GNK Dinamo Zagreb (also known as Dinamo Zagreb, Dinamo and The Blues) are an association football club from Zagreb, Croatia. Home matches were played at the club's ground, Maksimir Stadium. Dinamo's season officially began 1 June 2010 and concluded on 30 May 2011, although competitive matches were played between 13 July and 25 May. During the season they competed in the Prva HNL, the highest division in Croatian football, and the Croatian Cup. They also played a total of twelve European games, first in the preliminary stages of the 2010–11 UEFA Champions League and later in the 2010–11 UEFA Europa League.

After guiding the club to their 12th Croatian league title in 2009–10, Krunoslav Jurčić resigned as manager of Dinamo in May 2010. He was replaced as manager by ex-Dinamo player and coach Velimir Zajec. However, after spending less than three months at the helm and after getting knocked out in the UEFA Champions League third qualifying round by Moldovan side Sheriff Tiraspol, Zajec was replaced in mid August by Bosnian manager Vahid Halilhodžić, whose previous post was managing the Ivory Coast national team.

Early in the season, first-team players including Ivan Turina, Ivica Vrdoljak and Croatia international striker Mario Mandžukić left the club while veteran defender Robert Kovač retired. New arrivals included striker Ante Rukavina, former Portugal international defender Tonel, Montenegro international forward Fatos Bećiraj and midfielder Arijan Ademi.

After a surprising league defeat to Rijeka on 31 July and the unsuccessful attempt to reach the UEFA Champions League group stage, the club's fortunes stabilised under Halilhodžić and Dinamo found themselves top of the league table by early October, a position they kept throughout the season. In spite of Dinamo's domestic dominance Halilhodžić gradually became target of increased criticism by sections of the media for what they saw as an inefficient style of football practised by the club, which culminated in a much publicized conflict with club president Zdravko Mamić in the half-time of the league game against minnows Inter Zaprešić in early May 2011. Halilhodžić's contract was then de facto terminated, so in the last four games of the season Dinamo was led by caretaker manager Marijo Tot. In other competitions Dinamo won the 2010–11 Croatian Cup, their 11th title, and appeared in the Europa League group stage for the fourth consecutive season, picking up seven points in six matches and finishing third in their group behind Villarreal and PAOK.

Pre-season Legend

Super Cup

As champions of the 2009–10 Prva HNL Dinamo qualified for the 2010 Croatian Super Cup, a one-off match played between league champions and Croatian Cup winners which serves as a curtain raiser for the following football season. This was the ninth Supercup played since the formation of the Croatian football league in 1992 and the first since 2006, as it is never held when a club wins "The Double" (Dinamo had won three consecutive Doubles in 2006–07, 2007–08 and 2008–09).

The match was decided in an Eternal Derby, as Dinamo played 2009–10 Croatian Cup winners and their greatest rivals Hajduk Split at Maksimir. It was their second competitive match led by the newly appointed manager Velimir Zajec and Dinamo won the game 1–0 through a second-half header by Igor Bišćan after Dodô delivered a corner kick. It was Dinamo's fourth Super Cup win and it later proved to be Zajec's only silverware won with Dinamo as he was sacked on 9 August.

Squad

Competitions

Overall CompetitionStarted roundFinal resultFirst matchLast Match2010 Croatian SupercupWinners2010–11 Prva HNL1st24 July 21 May2010–11 Croatian CupFirst roundWinners 22 September 25 May2010–11 UEFA Champions LeagueQR2QR313 July 4 August2010–11 UEFA Europa LeaguePlay-off roundGroup stage19 August 15 December

Prva HNL

Classification

Results summary

Results by round

Results by opponent TeamResultsPointsHomeAwayCibalia 2–0 1–0 6Hajduk Split 2–0 1–1 4Hrvatski Dragovoljac 4–1 6–0 6Inter Zaprešić 1–0 3–0 6Istra 1961 4–0 1–2 3Karlovac 4–2 1–0 6Lokomotiva 1–0 2–0 6Osijek 1–0 3–1 6Rijeka 1–2 2–0 3Šibenik 1–0 2–0 6Slaven Belupo 0–0 2–0 4RNK Split 1–1 1–0 4Varaždin 1–1 1–1 2Zadar 1–0 0–0 4NK Zagreb 1–0 1–0 6

Source: 2010–11 Prva HNL article

2010–11 UEFA Europa League

Group D

Matches

Key

Tournament 1. HNL = 2010–11 Prva HNL Supercup = Croatian Supercup Cup = 2010–11 Croatian Cup UCL = 2010–11 UEFA Champions League UEL = 2010–11 UEFA Europa League Ground H = Home A = Away HR = Home replacement AR = Away replacement

