IT’S well known that Real Madrid were the outstanding team of the UEFA Champions League in the period between 2010 and 2019, winning the trophy four times. In terms of overall European prizes, Chelsea, Sevilla and Atlético Madrid all won … Continue reading Forget Barca – Shakhtar Donetsk and Lincoln Red Imps are the more successful
The Croatian league gets underway this weekend and the reigning champions, Dinamo Zagreb will be kicking-off under something of a dark cloud. The club’s chairman, Zdravko Mamic and his brother Zoran, the coach, were both arrested this week after investigations into possible embezzlement and tax fraud. They were snatched as they crossed the border from Slovenia, where Dinamo had been preparing for the new campaign. Both men claim their innocence and Dinamo have said that the accusations are “unfounded and odd”. The brothers’ houses were both raided as the said they were “collecting urgent evidence”. Despite presiding over Croatia’s most … Continue reading Zagreb in turmoil on eve of season
In the final part of the Balkan Trilogy, we look at two clubs who were once tricky European campaigners, Dinamo Zagreb and Hadjuk Split. About 15 years ago, I was in the centre of Zagreb, being shown around the fish market. My guide was very proud of this fairly modest market. Next to one stall, there was a man selling football souvenirs. I asked him if he had a Dinamo Zagreb pennant, to which he said, “Croatia….not Dinamo.” At the time, the team I had always known as Dinamo Zagreb, notably for its victory over two legs in the Inter-Cities … Continue reading Zagreb and Split, a tale of two cities
Game of the people 