It has been 28 years since the victory against Partizan at the start of a brilliant European season

Two furious goals within a two-minute span, a masterpiece by Silvio Marić who snatched the ball in a crowd, freed himself from a "sandwich" of two defenders with a pirouette, and swiftly led a counterattack that Mark Viduka converted into the third goal, a brilliant save by Dražen Ladić who stopped a penalty kick, and in the next second also blocked the rebound... These are all unforgettable sequences from the match that still brings a broad smile to the faces of Maksimir fans. On this day, July 30, 1997, Dinamo, then still under the name Croatia, outplayed their old rival, Belgrade's Partizan, in front of a full Maksimir stadium with a score of 5:0, advancing to the Champions League play-off. It was the second leg in which the Zagreb team significantly surpassed the result deficit from the first match where Partizan had won 1:0 on their home ground.

The duel, of course, enters the club history primarily on an emotional level, considering the old rivalry, but the strength of the opponent itself and the competition phase did not really "ring a bell". It was only the first qualifying round of the Champions League, the Belgrade club at that time did not have the strength that characterized it earlier in history. But it was the first step towards confirming the words of Otte Barić. The celebrated Dinamo coach concluded the previous season, 1996/'97, in a furious style with a record-breaking 21-point lead over the closest pursuer. And after winning the title, Barić prophetically exclaimed: "There will be European matches at Maksimir!"

And he was right. Dinamo played 26 matches in the UEFA Cup and Champions League in the following three years. First, in the UEFA Cup, they reached the round of 16 where they were barely stopped by Atletico Madrid, and then they played in the Champions League twice in a row, reaching a respectable position in the group stage in that first season.

The match against Partizan was, therefore, a prelude to the creation of an impressive, strong team on a European scale. With that "firework", the Blues actually only improved the misfortune from the first duel in Belgrade. The players of the black and whites themselves later, recalling the match, emphasized that Dinamo had missed at least four great opportunities in that duel and that, despite all that, Viduka had hit the crossbar twice... After numerous missed opportunities, therefore, the punishment came in the very end when Partizan, six minutes before the end, found a way to the net from a brilliant move. However, everything "fell into place" in the return leg.

"We shook hands in the locker room in Belgrade after the match and said: 'We will sort them out in Zagreb'," recalled the celebrated Maksimir goalkeeper and captain Ladić. Football euphoria had already engulfed Zagreb in those days, even before the draw brought together these two rivals. The return of Robert Prosinečki, at the peak of his career at the age of 28, ignited the football passion among fans who eagerly awaited the start of the season, sensing the "smell" of football attraction, appealing moves, tricks, playmaking, and great results... The draw with Partizan added to this atmosphere.

In return, furious attacks started from the first minute in Zagreb. One of the heroes of the match Edin Mujčin, then the number ten of Maksimir, "had a hand" in all five goals. In the 13th minute, from the left side, he crossed low into the penalty area from 18 meters, Viduka passed it with his heel, Zoltan Sabo hit Igor Cvitanović who set up a block, and the rebounded ball was sent into the corner by Silvio Marić from seven meters while falling.

Two minutes later, Damir Krznar, the former head coach of Dinamo, set up Mujčin with a backheel pass, who then crossed to Cvitanović for 2-0. In the 24th minute, Marić initiated another attack, passed to Mujčin, who then found Viduka. Viduka moved too far to the right and it seemed like the chance was missed. However, Viduka managed to shake off Igor Taševski, and while falling and sliding on his left leg, somehow managed to shoot with his right foot. The ball rolled unstoppably into the opposite corner, making it a remarkable 3-0.

At that time, the French referee Gilles Veissiere tried to bring Belgrade residents back into the game. Everyone in the stadium thought there was an attacking foul in Dinamo's penalty area. Everyone, including players from both teams. And as the blue and black-and-white players were slowly retreating towards the center of the field, it suddenly became clear that Veissiere, unprovoked, awarded a penalty kick to Partizan. Dejan Vukićević placed the ball on the penalty spot, and Ladić - saved it! And not only saved it: Ladić cleared the ball, Vukićević ran for the rebound and shot again powerfully, but Dinamo's goalkeeper miraculously saved it again, further igniting the already heated atmosphere at Maksimir!

Just six minutes later it was already 4:0! Mujčin once again caused "chaos". He passed to the right, to Marić, who let the ball through to Cvitanović, who rushed into the penalty area, crossed a low ball to the "near post", and Marić slammed it into the net. We still remember Marić's celebratory sliding "flight" towards the western stands... The seal came in the 69th minute, after a finely coordinated action from a corner kick previously earned by Mujčin. Prosinečki sent the ball almost parallel to the goal line from the corner, Krznar ran onto it, directed it "for reception", meaning a pass back towards the top of the penalty area, while Vladimir Petrović jumped over it pretending to strike, then Cvitanović arrived and torpedoed it under the crossbar!

It was also a preview of the creation of an impressive, strong team on a European scale.

Zagreb, July 30, 1997.

Champions League, 1st qualifying round, second leg

Croatia – Partizan 5:0

(first leg: Partizan – Croatia 1:0)

Maksimir Stadium

Croatia: Ladić – D. Šimić, Jurić, Jurčić – Šarić, Mujčin (71. Brlenić), Prosinečki, Marić (67. Petrović), Krznar – Viduka (75. Tomas), I. Cvitanović

Coach: Marijan Vlak

Partizan: King - Taševski, Bolić, Svetličić, Szabo, Krstajić - I. Tomić (46. S. Ilić), Vukićević, Trobok, Stojisavljević (65. Z. Ćirić) - Obradović (46. Isailović)

Coach: Ljubiša Tumbaković

Referee: Gilles Veissiere (France), Spectators: 40,000

Scorers: 1:0 Marić (13.), 2:0 I. Cvitanović (15.), 3:0 Viduka (24.), 4:0 Marić (43.), 5:0 I. Cvitanović (68.)