Former Dinamo Player: Hajduk Must Solve One Problem, Stop Comparing to Dinamo

Ivica Vrdoljak, a former Dinamo player with insight into Polish football, has urged Hajduk to address a key issue and cease comparisons with their rivals, Dinamo. "Everyone is interested in a proper Hajduk, led by captain Marko Livaja, but it's a mistake to constantly compare them with Dinamo. That's the wrong path," Vrdoljak stated. Hajduk is set to face Rakow in the first leg of their Conference League playoff at Poljud stadium. Vrdoljak views the chances as 50:50, noting that neither team is currently performing at their desired level. He highlighted Rakow's experience in European group stages, something Hajduk lacks, while acknowledging Hajduk's home advantage in the initial match. "Hajduk's absolute advantage is the home ground in the first match," Vrdoljak explained. "They've drawn a team that doesn't have a typical Polish atmosphere in the stands, nor a typical Polish stadium. I mean that in the return leg, Hajduk won't face a fiery atmosphere." Both teams have had a poor start to their domestic leagues. Vrdoljak commented on Rakow's squad depth issues and their recent change in coaching, noting that while they play similarly to their previous coach's system, the team's overall quality has diminished. He cautioned Hajduk against underestimating Rakow despite their current struggles. Regarding Hajduk's recent performance under new coach Gonzalo Garcia, Vrdoljak described their play as inconsistent, fluctuating between good and poor. He acknowledged that the players are still adapting to the coach's ideas. While praising some positive developments, he stressed that it's too early to definitively evaluate the current Hajduk team.

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Everyone is interested in a proper Hajduk, led by captain Marko Livaja, but it's a mistake to constantly compare them with Dinamo. That's the wrong path.