With a convincing performance in the first leg in Zagreb, the Maksimir footballers have come very close to securing a place in the Champions League play-off, and we will await confirmation on Tuesday evening. Dinamo defeated Lithuanian side Kauno Žalgiris 5:0 in the first match of the 3rd qualifying round, with the return leg scheduled for Tuesday at 19:00 in Kaunas.

In the history of European competitions, the Blues have gone into away return legs four times with a margin of five or more goals from the first match at Maksimir. Once it was with a six-goal advantage, and three times with a five-goal difference, and in all previous cases they have, of course, progressed to the next round of competition. Similarly, Dinamo has also managed to celebrate with a five-goal difference three times in the first match away from home.

If coach Mario Kovačević's team is similarly inspired on Tuesday in the return leg in Kaunas, they could reach an interesting 'milestone': Dinamo's 600th goal in the history of European club competitions. The current goal difference stands at 596:529.

The Maksimir footballers have had no additional challenges during these seven days 'from Žalgiris to Žalgiris', considering that the league match against Rijeka, originally scheduled for the previous weekend, was postponed in the meantime.

– I think we made good use of this week, we worked well, those who needed to rest did so. Everyone is healthy and our desire is to play a good European match at this beautiful stadium. We will give everything for another victory – coach Kovačević emphasized.

Despite the high advantage from the first match, the Maksimir strategist will demand a serious approach from his players.

– We must be serious, this is a European match, and that's how we will approach it from the first minute. Certainly the home team will be braver and more determined on their own ground than they were at Maksimir. We showed in that first match that we are better, and we want to confirm that in the return leg as well.