The 2012–13 Croatian First Football League (also known as 1. HNL; officially styled as MAXtv Prva Liga for sponsorship reasons) was the 22nd season of the Croatian First Football League, the national championship for men's association football teams in Croatia, since its establishment in 1992. The season started on 21 July 2012 and ended on 26 May 2013.
The league was contested by 12 teams, down from 16 in the previous season. Dinamo Zagreb were the defending champions, having won their seventh consecutive title in 2011–12.
Format changes The league was contested by twelve teams, four fewer than in the previous season, with each club playing every other club three times for a total of 33 rounds (last time the system was used in the 2008–09 season). On 13 April 2012, Croatian Football Federation announced that the first stage of licensing procedure for 2012–13 season was completed. For the 2012–13 Prva HNL, only three out of twenty applied clubs were issued a top level license: Dinamo Zagreb, Lokomotiva and NK Zagreb. In the second stage of licensing procedure clubs that didn't get a license appealed on the decision and provided new facts and arguments. On 15 May 2012, it was announced that all remaining Prva HNL clubs from the previous season were granted top level license, except for Šibenik, Karlovac and Varaždin. Only one team from Druga HNL acquired the top level license: Hrvatski Dragovoljac, however, they didn't manage to finish the season within top two places which would secure them promotion. Since none of the top two teams from Druga HNL acquired top level license, the 12th placed team from the 2011–12 Prva HNL were allowed to stay. If that wasn't the case, Inter Zaprešić and Rijeka would have needed to play a two-legged play-off match to decide who gets relegated since they were equal on all of the tiebreakers.
Teams The following is a complete list of teams which contested the 2012–13 Prva HNL.
Stadia and locations StadiumCityHome clubLicensed club(s)Capacity Maksimir Zagreb Dinamo Zagreb Lokomotiva 37,168 Poljud Split Hajduk Split 34,448 Gradski vrt Osijek Osijek 22,050 Kantrida Rijeka Rijeka 12,600 Stadion HNK Cibalia Vinkovci Cibalia 9,958 Aldo Drosina Pula Istra 1961 8,923 Kranjčevićeva ZagrebNK Zagreb 8,850 Stanovi Zadar Zadar 5,860 ŠRC Zaprešić Zaprešić Inter Zaprešić 5,228 Park mladeži Split RNK Split 4,075 Gradski stadion Koprivnica Slaven Belupo 3,059
Personnel and kits
Team Manager Captain Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsorCibalia Jako Croatia OsiguranjeDinamo Zagreb Puma —Hajduk Split Umbro —Inter Zaprešić Joma VŠPU "B.A.Krčelić"Istra 1961 errea —Lokomotiva Puma —Osijek (caretaker) Jako Croatia OsiguranjeRijeka Lotto —Slaven Belupo adidas BelupoRNK Split Jako SkladgradnjaZadar Lotto Hotel KolovareNK Zagreb Kappa —
Managerial changes Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Replaced by Date of appointment Position in table Cibalia Resigned 12th NK Zagreb Resigned 12th Zadar Resigned 11th RNK Split Removed from position 7th NK Zagreb Sacked 11th NK Zagreb Removed from position 11th Cibalia Resigned 10th Dinamo Zagreb Sacked 1st Rijeka Resigned 5th Slaven Belupo Sacked 6th Inter Zaprešić Sacked 12th Hajduk Split Sacked 4th RNK Split Mutual consent 4th Osijek Sacked (caretaker) 4th
League table
Results Every team will play three times against each other team for a total of 33 matches. The first 22 matchdays will consist of a regular double round-robin schedule. The league standings at this point will then be used to determine the games for the last 11 matchdays.
Top goalscorers As of 21 July 2013; Source: Sportnet.hr UEFA.com
Rank Player Club Goals1 Leon Benko Rijeka192 Andrej Kramarić Lokomotiva153 Sammir Dinamo Zagreb134 Besart Abdurahimi NK Zagreb12 Mislav Oršić Inter Zaprešić6 Goran Roce Istra 1961117 Ante Rebić RNK Split10 Ante Budimir Inter Zaprešić9 Mijo Caktaš Hajduk Split9 Duje Čop Dinamo Zagreb Awards Annual awards AwardWinnerClubPlayer of the Season SammirDinamo ZagrebManager of the Season Tomislav IvkovićLokomotiva ZagrebYoung Player of the Season Ante RebićRNK SplitGoalkeeper of the Season Ivan KelavaDinamo Zagreb Team of the YearGoalkeeper Ivan Kelava (Dinamo Zagreb)Defence Šime Vrsaljko (Dinamo Zagreb) Josip Šimunić (Dinamo Zagreb) Ivica Križanac (RNK Split) Antonio Milić (Hajduk Split)Midfield Franko Andrijašević (Hajduk Split) Sammir (Dinamo Zagreb) Domagoj Antolić (Lokomotiva) Leon Benko (Rijeka)Attack Ante Rebić (RNK Split) Andrej Kramarić (Lokomotiva)
Attendances
# Club Average 1 Hajduk 9,029 2 Rijeka 4,000 3 Dinamo Zagreb 3,063 4 Istra 2,744 5 Osijek 1,731 6 Cibalia 1,581 7 Slaven 1,521 8 Zadar 1,463 9 Zagreb 1,225 10 Zaprešić 1,116 11 Radnički 1,012 12 Lokomotiva 582Source:
See also 2012–13 Croatian Second Football League 2012–13 Croatian Football Cup
References
External links
Prva HNL at UEFA.com