Round R1 = Round 1 (round of 32) R2 = Round 2 (round of 16) QF = Quarter-finals SF = Semi-finals F = Final QR2 = Second Qualifying Round QR3 = Third Qualifying Round Play-off = Play-off Round Group = Group Stage

WinDrawLoss

Competitive MDateTournamentRoundGroundOpponentScoreAttendanceDinamo ScorersReport1 13 JulUCLQR2H Koper 5 – 17,000 Mandžukić (2), Slepička, Sammir, Etto Sportnet.hr2 17 JulSupercupN/AH Hajduk Split 1 – 08,000 Bišćan Sportnet.hr3 20 JulUCLQR2AR Koper 0 – 32,000 Sportnet.hr4 24 Jul1. HNL1HHrvatski Dragovoljac4 – 1350Morales, Sammir, Slepička, Mesarić Sportnet.hr5 27 JulUCLQR3A Sheriff Tiraspol 1 – 110,000 Sammir Sportnet.hr6 31 Jul1. HNL2H Rijeka 1 – 23,500Sammir Sportnet.hr7 4 AugUCLQR3H Sheriff Tiraspol 1 – 110,000 Sammir Sportnet.hr8 7 Aug1. HNL3A Varaždin 1 – 13,000 Rukavina Sportnet.hr914 Aug1. HNL4H Karlovac 4 – 2400 Sammir (2), Kramarić, Rukavina Sportnet.hr1019 AugUELPlay-offA Győri ETO 2 – 08,000 Rukavina (2) Sportnet.hr1122 Aug1. HNL5A Slaven Belupo 2 – 04,000 Rukavina, Sammir Sportnet.hr12 26 AugUELPlay-offH Győri ETO 2 – 18,000 Sammir (2) Sportnet.hr13 28 Aug1. HNL6H Cibalia 2 – 03,500 Vrsaljko, Tomečak Sportnet.hr14 11 Sep1. HNL7A Hajduk Split 1 – 130,000 Sammir Sportnet.hr15 16 SepUELGroupH Villarreal 2 – 021,000 Rukavina, Sammir Sportnet.hr16 19 Sep1. HNL8H NK Zagreb 1 – 011,000 Barbarić Sportnet.hr17 22 SepCupR1A Zadrugar 6 – 01,500 Bećiraj (2), Kramarić (3), Sylvestr Sportnet.hr18 26 Sep1. HNL9AR Lokomotiva 2 – 050 Chago, Tonel Sportnet.hr19 30 SepUELGroupA PAOK 0 – 125,000 Sportnet.hr20 3 Oct1. HNL10H Istra 1961 4 – 01,500 Sylvestr, Bećiraj, Sammir (2)Sportnet.hr21 16 Oct1. HNL11A Osijek 3 – 15,000 Sammir, Badelj, Bećiraj Sportnet.hr22 21 OctUELGroupH Club Brugge 0 – 022,000 Sportnet.hr23 23 Oct1. HNL12H Šibenik 1 – 03,000 TomečakSportnet.hr24 27 OctCupR2A Karlovac 2 – 01,500 Bećiraj, Cufré Sportnet.hr25 30 Oct1. HNL13A Inter Zaprešić 3 – 03,000 Tonel, Sammir, Ibáñez Sportnet.hr26 4 NovUELGroupA Club Brugge 2 – 015,000 Sammir, Bišćan Sportnet.hr27 7 Nov1. HNL14H Zadar 1 – 04,000 Tomečak Sportnet.hr28 13 Nov1. HNL15A RNK Split 1 – 04,000 Calello Sportnet.hr29 20 Nov1. HNL16A Hrvatski Dragovoljac 6 – 01,000 Tomečak, Chago, Ibáñez, Kovačić, Badelj, Bećiraj Sportnet.hr30 23 NovCupQFH Osijek 2 – 01,000 Tonel, Kramarić Sportnet.hr31 27 Nov1. HNL17A Rijeka 2 – 02,500 Bećiraj, Badelj Sportnet.hr32 2 DecUELGroupA Villarreal 0 – 3 Sportnet.hr33 5 Dec1. HNL18H Varaždin 1 – 11,000 Morales Sportnet.hr34 9 DecCupQFA Osijek 3 – 1300 Bećiraj (2), Bišćan Sportnet.hr35 15 DecUELGroupH PAOK 0 – 125,000 Sportnet.hr3626 Feb1. HNL19A Karlovac 1 – 01,000 Šitum Sportnet.hr375 Mar1. HNL20H Slaven Belupo 0 – 0500 Sportnet.hr3812 Mar1. HNL21A Cibalia 1 – 06,000 Bećiraj Sportnet.hr3919 Mar1. HNL22H Hajduk Split 2 – 015,000 Badelj, Bećiraj Sportnet.hr402 Apr1. HNL23A NK Zagreb 1 – 03,000 Calello Sportnet.hr416 AprCupSFH Slaven Belupo 4 – 11,000 Sammir, Sylvestr, Badelj, Tomečak Sportnet.hr429 Apr1. HNL24H Lokomotiva 1 – 01,693 SylvestrSportnet.hr4316 Apr1. HNL25A Istra 1961 1 – 22,500 Bećiraj Sportnet.hr4420 AprCupSFA Slaven Belupo 1 – 03,000 Tomečak Sportnet.hr45 23 Apr1. HNL26H Osijek 1 – 01,850 Badelj Sportnet.hr4630 Apr1. HNL27A Šibenik 2 – 02,000 Morales, Rukavina Sportnet.hr476 May1. HNL28H Inter Zaprešić 1 – 0600 Bećiraj Sportnet.hr4811 MayCupFinalH Varaždin 5 – 15,000 Sammir, Tonel, Bećiraj (2), Badelj Sportnet.hr49 14 May1. HNL29A Zadar 0 – 02,500 Sportnet.hr50 21 May1. HNL30H RNK Split 1 – 13,000 Badelj Sportnet.hr51 25 MayCupFinalA Varaždin 3 – 13,500 Ibáñez, Badelj, Bećiraj Sportnet.hr

