# 2009–10 in Croatian football

The following article presents a summary of the 2009–10 football (soccer) season in Croatia, which is the 19th season of competitive football in the country.

## National team

The home team is on the left column; the away team is on the right column.

### Friendly matches

Win  Tie  Loss

### 2010 World Cup qualifiers
## League tables
### Prva HNL

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Dinamo Zagreb (C) | 30 | 18 | 8 | 4 | 70 | 20 | +50 | 62 | Qualification to Champions League second qualifying round |
| 2 | Hajduk Split | 30 | 17 | 7 | 6 | 50 | 21 | +29 | 58 | Qualification to Europa League third qualifying round |
| 3 | Cibalia | 30 | 16 | 9 | 5 | 46 | 20 | +26 | 57 | Qualification to Europa League second qualifying round |
| 4 | Šibenik | 30 | 14 | 8 | 8 | 34 | 37 | −3 | 50 | Qualification to Europa League first qualifying round |
| 5 | Osijek | 30 | 13 | 8 | 9 | 49 | 36 | +13 | 47 | |
| 6 | Karlovac | 30 | 12 | 11 | 7 | 32 | 23 | +9 | 47 | |
| 7 | Slaven Belupo | 30 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 44 | 45 | −1 | 43 | |
| 8 | Lokomotiva | 30 | 12 | 6 | 12 | 35 | 38 | −3 | 42 | |
| 9 | Rijeka | 30 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 49 | 44 | +5 | 40 | |
| 10 | Varteks | 30 | 9 | 9 | 12 | 36 | 43 | −7 | 36 | |
| 11 | Istra 1961 | 30 | 9 | 8 | 13 | 31 | 40 | −9 | 35 | |
| 12 | Zadar | 30 | 9 | 7 | 14 | 27 | 41 | −14 | 34 | |
| 13 | Inter Zaprešić | 30 | 10 | 3 | 17 | 36 | 50 | −14 | 33 | |
| 14 | NK Zagreb | 30 | 9 | 6 | 15 | 43 | 49 | −6 | 33 | |
| 15 | Međimurje (R) | 30 | 8 | 5 | 17 | 37 | 61 | −24 | 29 | Relegation to Croatian Second Football League |
| 16 | Croatia Sesvete (R) | 30 | 3 | 5 | 22 | 30 | 81 | −51 | 14 | Relegation to Croatian Second Football League |
* ↑ Hajduk Split won the 2009–10 Croatian Cup and thus qualified for the third qualifying round of the 2010–11 UEFA Europa League.
* 1 2 Head-to-head record: Inter Zaprešić–NK Zagreb 1–3, NK Zagreb–Inter Zaprešić 0–3.
* ↑ Despite finishing 14th NK Zagreb eventually avoided relegation as only two second level clubs were granted first division licences by the Croatian Football Federation.

### Druga HNL

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
| 1 | RNK Split (C, P) | 26 | 16 | 5 | 5 | 56 | 26 | +30 | 53 | Promotion to Croatian First Football League |
| 2 | Pomorac | 26 | 14 | 5 | 7 | 41 | 24 | +17 | 47 | |
| 3 | Hrvatski Dragovoljac (P) | 26 | 11 | 9 | 6 | 35 | 23 | +12 | 42 | Promotion to Croatian First Football League |
| 4 | Lučko | 26 | 12 | 6 | 8 | 38 | 28 | +10 | 42 | |
| 5 | Solin | 26 | 10 | 10 | 6 | 29 | 22 | +7 | 40 | |
| 6 | Vinogradar | 26 | 11 | 4 | 11 | 38 | 37 | +1 | 37 | |
| 7 | Rudeš | 26 | 10 | 7 | 9 | 38 | 38 | 0 | 37 | |
| 8 | Imotski | 26 | 10 | 5 | 11 | 29 | 31 | −2 | 35 | |
| 9 | Junak | 26 | 10 | 4 | 12 | 40 | 49 | −9 | 34 | |
| 10 | Mosor | 26 | 9 | 6 | 11 | 26 | 34 | −8 | 33 | |
| 11 | Suhopolje | 26 | 8 | 7 | 11 | 29 | 31 | −2 | 31 | |
| 12 | Vukovar '91 | 26 | 7 | 10 | 9 | 31 | 39 | −8 | 31 | |
| 13 | Moslavina (R) | 26 | 6 | 6 | 14 | 25 | 44 | −19 | 24 | Relegation to Croatian Third Football League |
| 14 | Segesta (R) | 26 | 4 | 4 | 18 | 17 | 46 | −29 | 16 | Relegation to Croatian Third Football League |
* 1 2 Only RNK Split and Hrvatski Dragovoljac were granted a Prva HNL license for the Croatian First Football League.

## Honours

| Competition | Winner | Runners-up |
| Croatian Cup | Hajduk Split | Šibenik |
| 1. HNL | Dinamo Zagreb | Hajduk Split |
| 2. HNL | RNK Split | Pomorac |
| 3. HNL East Division | Lipik | MV Croatia |
| 3. HNL South Division | Dugopolje | Raštane |
| 3. HNL West Division | Gorica | HAŠK |

## Croatian clubs in Europe
### Summary

| Club | Competition | Final round |
| Dinamo Zagreb | UEFA Champions League | Third qualifying round |
| Dinamo Zagreb | UEFA Europa League | Group stage |
| Slaven Belupo | UEFA Europa League | Third qualifying round |
| Rijeka | UEFA Europa League | Third qualifying round |
| Hajduk Split | UEFA Europa League | Third qualifying round |

### Dinamo Zagreb

| Date | Venue | Opponents | Score | Dinamo scorer(s) | Report |
| 2009–10 Champions League - Second qualifying round ||||||
| 14 July 2009 | Republican, Yerevan (A) | Pyunik | 0–0 | | uefa.com |
| 21 July 2009 | Maksimir, Zagreb (H) | Pyunik | 3–0 | Mandžukić, Badelj, Lovren | uefa.com |
| 2009–10 Champions League - Third qualifying round ||||||
| 29 July 2009 | Red Bull Arena, Salzburg (A) | Red Bull Salzburg | 1–1 | Mandžukić | uefa.com |
| 4 Aug 2009 | Maksimir, Zagreb (H) | Red Bull Salzburg | 1–2 | Papadopoulos | uefa.com |
| 2009–10 Europa League - Play-off round ||||||
| 20 Aug 2009 | Maksimir, Zagreb (H) | Hearts | 4–0 | Mandžukić, Papadopoulos, Vrdoljak, Bišćan | uefa.com |
| 27 Aug 2009 | Tynecastle, Edinburgh (A) | Hearts | 0–2 | | uefa.com |
| 2009–10 Europa League - Group stage ||||||
| 17 Sep 2009 | Maksimir, Zagreb (H) | Anderlecht | 0–2 | | uefa.com |
| 1 Oct 2009 | Dan Păltinişanu, Timișoara (A) | Timișoara | 3–0 | Badelj, Sammir, Morales | uefa.com |
| 22 Oct 2009 | Arena, Amsterdam (A) | Ajax | 1–2 | Tomečak | uefa.com |
| 5 Nov 2009 | Maksimir, Zagreb (H) | Ajax | 0–2 | | uefa.com |
| 2 Dec 2009 | Vanden Stock, Anderlecht (A) | Anderlecht | 1–0 | Slepička | uefa.com |
| 16 Dec 2009 | Maksimir, Zagreb (H) | Timișoara | 1–2 | Scutaru (o.g.) | uefa.com |

### Slaven Belupo

| Date | Venue | Opponents | Score | Slaven scorer(s) | Report |
| Europa League - First qualifying round ||||||
| 2 July 2009 | Gradski stadion, Koprivnica (H) | Birkirkara | 1–0 | Csizmadia | uefa.com |
| 9 July 2009 | Ta' Qali Stadium, Ta' Qali (A) | Birkirkara | 0–0 | | uefa.com |
| Europa League - Second qualifying round ||||||
| 16 July 2009 | Gradski Stadion, Kumanovo (A) | Milano | 4–0 | Csizmadia, Vojnović (3) | uefa.com |
| 23 July 2009 | Gradski stadion, Koprivnica (H) | Milano | 8–2 | Poredski, Vručina, Tepurić (2), Vojnović (2), Gregurina, Jurić | uefa.com |
| Europa League - Third qualifying round ||||||
| 30 July 2009 | Alfheim, Tromsø (A) | Tromsø | 1–2 | Šafarić | uefa.com |
| 6 August 2009 | Gradski stadion, Koprivnica (H) | Tromsø | 0–2 | | uefa.com |

### Rijeka

| Date | Venue | Opponents | Score | Rijeka scorer(s) | Report |
| Europa League - Second qualifying round ||||||
| 16 July 2009 | Josy Barthel, Luxembourg (A) | Differdange | 0–1 | | uefa.com |
| 23 July 2009 | Kantrida, Rijeka (H) | Differdange | 3–0 | Cerić, An. Sharbini, Ah. Sharbini | uefa.com |
| Europa League - Third qualifying round ||||||
| 30 July 2009 | Kantrida, Rijeka (H) | Metalist Kharkiv | 1–2 | Ah. Sharbini | uefa.com |
| 23 July 2009 | Metalist Stadium, Kharkiv (A) | Metalist Kharkiv | 0–2 | | uefa.com |

### Hajduk Split

| Date | Venue | Opponents | Score | Hajduk scorer(s) | Report |
| Europa League - Third qualifying round ||||||
| 30 July 2009 | Pod Dubňom, Žilina (A) | Žilina | 1–1 | Rafael Paraiba | uefa.com |
| 6 August 2009 | Poljud, Split (H) | Žilina | 0–1 | | uefa.com |