HNK Rijeka vs. HNK Hajduk Split Prediction on September 29, 2024

Match info

HNK Rijeka and HNK Hajduk Split will play a new “Adriatic derby” on Sunday, September 29. This match will be played within Round 8 of the men’s football 2024–25 HNL (SuperSport HNL for sponsorship reasons) at the Rujevica Stadium (officially known as the HNK Rijeka Stadium) in Rijeka, and it will start at 8 p.m. local time. This will be a duel between the teams that hold the top of the Croatian Championship table with 17 points each after the first seven matches. However, the home side holds first place due to a better goal difference.

As for the bookmakers’ forecasts, they give a small advantage to Rijeka. So the odds for their win are 2.18 on Casino-X, while Hajduk’s win is 3.0; a draw has odds of 3.25.

Meeting statistics

The current form of HNK Rijeka

Despite experiencing the debacle in the playoff for entry into the UEFA Conference League groups against the neighboring Olimpija Ljubljana, a month ago, the stability of the Rijeka team in the HNL is their great advantage, not only against Hajduk but also in relation to most other teams.

The “Riječki bijeli” (the Rijeka’s Whites) are rising in form. In the previous round, also at home, they defeated Šibenik with a score of 3-0, and it was the third victory in a row for the team coached by Radomir Djalović.

Rijeka’s defense is currently the best in the league, conceding only one goal in seven games. They are currently the most efficient team in the competition too with 15 goals. The home turf and full stands should be a big advantage, but also a flywheel for Rijeka’s play. The “ironed” pitch of Rujevica is the fastest pitch in Croatia and an additional advantage for the players of Rijeka who strive for play and make constant transitions. Additionally, the already well-known synergy of supporters and players in the region is a big forte for the hosts.

The current form of HNK Hajduk Split

The victory in the Croatian classic against the record national title holders Dinamo, two rounds ago, certainly raised the confidence of Hajduk’s players, which is in the making, and the atmosphere inside the organization. And the latter factor was damaged quite a bit, above all, by the departure of the striker Ivan Perišić, the legend of Croatian football, early in the season, who’d certainly have come in handy for Hajduk if remained.

Marko Livaja, captain of the visiting side, keeps showing why he’s the best player of Hajduk and also the best player of HNL this season. The midfielder and former member of the Croatian national team is currently the best-rated player in the league, the best scorer with six goals, and the best assistant after seven rounds with the number of six successful passes.

The “Bili” (the Whites) are equal on points with Rijeka, but it’s quite clear that this team is far from a real composure. In addition, Hajduk’s roster is much narrower due to numerous injuries, and it’s much more difficult for the guests to make up for player absences than for Rijeka. In addition, the Split side has a hard time winning matches. Gennaro Gattuso’s wards were the most convincing in the previous round when they triumphed 4-1 against Gorica, with 16-year-old Bruno Durdov scoring two goals.

Compared to the last game, the Italian coach will again have Rokas Pukštas at his disposal; the U.S. U-20 national team member skipped the duel Gorica due to accumulated yellow cards.

Head-to-head

The “Adriatic derby” between Hajduk and Rijeka has been played a total of 174 times, including matches from all competitions since 1946. And since the independence of Croatia, 101 head-to-heads have been played in the HNL. Each has 41 wins, while 29 games ended in a draw.

These two teams last played each other in early April 2024, also at Rujevica, and Rijeka won with a score of 1-0.

Match analytics

Every game for Hajduk at the moment when the top of the ranking is being shaped, and knowing that they have the status of a powerhouse carried over from the time of the former Yugoslavia, involves pressure. So does this game, even though a quarter of the championship hasn’t yet been played. Rijeka don’t have that pressure, just as they didn’t have it in 2017 when they ended the dominance of Dinamo that lasted from 2006 and continued after that season. Just like now, then Rijeka were written off; Dinamo were considered the biggest favorites for the title before the championship through odds of betting sites in Croatia.

Rijeka will undoubtedly beat Hajduk, and looking at their efficiency and Hajduk’s defense, which is far from strong, there will be more than two goals in total in the match.

Tip: Full Time Result and Over/Under Goals – HNK Rijeka / Over 2.5, with odds of 49/20 on Highbet.