Last updated 25 May 2011Sources: Prva-HNL.hr, Sportske novosti, Sportnet.hr

Players

Statistics Competitive matches only. Updated to games played 25 May 2011.

Key Player left the club during seasonPlayer joined the club during season

Rank Name League Cup Europe Supercup Total1 Sammir 10 2 7 – 192 Fatos Bećiraj B 8 8 – – 163 Milan Badelj 6 3 – – 94 Ante Rukavina 4 – 3 – 75 Ivan Tomečak 4 2 – – 66 Andrej Kramarić 1 4 – – 57 Jakub Sylvestr C 2 2 – – 4 Tonel D 2 2 – – 49 Igor Bišćan – 1 1 1 3 Luis Ibáñez 2 1 – – 3 Pedro Morales 3 – – – 312 Adrián Calello 2 – – – 2 Mathias Chago 2 – – – 2 Mario Mandžukić A – – 2 – 2 Miroslav Slepička E 1 – 1 – 216 Tomislav Barbarić 1 – – – 1 Leandro Cufré – 1 – – 1 Etto F – – 1 – 1 Mateo Kovačić 1 – – – 1 Leonard Mesarić 1 – – – 1 Mario Šitum 1 – – – 1 Šime Vrsaljko 1 – – – 1 Source: Competitive matchesNotes:A: Mandžukić was transferred out to VfL Wolfsburg on 14 July 2010.B: Bećiraj joined Dinamo in August 2010 from FK Budućnost PodgoricaC: Sylvestr joined Dinamo in August 2010 from ŠK Slovan BratislavaD: Tonel joined Dinamo in August 2010 from Sporting CPE: Slepička went on a six-months loan to SpVgg Greuther Fürth in January 2011F: Etto left Dinamo to join PAOK in January 2011

Transfers

In

Unless a country is specified, all clubs play in the Croatian football league system.

DatePlayerFromFee 25 May 2010 Leonard Mesarić Lokomotiva Free 16 June 2010 Arijan Ademi Šibenik€120,000 18 July 2010 Almir Bekić Sloboda (Bosnia and Herzegovina)€100,000 31 July 2010 Ante Rukavina Panathinaikos (Greece)€700,000 1 September 2010 Fatos Bećiraj Budućnost (Montenegro)€650,000 1 September 2010 Jakub Sylvestr Slovan Bratislava (Slovakia)€1,500,000 1 September 2010 Tonel Sporting CP (Portugal)Undisclosed

Out

DatePlayerFromFee 15 May 2010 Guillermo Suárez Released 28 May 2010 Ivan Turina AIK (Sweden)Undisclosed 28 May 2010 Ivica Vrdoljak Legia Warsaw (Poland)€1,500,000 16 July 2010 Mario Mandžukić VfL Wolfsburg (Germany)€7,000,000 18 August 2010 Ante Tomić Released 20 September 2010 Karlo Primorac Released

References

External links Dinamo Zagreb official website