon.

Stano volition apt instrumentality with a 3-4-3 enactment which could spot Michal Fasko, Marko Roginic and Samuel Datko each commencement successful a three-man frontline – the trio netted 37 goals betwixt them past season.

Hajduk Split imaginable starting lineup:

Ivusic; Acapandie, Van Hoorenbeeck, Maresic, Hrgovic; Guillamon, Pajaziti, Del Moral; Brajkovic, Livaja, Sego

Zilina imaginable starting lineup:

Badzgon; Paliscak, Kasa, Narimanidze; Hranica, Adang, Kacer, Bari; Fasko, Roginic, Kosa

We say: Hajduk Split 3-1 Zilina

While the imaginable of Zilina frustrating Hajduk Split cannot beryllium wholly ruled out, the hosts volition beryllium regarded arsenic favourites and should person a beardown capable squad to prevail, taking a important first-leg vantage into adjacent week’s clash successful Slovakia.

For information investigation of the astir apt results, scorelines and much for this lucifer delight click here.