Nenad Bjelica (foto: Getty Images)
Nenad Bjelica officially returns as Dinamo Zagreb’s head coach, replacing Sergej Jakirović after his dismissal.
Dinamo Zagreb has officially named Nenad Bjelica as their new head coach. The Executive Board of Dinamo, led by President Velimir Zajec and Sporting Director Marko Marić, unanimously backed the decision to appoint Bjelica, despite recent speculation about disagreements within the club.
The deal, reportedly worth over €3 million, required confirmation from the board, as Bjelica was still under contract with Union Berlin, which was terminated earlier today. The appointment was then made official in the afternoon.
Bjelica takes over after Sergej Jakirović was dismissed following Dinamo’s Champions League defeat to Bayern Munich. While Bjelica was considered a leading candidate from the start, direct talks with Dinamo's leadership only began on Sunday. The main hurdle was his lucrative contract with Union Berlin, where he was still receiving a salary despite parting ways in May.
Bjelica, who previously led Dinamo from 2018 to 2020, enjoyed success with the club, winning two Croatian league titles, a Croatian Cup, and a Super Cup. Under his guidance, Dinamo also reached the European knockout stages for the first time in 50 years.
The new coach will lead his first training session today at 6 PM and will be on the bench for Dinamo’s next match against Lokomotiva this Saturday.