# 2023–24 NK Istra 1961 season

The 2023–24 NK Istra 1961 season was the club's 63rd season in existence and the 15th consecutive season in the top flight of Croatian football.

## First-team squad

    As of 27 March 2024
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 1 | GK | CRO | Marijan Ćorić |
| 2 | DF | CRO | Luka Hujber |
| 4 | MF | CRO | Frano Mlinar |
| 5 | DF | FIN | Ville Koski |
| 7 | MF | CRO | Slavko Blagojević |
| 8 | MF | CRO | Mario Čuić |
| 9 | FW | BIH | Hamza Jaganjac (on loan from Adana Demirspor) |
| 11 | FW | CRO | Mateo Lisica |
| 13 | DF | AUT | Dario Marešić |
| 14 | FW | SWE | Emmanuel Ekong (on loan from Empoli) |
| 15 | FW | VEN | Darwin Matheus |
| 16 | MF | UKR | Oleksandr Petrusenko |
| 17 | DF | NED | Terrence Douglas |
| 20 | DF | MDA | Iurie Iovu |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 21 | GK | CRO | Lovro Majkić |
| 22 | MF | CRO | Matej Vuk |
| 23 | DF | CRO | Moris Valinčić |
| 27 | MF | CRO | Ivan Ćalušić |
| 31 | MF | CRO | Dukan Ahmeti |
| 34 | DF | SRB | Mladen Devetak (on loan from Palermo) |
| 35 | MF | CRO | Antonio Maurić |
| 37 | FW | CRO | Lorenzo Travaglia |
| 40 | GK | CRO | Jan Paus-Kunšt |
| 45 | DF | CRO | Ante Majstorović |
| 70 | FW | NGA | Salim Fago Lawal |
| 75 | FW | FRA | Elias Filet |
| 97 | DF | BIH | Advan Kadušić |

## Transfers
### In

| Pos | Player | Transferred from | Fee | Date |
| MF | Sebastian Nebyla | DAC Dunajská Streda | Free | 9 June 2023 |
| MF | Chovanie Amatkarijo | Östersunds FK | Free | 12 June 2023 |
| DF | Fran Vujnović | Kustošija | Back from loan | 15 June 2023 |
| MF | Antonio Siljan | Jadran Poreč | Back from loan | 15 June 2023 |
| MF | Ivan Ćalušić | Hajduk Split | Free | 19 June 2023 |
| MF | Irfan Ramić | Sarajevo | Free | 25 June 2023 |
| DF | Mauro Perković | Dinamo Zagreb | Back from loan | 30 June 2023 |
| MF | Mario Čuić | Hajduk Split | Free | 5 July 2023 |
| DF | Moris Valinčić | Široki Brijeg | Free | 7 July 2023 |
| GK | Marino Bulat | Varaždin | Free | 10 July 2023 |
| DF | Mladen Devetak | Palermo | Loan | 13 July 2023 |
| DF | Eric Björkander | Altay | Free | 17 July 2023 |
| DF | Terrence Douglas | Roda JC Kerkrade | Free | 19 July 2023 |
| DF | Dario Marešić | Reims | Free | 27 July 2023 |
| FW | Salim Fago Lawal | Mavlon | Undisclosed | 1 August 2023 |
| MF | Israel Isaac Ayuma | Mavlon | Undisclosed | 10 August 2023 |
| FW | Elias Filet | Sochaux | Free | 18 August 2023 |
| GK | Jan Paus-Kunšt | Triglav Kranj | Recalled from loan | 30 August 2023 |
| FW | Emmanuel Ekong | Empoli | Loan | 7 September 2023 |
| DF | Ville Koski | Honka | Free | 2 December 2023 |
| DF | Mihael Rovis | Šibenik | Recalled from loan | 8 December 2023 |
| MF | Marin Žgomba | Bravo | Recalled from loan | 9 January 2024 |
| FW | Tomislav Glavan | Zrinski Osječko 1664 | Recalled from loan | 29 January 2024 |
| FW | Hamza Jaganjac | Adana Demirspor | Loan | 6 February 2024 |
Source: Glasilo Hrvatskog nogometnog saveza

