Dinamo faces budget shortfall after Champions League exit, must sell players

Dinamo Zagreb's Champions League dreams have been dashed, leaving the club facing a significant budget shortfall and the inevitable sale of key players. The Croatian champions will now compete in the Europa League, learning their opponents on Friday, a stark contrast to their initial aspirations.

The club had planned to secure 50 million euros from UEFA and player transfers, but currently stands at approximately 30 million euros. This deficit necessitates player sales, a move that was intended to be avoided by reaching the Champions League. However, with transfer windows in major European leagues closing imminently, Dinamo faces a race against time to offload talent.

The publication points to a collective failure, citing Zvonimir Boban as the architect of the sports policy, the coaching staff led by Kovačević, and the players themselves for individual errors. The article contrasts Dinamo's performance against Viking with a past victory over Tottenham, where Jose Mourinho praised their team spirit. Viking, in contrast, demonstrated strong teamwork to achieve their historic Champions League qualification.

While the Europa League is not considered a tragedy, the article suggests Dinamo's current squad is strong enough for the domestic league but not yet for European competition. Optimism for future improvement exists, but the immediate concern is financial, with the need to sell players like Dominguez, whose potential transfer to Lazio fell through, and Luka Stojković, whom the club initially intended to keep.