2021–22 Croatian First Football League

The 2021–22 Croatian First Football League (officially Hrvatski Telekom Prva liga for sponsorship reasons) was the 31st season of the Croatian First Football League, the national championship for men's association football teams in Croatia, since its establishment in 1992. Contested by 10 teams, the season started on 16 July 2021 and ended on 21 May 2022. Dinamo Zagreb, the defending champions, successfully defended their title.

Hrvatski Telekom Prva liga
Season2021–22
Dates16 July 2021 – 21 May 2022
ChampionsDinamo Zagreb (23rd Croatian title)
RelegatedHrvatski Dragovoljac
Champions LeagueDinamo Zagreb
Europa Conference LeagueHajduk Split
Osijek
Rijeka
Matches played180
Goals scored504 (2.8 per match)
Top goalscorerMarko Livaja (28)
Biggest home winDinamo Zagreb 8–0 Hrvatski Dragovoljac
Biggest away winŠibenik 0–5 Hrvatski Dragovoljac
Highest scoringIstra 1961 3–6 Rijeka
Longest winning runDinamo Zagreb
6 games
Longest unbeaten runOsijek
13 games
Longest winless runHrvatski Dragovoljac
15 games
Longest losing runHrvatski Dragovoljac
8 games
Highest attendance30,524
Hajduk Split 0–0 Osijek
Lowest attendance50
Hrvatski Dragovoljac 1–1 Lokomotiva
Total attendance502,012
Average attendance2,789[1]

Teams

On 23 April 2021, Croatian Football Federation announced that the first stage of licensing procedure for 2020–21 season was complete. For the 2021–22 Prva HNL, eleven clubs were issued a top level license: Cibalia, Dinamo Zagreb, Gorica, Hajduk Split, Hrvatski Dragovoljac, Istra 1961, Lokomotiva, Osijek, Rijeka, Slaven Belupo and Varaždin. All of these clubs except Cibalia and Hrvatski Dragovoljac were also issued a license for participating in UEFA competitions.[2]

The following teams will compete in the 2021–22 Prva HNL.

Changes

Hrvatski Dragovoljac (promoted after a seven-year absence) was promoted from the 2020–21 Druga HNL. Varaždin (relegated after two years in the top flight) was relegated to 2021–22 Druga HNL.

Stadia and locations
Dinamo Zagreb Gorica Hajduk Split Hrvatski Dragovoljac
Stadion Maksimir Gradski stadion Velika Gorica Stadion Poljud Stadion Kranjčevićeva
Capacity: 35,123 Capacity: 5,000 Capacity: 34,198 Capacity: 5,350
Istra 1961
Locations of teams in 2021–22 Prva HNL
 Lokomotiva
Stadion Aldo Drosina Stadion Kranjčevićeva
Capacity: 10,000 Capacity: 5,350
Osijek Rijeka Slaven Belupo Šibenik
Stadion Gradski vrt Stadion Rujevica Stadion Ivan Kušek-Apaš Stadion Šubićevac
Capacity: 17,061 Capacity: 8,279 Capacity: 3,205 Capacity: 3,412
Team City Stadium Capacity Ref.
Dinamo ZagrebZagrebMaksimir35,123[3]
GoricaVelika GoricaŠRC Velika Gorica5,000[4]
Hajduk SplitSplitPoljud34,198[5]
Hrvatski DragovoljacZagrebKranjčevićeva15,350[6]
Istra 1961PulaStadion Aldo Drosina10,000[7]
LokomotivaZagrebKranjčevićeva25,350[6]
OsijekOsijekGradski vrt17,061[8]
RijekaRijekaRujevica8,279[9]
Slaven BelupoKoprivnicaStadion Ivan Kušek-Apaš3,205[10]
ŠibenikŠibenikŠubićevac3,412[11]
Rank Counties of Croatia Number of teams Club(s)
1 Coat of arms of the city of Zagreb City of Zagreb 3 Dinamo Zagreb, Hrvatski Dragovoljac, Lokomotiva
2 Coat of arms of Koprivnica-Križevci County Koprivnica-Križevci 1 Slaven Belupo
Coat of arms of Osijek-Baranja County Osijek-Baranja Osijek
Coat of arms of Primorje-Gorski Kotar County Primorje-Gorski Kotar Rijeka
Coat of arms of Split-Dalmatia County Split-Dalmatia Hajduk Split
Coat of arms of Istria County Šibenik-Knin Šibenik
Post-1992 coat of arms of Zagreb County Zagreb County Gorica

Personnel and kits
Club Manager Captain Kit manufacturer Sponsors
Dinamo Zagreb Croatia Ante Čačić North Macedonia Arijan Ademi Adidas PSK
Gorica Croatia Samir Toplak Croatia Matija Dvorneković Alpas Admiral Bet
Hajduk Split Lithuania Valdas Dambrauskas Croatia Lovre Kalinić Macron Tommy
Hrvatski Dragovoljac Croatia Dragan Tadić Croatia Zvonimir Šubarić Macron —
Istra 1961 Spain Gonzalo García Croatia Slavko Blagojević Kelme Croatia Osiguranje
Lokomotiva Croatia Silvijo Čabraja Croatia Josip Pivarić Adidas —
Osijek Croatia Nenad Bjelica Croatia Mile Škorić 2Rule Mészáros és Mészáros Kft.
Rijeka Croatia Goran Tomić Croatia Hrvoje Smolčić Joma Sava Osiguranje
Slaven Belupo Croatia Zoran Zekić Croatia Goran Paracki Adidas Belupo
Šibenik Croatia Dean Računica Croatia Mario Ćurić Macron —