### Out

| Pos | Player | Transferred to | Fee | Date |
| MF | Einar Galilea | Málaga | Free | 31 May 2023 |
| DF | Dario Marešić | Reims | Back from loan | 1 June 2023 |
| MF | Reda Boultam | Salernitana | Back from loan | 1 June 2023 |
| MF | Abdallahi Mahmoud | Deportivo Alavés | Back from loan | 1 June 2023 |
| DF | Luka Marin | Zrinjski Mostar | Free | 6 June 2023 |
| MF | Kristijan Kopljar | No team | Free | 6 June 2023 |
| MF | Facundo Cáseres | Vélez Sarsfield | Back from loan | 15 June 2023 |
| MF | Lovre Knežević | No team | Free | 16 June 2023 |
| MF | Unai Naveira | Athletic Bilbao B | Back from loan | 30 June 2023 |
| DF | Mauro Perković | Dinamo Zagreb | €2,000,000 | 1 July 2023 |
| FW | Monsef Bakrar | New York City FC | €1,800,000 | 11 July 2023 |
| GK | Jan Paus-Kunšt | Triglav Kranj | Loan | 21 July 2023 |
| MF | Tomislav Duvnjak | Sesvete | Loan | 3 August 2023 |
| FW | Tomislav Glavan | Zrinski Osječko 1664 | Loan | 3 August 2023 |
| FW | Lorenzo Travaglia | Jadran Poreč | Dual registration | 4 August 2023 |
| DF | Luka Bradarić | Dugopolje | Loan | 7 August 2023 |
| MF | Antonio Siljan | Jadran Poreč | Free | 7 August 2023 |
| MF | Marin Žgomba | Bravo | Loan | 11 August 2023 |
| DF | Fran Vujnović | Trnje | Free | 16 August 2023 |
| GK | Carlo Jurak | Uljanik | Loan | 25 August 2023 |
| DF | Mihael Rovis | Šibenik | Loan | 25 August 2023 |
| MF | Chovanie Amatkarijo | GAIS | Undisclosed | 30 August 2023 |
| DF | Eric Björkander | IF Brommapojkarna | Free | 19 December 2023 |
| FW | Zoran Josipovic | No team | Free | 12 January 2024 |
| DF | Mihael Rovis | Šamorín | Free | 23 January 2024 |
| MF | Sebastian Nebyla | Jablonec | Loan | 28 January 2024 |
| GK | Marino Bulat | Jadran Poreč | Dual registration | 13 February 2024 |
| MF | Irfan Ramić | Jadran Poreč | Dual registration | 13 February 2024 |
| FW | Tomislav Glavan | Jadran Poreč | Dual registration | 13 February 2024 |
| FW | Ante Erceg | No team | Free | 27 March 2024 |
Source: Glasilo Hrvatskog nogometnog saveza
Total spending: €0
Total income: €3,800,000
Total expenditure: €3,800,000

## Competitions
### Overview

| Competition | First match | Last match | Starting round | Final position | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record |
| Competition | First match | Last match | Starting round | Final position | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Win % |
| SuperSport HNL | 23 July 2023 | 24 May 2024 | Matchday 1 | 8th | 36 | 10 | 11 | 15 | 36 | 54 | −18 | 027.78 |
| Croatian Cup | 27 September 2023 | 5 December 2023 | First round | Second round | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 3 | +1 | 050.00 |
| Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | 38 | 11 | 11 | 16 | 40 | 57 | −17 | 028.95 |
Last updated: 25 May 2024 Source: Soccerway

### SuperSport HNL
#### League table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 6 | Varaždin | 36 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 39 | 47 | −8 | 42 | |
| 7 | Gorica | 36 | 11 | 8 | 17 | 35 | 50 | −15 | 41 | |
| 8 | Istra 1961 | 36 | 10 | 11 | 15 | 36 | 54 | −18 | 41 | |
| 9 | Slaven Belupo | 36 | 9 | 6 | 21 | 43 | 69 | −26 | 33 | |
| 10 | Rudeš (R) | 36 | 1 | 6 | 29 | 22 | 85 | −63 | 9 | Relegation to First Football League |

#### Results summary

| Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away |
Last updated: 25 May 2024. Source: SuperSport HNL

#### Results by round

| Round | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 |
| Ground | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | A | H | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | H | A | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | A | H | A | A | H | A | H | A | H | H | A |
| Result | D | L | L | D | D | D | W | L | L | L | L | D | L | W | W | L | W | D | L | L | L | W | D | W | L | D | D | D | L | L | W | W | W | D | W | L |
| Position | 5 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 8 |

#### Matches
### Croatian Football Cup
## Player seasonal records

Updated 25 May 2024

### Goals

| Rank | Name | League | Cup | Total |
| 1 | Ante Erceg | 6 | – | 6 |
| 2 | Matej Vuk | 5 | – | 5 |
| 2 | Elias Filet | 3 | 2 | 5 |
| 4 | Emmanuel Ekong | 3 | – | 3 |
| 4 | Salim Fago Lawal | 3 | – | 3 |
| 4 | Mateo Lisica | 3 | – | 3 |
| 7 | Mario Čuić | 2 | – | 2 |
| 7 | Frano Mlinar | 2 | – | 2 |
| 7 | Sebastian Nebyla | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 10 | Hamza Jaganjac | 1 | – | 1 |
| 10 | Ante Majstorović | 1 | – | 1 |
| 10 | Dario Marešić | 1 | – | 1 |
| 10 | Darwin Matheus | 1 | – | 1 |
| 10 | Antonio Maurić | 1 | – | 1 |
| 10 | Moris Valinčić | 1 | – | 1 |
| 10 | Zoran Josipovic | – | 1 | 1 |
| Own goals | Own goals | 2 | – | 2 |
| TOTALS | TOTALS | 36 | 4 | 40 |
Source: Competitive matches

