Former Zrinjski coach: Sergej Jakirović is the new Dinamo coach

(Patria) - Sergej Jakirović is the new Dinamo coach, the Croatian champion announced on its official website.

Jakirović thus succeeded Igor Bišćan on the bench, who was fired today and will lead the team as early as Thursday when Sparta Prague visits Maksimir in the first leg of the Europa League play-off. His release clause was six monthly salaries, or around 100,000 euros, which was not a problem for Dinamo to pay.

Jakirović terminated his contract with Rijeka, which visits Maksimir in the 6th round of the SuperSport HNL just three days after the match with Sparta. Jakirović takes over Dinamo at a time when the team has eight points and a game in hand over Hajduk, and after the shocking elimination by AEK in the 3rd qualifying round of the Champions League, which cost Bišćan his job.

“Sergej Jakirović is the new Dinamo coach. The current strategist of Rijeka will take over the helm of the first team from Maksimir starting this Monday, and he will debut on the bench of his new club on Thursday, August 25, against Sparta Prague in the first leg of the Europa League play-off. With the new coach comes a new professional staff that has been working with Mr. Jakirović in Rijeka until now,” Dinamo announced.

Jakirović was considered for the Dinamo bench a year and a half ago. At that time, the now former Rijeka coach was at Dinamo's doorstep, but his arrival did not materialize, and Željko Kopić took over the team, who was soon fired. With Jakirović comes his professional staff, which includes assistant coach Marko Salatović, video analyst Anđelo Roguljić, and fitness coach Marin Ivančić.

Jakirović began his coaching career in Sesvete, after which he went to Gorica, with whom he won fifth place in the 2018/2019 season, narrowly missing out on Europe. He then briefly coached Maribor and then went to Zrinjski, with whom he won the title with a 27-point lead in the 2021/2022 season.

Last summer, with the BiH champion, he was one step away from qualifying for the Conference League, but lost to Slovan in a dramatic penalty shootout in Bratislava. In November last year, he took over Rijeka. He took over in a dire situation, only to finish fourth in the end and secure a place in Europe.

This season, after four rounds, he has nine points, and he convincingly passed Dukagjini and B36 in the Conference League qualifiers, reaching the play-off where he would have faced Lille. However, Jakirović must start thinking today about how to beat Sparta on Thursday and then his former club Rijeka on Sunday.