Football

Back in the group stages of the Champions League for the first time in more than 10 years, Dinamo Zagreb's luck was out when the draw for the group stage was made, Dinamo being handed perhaps the toughest of all the eight groups: Real Madrid, Lyon and Ajax. What that does mean of course is that while the chances of Dinamo qualifying for the latter stages are slim, the good people of Zagreb get the chance to see some of Europe's best players in the flesh. Real Madrid were the first visitors to the Maksimir Stadium, at the end of September, and claimed a 1-0 win. In October, Ajax visit Zagreb on the 18th, while Lyon will be in town on December 7th.

Founded in 1945, Dinamo are the most famous club in the country, and the most successful, having won thirteen Croatian championships, ten Croatian Cups and four Croatian Supercups. The club has spent its entire existence in top flight, having been members of the Yugoslav First Division from 1946 to 1991, and then the Prva HNL since its foundation in 1992. In the Yugoslav era, Dinamo won four league titles.

In 1963 Dinamo were the first Yugoslav club to reach the final of a European competition (the European Fairs Cup, precursor of the UEFA Cup/Europa League) when they lost 4-1 on aggregate to Valencia. In 1967 they became the first Yugoslav club to win a European competition, beating Leeds United 2-0.

A club with a youth policy that delivers, Luka Modric, Eduardo and Niko Kranjcar are just three players who began their careers at the club.

The club's supporters are known as the Bad Blue Boys, a group of ultras who, while having something of a reputation for hooliganism (especially when Hajduk Split, Dinamo's biggest rivals are the opposition) are not in reality quite as bad as many parts of the media would have you believe. They should certainly not put you off attending a game at the Maksimir.
Dinamo Zagreb Football Stadium, Maksimirska 128, dinamo@nk-dinamo.hr,
www.gnkdinamo.hr.