Fabio Cannavaro (foto: uradna spletna stran kluba)
Dinamo Zagreb have parted ways with Fabio Cannavaro after a poor run of results, just days before facing Simon Rožman’s Osijek in the HNL.
Fabio Cannavaro’s time in Zagreb has come to a premature end. The 2006 Ballon d’Or winner and World Cup-winning captain has been dismissed by Dinamo Zagreb, following a series of poor results and a damaging 3-0 loss to Istra last weekend.
Cannavaro was set to face Simon Rožman’s Osijek in a high-stakes league encounter, but the club hierarchy acted swiftly, deciding that a change on the bench was necessary ahead of the critical run-in.
Third manager of the season shown the door
Cannavaro became Dinamo’s third head coach this season, following the exits of Sergej Jakirović and Nenad Bjelica. Jakirović, who previously coached NK Maribor, now manages Kayserispor in Turkey. Bjelica had a short-lived return to the club before being replaced by the Italian legend.
The appointment of Cannavaro was viewed as a bold and ambitious move, but ultimately proved to be a miscalculated risk. His tenure failed to deliver the expected turnaround, and Dinamo’s title hopes have faded fast.
Title race slipping away
Dinamo currently trail Hajduk Split by eight points, with Rijeka also ahead by seven. With the season approaching its final stretch, the club's chances of defending the title look increasingly slim.
What next for Dinamo?
The club has yet to announce a permanent replacement. With European qualification still on the line and domestic pride at stake, Dinamo will be under pressure to find a quick and effective solution to stabilize the team.
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Written by Klemen Kos , football journalist with 20 years of experience.
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