Managerial changes
Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Replaced by Date of appointment Position in table
Šibenik Spain Sergi Escobar[12] Signed by Castellón 23 May 2021 Spain Mario Rosas[13] 14 June 2021 Pre-season
Gorica Croatia Siniša Oreščanin[14] Sacked 24 May 2021 Croatia Krunoslav Rendulić[15] 30 May 2021 Pre-season
Hajduk Split Italy Paolo Tramezzani[16] Mutual consent 27 May 2021 Sweden Jens Gustafsson[17] 28 May 2021 Pre-season
Lokomotiva Croatia Samir Toplak[18] Contract expired 28 May 2021 Croatia Silvijo Čabraja[19] 8 June 2021 Pre-season
Slaven Belupo Croatia Tomislav Stipić[20] Sacked 10 June 2021 Croatia Dean Klafurić[21] 11 June 2021 Pre-season
Istra 1961 Croatia Danijel Jumić Contract expired 11 June 2021 Spain Gonzalo García[22] 11 June 2021 Pre-season
Hrvatski Dragovoljac Croatia Miroslav Kuljanac[23] Sacked 22 August 2021 Croatia Davor Mladina[23] 22 August 2021 10th
Slaven Belupo Croatia Dean Klafurić[24] Sacked 27 August 2021 Croatia Zoran Zekić[25] 31 August 2021 8th
Hajduk Split Sweden Jens Gustafsson[26] Sacked 1 November 2021 Lithuania Valdas Dambrauskas[27] 2 November 2021 4th
Dinamo Zagreb Croatia Damir Krznar Resigned 1 December 2021 Croatia Željko Kopić 1 December 2021 3rd
Šibenik Spain Mario Rosas Sacked 5 January 2022 Croatia Ferdo Milin 5 January 2022 7th
Hrvatski Dragovoljac Croatia Davor Mladina Sacked 12 January 2022 Croatia Dragan Tadić 12 January 2022 10th
Šibenik Croatia Ferdo Milin Sacked 12 February 2022 Croatia Marko Kartelo (caretaker) 13 February 2022 7th
Gorica Croatia Krunoslav Rendulić Sacked 3 March 2022 Croatia Samir Toplak 3 March 2022 7th
Šibenik Croatia Marko Kartelo (caretaker) Removed from position 4 March 2022 Croatia Ivica Matas (caretaker) 4 March 2022 8th
Šibenik Croatia Ivica Matas (caretaker) Signing of Računica 7 March 2022 Croatia Dean Računica 7 March 2022 8th
Dinamo Zagreb Croatia Željko Kopić Sacked 21 April 2022 Croatia Ante Čačić 21 April 2022 1st

League table
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Dinamo Zagreb (C) 36 24 7 5 68 22 +46 79 Qualification to Champions League second qualifying round
2 Hajduk Split 36 21 9 6 64 31 +33 72 Qualification to Europa Conference League third qualifying round[lower-alpha 1]
3 Osijek 36 19 12 5 49 29 +20 69 Qualification to Europa Conference League second qualifying round
4 Rijeka 36 20 5 11 71 51 +20 65
5 Lokomotiva 36 12 13 11 55 50 +5 49
6 Gorica 36 12 9 15 43 50 −7 45
7 Slaven Belupo 36 9 9 18 35 54 −19 36
8 Šibenik 36 9 5 22 46 75 −29 32
9 Istra 1961 36 7 10 19 42 67 −25 31
10 Hrvatski Dragovoljac (R) 36 4 7 25 31 75 −44 19 Relegation to First Football League
Source: PrvaHNL.hr
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Head-to-head points; 3) Head-to-head goal difference; 4) Head-to-head goals scored (at home if two teams tied); 5) Goal difference; 6) Goals scored; 7) Play-off
(Note: Criteria 2-4 and 7 is only used if deciding champion, teams to international competition or teams for relegation and in that case criteria 6 will not be used).[28]
(C) Champions; (R) Relegated
Notes:
  1. The cup winner, Hajduk Split, will enter the third qualifying round of the Europa Conference League.

Results

Each team plays home-and-away against every other team in the league twice, for a total of 36 matches each played.

