Dinamo Zagreb in UCL trip to face RB Salzburg.

2024-10-17

In a clash of strugglers seeking redemption, RB Salzburg hope to break their UEFA Champions League curse against a Dinamo Zagreb side eager to secure their first victory under new management, as both teams fight to turn their European fortunes around at Red Bull Arena.

Salzburg

Salzburg have endured a tough start to their UEFA Champions League campaign, suffering defeats in both of their opening matches. They lost 3-0 to Czech side Sparta Prague on Match Day 1 and 4-0 to French side Brest on Match Day 2. The Red Bulls are among eight teams yet to secure a point after two match days.

Despite these challenges, Salzburg aim to change their fortunes on Wednesday, when they host Dinamo Zagreb. Domestically, the Red Bulls are fourth in the Austrian Bundesliga, trailing leaders Sturm Graz by six points but with two games in hand. They recently ended a two-match losing streak with a 2-1 win over Altach, following a heavy 5-0 league defeat to Sturm Graz.

Wednesday's match marks the ninth European encounter between Salzburg and Zagreb, where Salzburg has won four of the previous eight meetings. However, recent European form is concerning for the Red Bulls, as they are winless in their last seven Champions League matches, failing to score in five. On home turf, they have lost their last five games, the longest such streak in the competition.

Pepijn Lijnders is expected to stick with his favored 4-3-3 formation, featuring Bobby Clark, Adam Daghim, and Karim Konaté leading the attack. Salzburg will be eager to harness their recent domestic victory as they seek to secure their first points in this season's Champions League.

Dinamo Zagreb

Dinamo Zagreb opened their campaign on a sour note, suffering a heavy 9-2 defeat to six-time UCL champions Bayern Munich. This result led to the dismissal of their former manager, Sergej Jakirović.

Determined to rebound in UCL Matchday 2, the Croatian side let slip a two-goal advantage against Monaco, ending in a 2-2 draw. The match saw new manager Nenad Bjelica animated on the sidelines, resulting in his ejection for two bookable offences.

The Blues aim to secure their first UCL victory as they head to Salzburg, having remained unbeaten in their last five matches in all competitions [WWDWD]. Their latest outing was a 2-2 stalemate against Istra in the Croatian league on Saturday.

Still, Zagreb have not claimed a win in their past seven UCL games [0W, 2D, 5L]. Moreover, they have suffered defeats on both previous UCL trips to Austria, losing 1-0 to Strum Graz in 1999 and Salzburg in 2022.

For the upcoming match on Wednesday, a 4—1—4—1 formation featuring Bruno Petković in attack is anticipated.