Klub sepak bola Dinamo Zagreb resmi meluncurkan jersi kandang baru untuk musim depan dalam pertandingan terakhir liga melawan Lokomotiva di Stadion Maksimir pada Sabtu, 23 Mei 2026.
Peluncuran seragam baru hasil kolaborasi dengan Castore ini bertepatan dengan perayaan raihan gelar ganda, yaitu trofi liga dan Piala Kroasia, sekaligus menandai musim terakhir klub bermain di struktur bangunan Stadion Maksimir yang lama.
Desain jersi tersebut menampilkan pola geometris dari siluet empat tribune Stadion Maksimir yang dipadukan dengan garis biru tua di atas warna dasar biru standar klub.
Sebelum pertandingan pekan ke-36 SuperSport HNL tersebut dimulai, manajemen Dinamo Zagreb menyelenggarakan acara hiburan luar ruang di area parkir tribune barat sejak pukul 10.00 waktu setempat.
Seluruh tiket untuk tribune utara dan barat telah habis terjual sehingga pihak klub memutuskan untuk membuka tribune selatan bagi para pendukung dan siswa sekolah dasar setempat.
Pelatih Dinamo Zagreb, Mario Kovacevic, menyatakan bahwa timnya tetap mengincar kemenangan dalam laga penutup musim ini demi menjaga tren positif dan menghibur para suporter yang memadati stadion.
"Everything is ready, we're in a celebratory mood, but we're working to maintain good form and play a proper match. Of course, we want to win in front of packed stands. We also have some additional motives in this final match of the season, we want to score a few more goals, there's also Dion Drena Beljo, we hope he'll score too and we'll see if he can reach the record. As for the lineup, it will be similar to the last match against Slaven Belupo, most of those who got a rest then will get it this time too. From those who were rested in the last match, Dominik Livaković is returning to us now" kata Mario Kovacevic, Pelatih Dinamo Zagreb.
Kovacevic juga menjelaskan mengenai situasi bursa transfer musim panas mendatang yang akan dikoordinasikan bersama direktur olahraga dan presiden klub, di mana penambahan pemain baru akan bergantung pada daftar pemain yang keluar.
"That will be decided primarily by the sporting director and club president, together with me. I get all the information, but I'm mainly focused on the pitch the whole time. There's a lot of work, we're aware of that. But we did that work well when it was hardest, and I believe we'll do even better now. Which positions would we strengthen? I'm really satisfied with my players, and any potential arrivals will mostly depend on possible departures. We need another 'Osmic', and also a defensive midfielder so we have cover for Josip Mišić. But it will mostly depend on departures." ujar Mario Kovacevic, Pelatih Dinamo Zagreb.
Mengenai susunan pemain yang diturunkan untuk menghadapi Lokomotiva, Kovacevic mengaku belum menetapkannya secara penuh karena beberapa pemain muda dialokasikan untuk memperkuat tim junior yang bertanding pada hari Jumat.
"Ha ha ha... I could, but I don't even know it completely yet myself. I know it 90 percent, but we have training so we'll see. As I said, it will be similar to last round against Slaven Belupo. Maybe there'll be one or two changes. The youth team has an important match on Friday so we've given them some players now. Sven Šunta and Marko Zebić have stayed with us. With the youth team are, for example, Josip Brundić and Cardoso Varela, so we'll see if we'll use them on Saturday." sebut Mario Kovacevic, Pelatih Dinamo Zagreb.
Musim kompetisi ini dinilai Kovacevic sebagai puncak karier kepelatihannya setelah sempat menghadapi keraguan dari sejumlah pihak di awal masa tugasnya bersama staf kepelatihan.
"Certainly it is. It's a great honour to be Dinamo's coach. I wasn't afraid of work. When you work, that work rewards you. I never pushed myself forward, I worked honestly, someone in the profession recognized that. In my work so far I've had success. But I always look only to the future, I believe I can show much more at Dinamo too, that we'll be even better. I'm happy about this season. Dinamo is really a big club with numerous fans, I know some people had doubts, but my staff and I worked honestly. And it showed that we do good work. That's most important for our players. You can see yourself how many of them had the best season of their careers, that makes me happiest. We've already secured the championship title so we could enjoy every training session these past two weeks." ungkap Mario Kovacevic, Pelatih Dinamo Zagreb.
Terkait keputusan pelatih tim nasional Kroasia, Zlatko Dalic, yang tidak menyertakan Luka Stojkovic dan Dion Drena Beljo ke dalam skuad Piala Dunia, Kovacevic tetap memberikan dukungan moral kepada para pemain mudanya tersebut.
