Nikola Vlasic will be keen as any and perhaps even more than most to see his old rivals Dinamo beaten tonight and clearly still hold a healthy disregard for them in supporter terms.
He started his career at Hadjuk Split, huge rivals of Dinamo similar to us and Spurs or even Manchester United and City.
Most will have been delighted to see his name on the team sheet after a very fine subs performance at Southampton and there is certain to be a real edge on his game this evening.
He has given various interviews ahead of the game but this evening he has demonstrated for the first time just how much this particular game means to him back in his homeland.
He explained in a pre-match quote that he is not happy with Dinamo’s dominance this season given his own history with Hadjuk and he is seriously looking for better thoughts after the game.
He said: “The Dinamo supporters are passionate, but in the stadium the stands are not close to the pitch so you will not feel like you are suffocating from them. I think that [will make it] easier for our players to settle.
“There are good memories from my goals for Croatia at Maksimir, but Hajduk and Dinamo have a big rivalry.
“Dinamo has been very dominant in the last ten years and I’m not happy about that as a former Hajduk player. I have good memories there but I hope I have better ones after Thursday!”