### Clean sheets

| Rank | Name | League | Cup | Total |
| 1 | Lovro Majkić | 10 | – | 10 |
| 2 | Marijan Ćorić | 1 | – | 1 |
| 2 | Jan Paus-Kunšt | – | 1 | 1 |
| TOTALS | TOTALS | 11 | 1 | 12 |
Source: Competitive matches

### Disciplinary record

| Number | Position | Player | HNL | HNL | HNL | Croatian Cup | Croatian Cup | Croatian Cup | Total | Total | Total |
| 1 | GK | Marijan Ćorić | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | DF | Luka Hujber | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | MF | Frano Mlinar | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 7 | MF | Slavko Blagojević | 8 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 0 |
| 8 | MF | Mario Čuić | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| 9 | FW | Hamza Jaganjac | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 9 | FW | Zoran Josipovic | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 13 | DF | Dario Marešić | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | FW | Emmanuel Ekong | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | FW | Darwin Matheus | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | MF | Oleksandr Petrusenko | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| 17 | DF | Terrence Douglas | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | DF | Iurie Iovu | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | GK | Lovro Majkić | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 22 | MF | Matej Vuk | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 23 | DF | Moris Valinčić | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 27 | MF | Ivan Ćalušić | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 34 | DF | Mladen Devetak | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 35 | DF | Antonio Maurić | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 36 | MF | Marin Žgomba | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 45 | DF | Ante Majstorović | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 |
| 50 | FW | Ante Erceg | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| 70 | FW | Salim Fago Lawal | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 75 | FW | Elias Filet | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 77 | MF | Sebastian Nebyla | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 97 | DF | Advan Kadušić | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| TOTALS | TOTALS | TOTALS | 92 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 96 | 3 | 2 |

### Appearances and goals

| Number | Position | Player | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Number | Position | Player | Total | Total | HNL | HNL | Croatian Cup | Croatian Cup |
| 1 | GK | Marijan Ćorić | 2 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 2 | DF | Luka Hujber | 24 | 0 | 15+8 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| 4 | MF | Frano Mlinar | 20 | 2 | 15+4 | 2 | 0+1 | 0 |
| 5 | DF | Eric Björkander | 6 | 0 | 2+3 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| 5 | DF | Ville Koski | 12 | 0 | 9+3 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 7 | MF | Slavko Blagojević | 28 | 0 | 21+6 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| 8 | MF | Mario Čuić | 32 | 2 | 14+16 | 2 | 1+1 | 0 |
| 9 | FW | Hamza Jaganjac | 5 | 1 | 0+5 | 1 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 9 | FW | Zoran Josipovic | 9 | 1 | 1+6 | 0 | 1+1 | 1 |
| 10 | MF | Chovanie Amatkarijo | 2 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 11 | MF | Mateo Lisica | 27 | 3 | 9+17 | 3 | 1+0 | 0 |
| 13 | DF | Dario Marešić | 33 | 1 | 30+1 | 1 | 2+0 | 0 |
| 14 | FW | Emmanuel Ekong | 22 | 3 | 13+8 | 3 | 1+0 | 0 |
| 15 | FW | Darwin Matheus | 17 | 1 | 4+12 | 1 | 0+1 | 0 |
| 16 | MF | Oleksandr Petrusenko | 30 | 0 | 23+6 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| 17 | DF | Terrence Douglas | 14 | 0 | 5+8 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| 20 | DF | Iurie Iovu | 13 | 0 | 9+2 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 |
| 21 | GK | Lovro Majkić | 34 | 0 | 34+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 22 | MF | Matej Vuk | 30 | 5 | 21+7 | 5 | 1+1 | 0 |
| 23 | DF | Moris Valinčić | 24 | 1 | 17+6 | 1 | 1+0 | 0 |
| 27 | MF | Ivan Ćalušić | 18 | 0 | 10+7 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| 31 | MF | Dukan Ahmeti | 1 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 34 | DF | Mladen Devetak | 31 | 0 | 29+1 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 |
| 35 | DF | Antonio Maurić | 20 | 1 | 14+6 | 1 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 36 | MF | Marin Žgomba | 2 | 0 | 0+2 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 37 | FW | Lorenzo Travaglia | 1 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 40 | GK | Jan Paus-Kunšt | 2 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 |
| 45 | DF | Ante Majstorović | 32 | 1 | 32+0 | 1 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 50 | FW | Ante Erceg | 22 | 6 | 19+2 | 6 | 0+1 | 0 |
| 70 | FW | Salim Fago Lawal | 14 | 3 | 7+5 | 3 | 0+2 | 0 |
| 75 | FW | Elias Filet | 22 | 5 | 14+6 | 3 | 2+0 | 2 |
| 77 | MF | Sebastian Nebyla | 12 | 2 | 4+6 | 1 | 2+0 | 1 |
| 97 | DF | Advan Kadušić | 26 | 0 | 21+4 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |