# 2008–09 in Croatian football

The following article presents a summary of the 2008–09 football (soccer) season in Croatia, which was the 18th 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.

### World Cup qualifiers

Croatia is currently in Group 6 of the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification process.

## League tables
### Prva HNL

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Dinamo Zagreb (C) | 33 | 23 | 5 | 5 | 71 | 26 | +45 | 74 | Qualification to Champions League second qualifying round |
| 2 | Hajduk Split | 33 | 21 | 5 | 7 | 59 | 25 | +34 | 68 | Qualification to Europa League third qualifying round |
| 3 | Rijeka | 33 | 17 | 5 | 11 | 50 | 44 | +6 | 56 | Qualification to Europa League second qualifying round |
| 4 | Slaven Belupo | 33 | 16 | 7 | 10 | 46 | 39 | +7 | 55 | Qualification to Europa League first qualifying round |
| 5 | NK Zagreb | 33 | 13 | 8 | 12 | 38 | 39 | −1 | 47 | |
| 6 | Šibenik | 33 | 13 | 7 | 13 | 44 | 35 | +9 | 46 | |
| 7 | Osijek | 33 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 40 | 41 | −1 | 41 | |
| 8 | Cibalia | 33 | 10 | 8 | 15 | 33 | 53 | −20 | 38 | |
| 9 | Inter Zaprešić | 33 | 9 | 9 | 15 | 41 | 50 | −9 | 36 | |
| 10 | Varteks | 33 | 10 | 5 | 18 | 41 | 55 | −14 | 35 | |
| 11 | Zadar | 33 | 7 | 8 | 18 | 28 | 49 | −21 | 29 | |
| 12 | Croatia Sesvete (O) | 33 | 6 | 8 | 19 | 31 | 66 | −35 | 25 | Qualification to relegation play-off |
* ↑ Because both cup finalists, Dinamo and Hajduk, qualified for Europe through their league positions, all three UEFA Europa League spots were given to teams according to their league positions, what means that fourth-placed Slaven Belupo also earned a spot in Europa League.
* ↑ Croatia Sesvete were docked 1 point due to unpaid debts to Imotski over player Darko Vučić.

### Druga HNL

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
| 1 | Istra 1961 (C, P) | 30 | 18 | 6 | 6 | 46 | 20 | +26 | 60 | Promotion to Croatian First Football League |
| 2 | Karlovac (P) | 30 | 18 | 5 | 7 | 50 | 24 | +26 | 59 | Promotion to Croatian First Football League |
| 3 | Lokomotiva (P) | 30 | 18 | 5 | 7 | 50 | 30 | +20 | 59 | Promotion to Croatian First Football League |
| 4 | Slavonac CO (R) | 30 | 15 | 12 | 3 | 39 | 18 | +21 | 57 | Relegation to county leagues |
| 5 | Međimurje (P) | 30 | 16 | 2 | 12 | 61 | 34 | +27 | 50 | Promotion to Croatian First Football League |
| 6 | Hrvatski Dragovoljac | 30 | 13 | 10 | 7 | 38 | 36 | +2 | 49 | Qualification to promotion play-offs |
| 7 | Solin | 30 | 14 | 5 | 11 | 37 | 31 | +6 | 47 | |
| 8 | Vinogradar | 30 | 11 | 7 | 12 | 40 | 50 | −10 | 40 | |
| 9 | Imotski | 30 | 10 | 4 | 16 | 31 | 45 | −14 | 34 | |
| 10 | Suhopolje | 30 | 8 | 9 | 13 | 33 | 37 | −4 | 33 | |
| 11 | Segesta | 30 | 8 | 9 | 13 | 33 | 47 | −14 | 33 | |
| 12 | Junak | 30 | 9 | 6 | 15 | 35 | 51 | −16 | 33 | |
| 13 | Pomorac | 30 | 9 | 5 | 16 | 29 | 45 | −16 | 32 | |
| 14 | Mosor | 30 | 8 | 6 | 16 | 25 | 44 | −19 | 30 | |
| 15 | Moslavina | 30 | 7 | 7 | 16 | 33 | 51 | −18 | 28 | |
| 16 | Trogir (R) | 30 | 3 | 12 | 15 | 32 | 49 | −17 | 21 | Relegation to Croatian Third Football League |
* ↑ Slavonac CO had to step back from promotion after they were not able to find a satisfiable ground, and were demoted to the 1st county league; therefore Međimurje were promoted directly and Hrvatski Dragovoljac entered the playoff, while Moslavina were not relegated.

### Treća HNL
#### Division East

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 1 | Grafičar Vodovod (C) | 33 | 19 | 9 | 5 | 66 | 28 | +38 | 66 |
| 2 | Graničar | 33 | 20 | 6 | 7 | 69 | 47 | +22 | 66 |
| 3 | Križevci | 33 | 18 | 7 | 8 | 54 | 32 | +22 | 61 |
| 4 | Vukovar '91 (P) | 33 | 17 | 7 | 9 | 52 | 39 | +13 | 58 |
| 5 | NK Đakovo | 33 | 17 | 6 | 10 | 46 | 33 | +13 | 57 |
| 6 | Slavija Pleternica | 33 | 16 | 5 | 12 | 57 | 42 | +15 | 53 |
| 7 | Virovitica | 33 | 15 | 8 | 10 | 51 | 39 | +12 | 53 |
| 8 | Bjelovar | 33 | 15 | 7 | 11 | 54 | 49 | +5 | 52 |
| 9 | Nedelišće | 33 | 13 | 5 | 15 | 48 | 61 | −13 | 44 |
| 10 | Višnjevac | 33 | 14 | 1 | 18 | 47 | 57 | −10 | 43 |
| 11 | Mladost Cernik | 33 | 12 | 5 | 16 | 41 | 45 | −4 | 41 |
| 12 | Mladost Prelog | 33 | 11 | 8 | 14 | 54 | 61 | −7 | 41 |
| 13 | Olimpija Osijek | 33 | 11 | 8 | 14 | 53 | 60 | −7 | 41 |
| 14 | NAŠK | 33 | 10 | 7 | 16 | 47 | 52 | −5 | 37 |
| 15 | Croatia Đakovo (R) | 33 | 10 | 3 | 20 | 37 | 61 | −24 | 33 |
| 16 | Koprivnica (R) | 33 | 8 | 8 | 17 | 48 | 58 | −10 | 32 |
| 17 | Belišće (R) | 33 | 10 | 2 | 21 | 48 | 66 | −18 | 32 |
| 18 | Marsonia (R) | 17 | 1 | 2 | 14 | 12 | 54 | −42 | 5 |

#### Division South

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 1 | RNK Split (C) | 34 | 23 | 8 | 3 | 79 | 20 | +59 | 77 |
| 2 | Raštane | 34 | 20 | 8 | 6 | 70 | 35 | +35 | 68 |
| 3 | Zmaj | 34 | 19 | 7 | 8 | 44 | 28 | +16 | 64 |
| 4 | Velebit | 34 | 17 | 8 | 9 | 54 | 35 | +19 | 59 |
| 5 | Primorac (BnM) | 34 | 17 | 5 | 12 | 59 | 42 | +17 | 56 |
| 6 | GOŠK (D) | 34 | 15 | 7 | 12 | 38 | 42 | −4 | 52 |
| 7 | Zagora | 34 | 14 | 8 | 12 | 47 | 44 | +3 | 50 |
| 8 | Konavljanin | 34 | 15 | 3 | 16 | 47 | 55 | −8 | 48 |
| 9 | Hrvace | 34 | 13 | 8 | 13 | 56 | 46 | +10 | 47 |
| 10 | Primorac 1929 | 34 | 15 | 2 | 17 | 52 | 62 | −10 | 47 |
| 11 | Jadran (KS) | 34 | 10 | 10 | 14 | 50 | 54 | −4 | 40 |
| 12 | Jadran LP | 34 | 12 | 4 | 18 | 31 | 49 | −18 | 40 |
| 13 | Dugopolje | 34 | 12 | 3 | 19 | 44 | 45 | −1 | 39 |
| 14 | Neretva | 34 | 9 | 11 | 14 | 39 | 54 | −15 | 38 |
| 15 | Neretvanac (R) | 34 | 10 | 7 | 17 | 38 | 57 | −19 | 37 |
| 16 | Omiš (R) | 34 | 9 | 8 | 17 | 28 | 41 | −13 | 35 |
| 17 | Val (R) | 34 | 11 | 1 | 22 | 35 | 66 | −31 | 34 |
| 18 | GOŠK (KG) (R) | 34 | 8 | 6 | 20 | 30 | 66 | −36 | 30 |

#### Division West

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 1 | Rudeš (C) | 34 | 22 | 10 | 2 | 63 | 24 | +39 | 76 |
| 2 | Lučko (P) | 34 | 19 | 7 | 8 | 75 | 45 | +30 | 64 |
| 3 | Vrapče | 34 | 16 | 8 | 10 | 58 | 45 | +13 | 56 |
| 4 | Jadran Poreč | 34 | 17 | 5 | 12 | 46 | 34 | +12 | 56 |
| 5 | Polet Buševec | 34 | 14 | 6 | 14 | 59 | 51 | +8 | 48 |
| 6 | HAŠK | 34 | 15 | 3 | 16 | 56 | 53 | +3 | 48 |
| 7 | Novalja | 34 | 13 | 9 | 12 | 40 | 39 | +1 | 48 |
| 8 | Rovinj | 34 | 10 | 14 | 10 | 59 | 48 | +11 | 44 |
| 9 | Rudar Labin | 34 | 12 | 8 | 14 | 48 | 51 | −3 | 44 |
| 10 | Nehaj | 34 | 12 | 8 | 14 | 37 | 41 | −4 | 44 |
| 11 | Vrbovec | 34 | 12 | 8 | 14 | 39 | 45 | −6 | 44 |
| 12 | Grobničan | 34 | 13 | 4 | 17 | 40 | 58 | −18 | 43 |
| 13 | Orijent | 34 | 12 | 8 | 14 | 45 | 41 | +4 | 42 |
| 14 | Medulin 1921 | 34 | 11 | 9 | 14 | 43 | 49 | −6 | 42 |
| 15 | Radnik (R) | 34 | 11 | 7 | 16 | 38 | 46 | −8 | 40 |
| 16 | Maksimir (R) | 34 | 10 | 10 | 14 | 34 | 52 | −18 | 40 |
| 17 | Istra Pula (R) | 34 | 10 | 7 | 17 | 36 | 67 | −31 | 35 |
| 18 | Samobor (R) | 34 | 6 | 11 | 17 | 35 | 62 | −27 | 29 |
* ↑ 2 points deducted?
* ↑ 2 points deducted?

## Honours

| Competition | Winner | Details |
| Croatian Cup | Dinamo Zagreb | 2008–09 Croatian Cup Beat Hajduk Split 4–3 on penalties (3–3 on aggregate) |
| 1.HNL | Dinamo Zagreb | 2008–09 Prva HNL |
| 2.HNL | Istra 1961 | 2008–09 Druga HNL |
| 3.HNL East Division | Grafičar Vodovod | |
| 3.HNL South Division | RNK Split | |
| 3.HNL West Division | Rudeš | |

## Croatian clubs in Europe
### Summary

| Club | Competition | Final round |
| Dinamo Zagreb | UEFA Champions League UEFA Cup | Third qualifying round Group stage |
| Slaven Belupo | UEFA Cup | First round |
| Hajduk Split | UEFA Cup | Second qualifying round |
| Rijeka | UEFA Intertoto Cup | First round |