"I would have liked them to be at the World Cup. I spoke with them, after the World Cup come new qualifications, they're young lads, they just need to continue like this and the national team certainly won't escape them. Josip Mišić deserved it too, but it is what it is. At least he'll get a good rest." tutur Mario Kovacevic, Pelatih Dinamo Zagreb.
Kovacevic kemudian mengklarifikasi komentarnya mengenai penyerang Josip Misic yang dinilai beberapa pihak sudah terlambat untuk mendapatkan panggilan membela tim nasional.
"Maybe he didn't mean it that way. I don't know, this division of old or young players... Well, our example is Luka Modrić who at 40 years old is the best. Maybe it was just poorly expressed. If Mišić plays well and if the national team needs him, why wouldn't he get a call-up at 31?" tambah Mario Kovacevic, Pelatih Dinamo Zagreb.
Pertandingan ini juga menjadi momen perpisahan bagi dua pemain belakang Dinamo Zagreb, sementara posisi penjaga gawang cadangan berpotensi mendapatkan perpanjangan kontrak.
"Dino Perić and Kevin Theophile, those two will say goodbye. Danijel Zagorac? I think he'll still be with us. His contract expires, but I think we'll extend it. Man, if you could only see him in training, what a 'machine' he is. He works a lot on himself" jelas Mario Kovacevic, Pelatih Dinamo Zagreb.
Sebelumnya pada pertandingan pekan ke-35 melawan Slaven Belupo, Dinamo Zagreb menargetkan kemenangan sekaligus upaya memecahkan rekor gol musim semi HNL serta membantu Beljo mengejar rekor 34 gol milik Eduardo da Silva.
"Well, yes, we celebrated, it was very nice. This double crown is a reward for all of us, for the players, coaches, Management..." ucap Mario Kovacevic, Pelatih Dinamo Zagreb.
Performa impresif tim asal kota Zagreb ini mulai terlihat konsisten sejak paruh kedua kompetisi, termasuk saat mengalahkan Rijeka di babak final Piala Kroasia.
"Yes, we had long preparations, and the real takeoff happened just as we had announced, everything somehow fell into place, we played well... I'm also pleased with our performance in the last match against Rijeka in the Cup final, we were really good, showed that even in such a situation, when one match decides everything, we can be at our best. In the championship, this difference is visible in the continuity of our good games. I say, I'm pleased with that victory, and even more with our good play." papar Mario Kovacevic, Pelatih Dinamo Zagreb.
Dalam lawatan ke Koprivnica tersebut, Kovacevic memutuskan untuk mengistirahatkan tiga pemain pilar guna memberikan kesempatan kepada para pemain pelapis dan punggawa junior.
"I hope we'll succeed, somehow we've managed to achieve everything we planned, so why not this too. It won't be easy. Here, now the first match is against Slaven Belupo, we'll put together a good team, we'll rest some players. Yes, we'll chase records too, but regardless of them, we want to win every match anyway, that's how we'll approach it now." tukas Mario Kovacevic, Pelatih Dinamo Zagreb.
Manajemen klub mengonfirmasi bahwa tiga pemain utama dipastikan absen dalam laga pramusim akhir tersebut guna memulihkan kondisi fisik mereka.
"Josip Mišić, Scott McKenna and Miha Zajc won't be in contention, we've given them time off to rest. We'll see how it will be for the last match against Lokomotiva. All others are available. We'll give opportunities to those who have played less so far and have additional motivation to show themselves because they want to stay at Dinamo. From that perspective, there shouldn't be any problems. There are also some younger players, juniors, we know how important it is for them to show themselves in the first team." urai Mario Kovacevic, Pelatih Dinamo Zagreb.
Mengenai tim lawan Slaven Belupo, Kovacevic memberikan apresiasi khusus kepada pelatih Mario Gregurina yang dinilai mampu menjaga stabilitas tim di tengah badai cedera pemain.
"I must praise Gregurina's work, in autumn you could see how good they were. Then followed the sale of some players, primarily thinking of Adrian Jagušić, injuries followed as well, but they pulled themselves together and in this last match beat Gorica. I'm happy for them that they're sailing calmly through the season. I know how good and quality coach Gregurina is and I didn't doubt him. But it's normal that we'll also give everything on Sunday to win." puji Mario Kovacevic, Pelatih Dinamo Zagreb.
Pertandingan melawan Slaven Belupo tersebut juga bertepatan dengan hari ulang tahun sang pelatih yang kini telah memasuki usia kepala lima.
"Yes, ha ha ha, the years are piling up, I've already passed fifty. I hope the players will reward me with a victory" pungkas Mario Kovacevic, Pelatih Dinamo Zagreb.
Rangkaian perayaan gelar juara di Stadion Maksimir ditutup dengan konser musik pascapertandingan yang menghadirkan Jura Stublic & Film serta beberapa pengisi acara lainnya di area parkir barat.