Statistics

Top goalscorers
As of 21 May 2022[29]
Rank Player Club Goals
1 Croatia Marko Livaja Hajduk Split 28
2 Switzerland Josip Drmić Rijeka 21
3 Croatia Dion Drena Beljo Istra 1961 15
4 Croatia Mislav Oršić Dinamo Zagreb 14
5 Croatia Marko Dabro Lokomotiva 13
6 Croatia Robert Murić Rijeka 11
7 Croatia Marin Jakoliš Šibenik 10
Croatia Ivan Krstanović Slaven Belupo
Croatia Sandro Kulenović Lokomotiva
Slovenia Haris Vučkić Rijeka
Croatia Ivan Delić Šibenik

Awards

Annual awards
Award[30] Winner Club
Player of the Season Croatia Marko Livaja Hajduk Split
Manager of the Season Croatia Goran Tomić Rijeka
Young Player of the Season Croatia Lukas Kačavenda Lokomotiva
Team of the Year[31]
Goalkeeper Croatia Dominik Livaković (Dinamo Zagreb)
Defence North Macedonia Stefan Ristovski (Dinamo Zagreb) Croatia Josip Elez (Hajduk Split) Croatia Josip Šutalo (Dinamo Zagreb)
Midfield Croatia Petar Bočkaj (Dinamo Zagreb) Croatia Filip Krovinović (Hajduk Split) Croatia Domagoj Pavičić (Rijeka) North Macedonia Arijan Ademi (Dinamo Zagreb) Croatia Mislav Oršić (Dinamo Zagreb)
Attack Switzerland Josip Drmić (Rijeka) Croatia Marko Livaja

References
  1. "Broj gledatelja" (in Croatian). prvahnl.hr. 30 May 2022. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
  2. "Završen središnji postupak licenciranja u prvom stupnju" (in Croatian). Croatian Football Federation. 23 April 2021. Retrieved 25 May 2021.
  3. "Stadion Maksimir". prvahnl.hr. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
  4. "ŠRC Velika Gorica". prvahnl.hr. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
  5. "Stadion Poljud". prvahnl.hr. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
  6. "Stadion Kranjčevićeva". prvahnl.hr. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
  7. "Stadion Aldo Drosina". prvahnl.hr. Retrieved 17 August 2021.
  8. "Stadion Gradski vrt". prvahnl.hr. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
  9. "Stadion HNK Rijeka". prvahnl.hr. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
  10. "Stadion Ivan Kušek-Apaš". prvahnl.hr. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
  11. "Stadion Šubićevac". prvahnl.hr. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
  12. "Sergi Escobar više nije trener HNK Šibenik!" (in Croatian). HNK Šibenik. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  13. "Mario Rosas novi trener Šibenika". Nacional (in Croatian). Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  14. "Siniša Oreščanin i Goran Rosanda više nisu treneri Gorice" (in Croatian). HNK Gorica. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
  15. "Krunoslav Rendulić novi trener HNK Gorice: 'Obećajem red, rad i disciplinu'" (in Croatian). HNK Gorica. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
  16. "Sporazumni raskid: Paolo Tramezzani više nije trener HNK Hajduk" (in Croatian). HNK Hajduk Split. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
  17. "Jens Gustafsson novi je trener Hajduka!" (in Croatian). HNK Hajduk Split. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
  18. "Samir Toplak nije više trener Lokomotive" (in Croatian). NK Lokomotiva. 28 May 2021. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
  19. "Silvijo Čabraja novi je trener Lokomotive" (in Croatian). NK Lokomotiva. 8 June 2021. Retrieved 8 June 2021.
  20. "Tomislav Stipić više nije trener prve momčadi Slaven Belupa" (in Croatian). NK Slaven Belupo. 10 June 2021. Retrieved 10 June 2021.
  21. "Dean Klafurić novi je trener Slaven Belupa" (in Croatian). NK Slaven Belupo. 11 June 2021. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  22. "Gonzalo García novi je trener Istre 1961!" (in Croatian). NK Istra 1961. 11 June 2021. Retrieved 12 June 2021.
  23. "Hrvatski dragovoljac nakon katastrofalnog starta sezone smijenio trenera i po šesti put doveo kultno HNL ime". Gol.hr (in Croatian). 22 August 2021. Retrieved 28 August 2021.
  24. Čičin-Mašansker, Goran (27 August 2021). "Rušio je Dinamo usred Maksimira pa mu presudio - Dragovoljac! Potentnom HR-treneru uručen ekspresni otkaz". Sportske novosti (in Croatian). Retrieved 28 August 2021.
  25. "Zoran Zekić novi je trener Slaven Belupa" (in Croatian). NK Slaven Belupo. 31 August 2021. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
  26. "JENS GUSTAFSSON VIŠE NIJE TRENER HNK HAJDUK" (in Croatian). HNK Hajduk Split. 1 November 2021. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
  27. "VALDAS DAMBRAUSKAS NOVI JE TRENER HAJDUKA!" (in Croatian). HNK Hajduk Split. 2 November 2021. Retrieved 3 November 2021.
  28. "Propozicije natjecanja za prvenstvo Hrvatski Telekom Prve lige za natjecateljsku godinu 2021/2022" (PDF). hns-cff.hr (in Croatian). 28 June 2021. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
  29. PrvaHNL.hr
  30. "Objavljeni laureati Trofeja nogometaš 2022. godine". NACIONAL.HR (in Croatian). Retrieved 1 December 2022.
  31. "Objavljeni laureati Trofeja nogometaš 2022. godine". NACIONAL.HR (in Croatian). Retrieved 1 December 2022.

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