### Dinamo Zagreb

| Date | Venue | Opponents | Score | Dinamo scorer(s) | Report |
| Champions League - First qualifying round ||||||
| 16 July | Windsor Park, Belfast (A) | Linfield | 2–0 | Mario Mandžukić, Dino Drpić | uefa.com |
| 23 July | Maksimir, Zagreb (H) | Linfield | 1–1 | Mario Mandžukić | uefa.com |
| Champions League - Second qualifying round ||||||
| 30 July | Sports Park, Domžale (A) | Domžale | 3–0 | Ivica Vrdoljak, Sammir, Josip Tadić | uefa.com |
| 6 August | Maksimir, Zagreb (H) | Domžale | 3–2 | Igor Bišćan, Mirko Hrgović, Dino Drpić | uefa.com |
| Champions League - Third qualifying round ||||||
| 13 August | RSC Olimpiyskiy, Donetsk (A) | Shakhtar Donetsk | 0–2 | | uefa.com |
| 27 August | Maksimir, Zagreb (H) | Shakhtar Donetsk | 1–3 | Boško Balaban | uefa.com |
| UEFA Cup - First round ||||||
| 18 September | Maksimir, Zagreb (H) | Sparta Prague | 0–0 | | uefa.com |
| 2 October | AXA Arena, Prague (A) | Sparta Prague | 3–3 | Pedro Morales, Dejan Lovren, Milan Badelj | uefa.com |
| UEFA Cup - Group stage ||||||
| 23 October | Maksimir, Zagreb (H) | NEC | 3–2 | Mario Mandžukić, Boško Balaban, Ivica Vrdoljak | uefa.com |
| 6 November | White Hart Lane, London (A) | Tottenham Hotspur | 0–4 | | uefa.com |
| 27 November | Maksimir, Zagreb (H) | Spartak Moscow | 0–1 | | uefa.com |
| 3 December | Stadio Friuli, Udine (A) | Udinese | 1–2 | Igor Bišćan | uefa.com |

### Slaven Belupo

| Date | Venue | Opponents | Score | Slaven scorer(s) | Report |
| UEFA Cup - First qualifying round ||||||
| 17 July | Ta' Qali Stadium, Ta' Qali (A) | Marsaxlokk | 4–0 | Matija Kristić, Dalibor Poldrugač, Franjo Tepurić, Bojan Vručina | uefa.com |
| 31 July | Gradski stadion, Koprivnica (H) | Marsaxlokk | 4–0 | Mario Bilen, Kristijan Čaval, Bojan Vručina (2) | uefa.com |
| UEFA Cup - Second qualifying round ||||||
| 14 August | Kleanthis Vikelidis, (A) | Aris | 0–1 | | uefa.com |
| 28 August | Gradski stadion, Koprivnica (H) | Aris | 2–0 | Bojan Vručina (2) | uefa.com |
| UEFA Cup - First round ||||||
| 18 September | Gradski stadion, Koprivnica (H) | CSKA Moscow | 1–2 | Mario Jurić | uefa.com |
| 30 September | Luzhniki, Moscow (A) | CSKA Moscow | 0–1 | | uefa.com |

### Hajduk Split

| Date | Venue | Opponents | Score | Hajduk scorer(s) | Report |
| UEFA Cup - First qualifying round ||||||
| 17 July | Poljud, Split (H) | Birkirkara | 4–0 | Senijad Ibričić, Nikola Kalinić, Tomislav Bušić, Mario Tičinović | uefa.com |
| 31 July | Ta' Qali Stadium, Ta' Qali (A) | Birkirkara | 3–0 | Ivan Strinić, Mladen Bartolović, Senijad Ibričić | uefa.com |
| UEFA Cup - Second qualifying round ||||||
| 14 August | Riazor, La Coruña (A) | Deportivo La Coruña | 0–0 | | uefa.com |
| 28 August | Poljud, Split (H) | Deportivo La Coruña | 0–2 | | uefa.com |

### Rijeka

| Date | Venue | Opponents | Score |
| Intertoto Cup - First round ||||||
| 21 June | Kantrida, Rijeka (H) | Renova | 0–0 |
| 28 June | Gradski stadion, Skopje (A) | Renova | 0–2 |