A win for Celtic could help save the job of Dinamo Zagreb’s coach, as he assesses their chances in the upcoming Champions League match.
The team is currently third in the Croatian league, trailing leaders Hajduk Split by seven points.
Despite struggling domestically, Bjelica’s side has performed well in the Champions League, still in the knockout playoff rounds, alongside Celtic. Some Croatian analysts have called for Bjelica’s dismissal, but the board has not yet made a decision.
Next week, when Brendan Rodgers and his squad travel to Zagreb, they may face Bjelica’s last opportunity to prove himself. Former Rijeka and Gorica manager Zeljko Sopic believes Bjelica could still find a winning strategy against Celtic if given more time.
With Celtic currently ahead of Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League standings, Sopic suggests that a win over the Scottish side could be just the result needed to secure Bjelica’s future.
Sopic stopped short of ruling out a Zagreb victory on December 10 but acknowledged that they would have to take a more aggressive, tactical approach in the Champions League, unlike their domestic matches.
“I’m not one of those who thinks a change of coach is always the answer,” Sopic told VecernjiTV. “But the situation is critical, and the next three games will determine what happens next. I wouldn’t be surprised if Dinamo beats Celtic, but also wins all three league matches.”
Sopic also pointed out that one game could change everything, noting that in the Champions League, Dinamo can afford to play more defensively and counterattack, a tactic they cannot use domestically, where they need to take more initiative.
“An objective Croatian public would say that Dinamo must win with experienced players. But it’s not as simple as that. Especially the objective public?”