2020–21 Croatian First Football League

The 2020–21 Croatian First Football League (officially Hrvatski Telekom Prva liga for sponsorship reasons) was the 30th season of the Croatian First Football League, the top national championship for men's association football teams in Croatia, since its establishment in 1992. The season started on 14 August 2020 and finished on 22 May 2021.

Hrvatski Telekom Prva liga
Season2020–21
Dates14 August 2020 – 22 May 2021
ChampionsDinamo Zagreb
RelegatedVaraždin
Champions LeagueDinamo Zagreb
Europa Conference LeagueOsijek
Rijeka
Hajduk Split
Matches played180
Goals scored456 (2.53 per match)
Top goalscorerRamón Miérez (22)
Biggest home winDinamo Zagreb 6–0 Lokomotiva
Biggest away winVaraždin 0–5 Dinamo Zagreb
Highest scoringGorica 3–4 Dinamo Zagreb
Gorica 3–4 Rijeka

The season began with games being played behind closed doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[1]

The league was contested by ten teams.

Teams

On 20 May 2020, Croatian Football Federation announced that the first stage of licensing procedure for 2020–21 season was complete. For the 2020–21 Prva HNL, ten clubs were issued a top level license: Dinamo Zagreb, Gorica, Hajduk Split, Istra 1961, Lokomotiva, Osijek, Rijeka, Slaven Belupo, Šibenik and Varaždin. All of these clubs except Šibenik and Varaždin were also issued a license for participating in UEFA competitions.[2] In the second stage of licensing, clubs that were not licensed in the first stage could appeal on the decision. On 17 June 2020, Croatian Football Federation announced that the licensing procedure for 2020–21 season was complete. Inter Zaprešić and Orijent 1919 were also issued a top level license after appeal process.[3]

The following teams have mathematically secured their place in the 2020–21 Prva HNL.

Stadia and locations
Dinamo Zagreb Gorica Hajduk Split Istra 1961
Stadion Maksimir Gradski stadion Velika Gorica Stadion Poljud Stadion Aldo Drosina
Capacity: 35,123 Capacity: 5,000 Capacity: 34,198 Capacity: 9,800
Lokomotiva
Locations of teams in 2020–21 Prva HNL
 Osijek
Stadion Kranjčevićeva Stadion Gradski vrt
Capacity: 5,350 Capacity: 17,061
Rijeka Slaven Belupo Šibenik Varaždin
Stadion Rujevica Stadion Ivan Kušek-Apaš Stadion Šubićevac Stadion Varteks
Capacity: 8,279 Capacity: 3,205 Capacity: 3,412 Capacity: 8,850
Team City Stadium Capacity Ref.
Dinamo ZagrebZagrebMaksimir35,123[4]
GoricaVelika GoricaŠRC Velika Gorica8,000[5]
Hajduk SplitSplitPoljud34,198[6]
Istra 1961PulaStadion Aldo Drosina9,800[7]
LokomotivaZagrebKranjčevićeva15,350[8]
OsijekOsijekGradski vrt17,061[9]
RijekaRijekaRujevica8,279[10]
Slaven BelupoKoprivnicaStadion Ivan Kušek-Apaš3,205[11]
ŠibenikŠibenikŠubićevac3,412[12]
VaraždinVaraždinStadion Varteks8,850[13]
Rank Counties of Croatia Number of teams Club(s)
1  City of Zagreb 2 Dinamo Zagreb, Lokomotiva
2 Koprivnica-Križevci 1 Slaven Belupo
Osijek-Baranja Osijek
Primorje-Gorski Kotar Rijeka
Split-Dalmatia Hajduk Split
Šibenik-Knin Šibenik
 Varaždin Varaždin
 Zagreb Gorica
 Istria Istra 1961

Personnel and kits
Club Manager Captain Kit manufacturer Sponsors
Dinamo Zagreb Croatia Damir Krznar North Macedonia Arijan Ademi Germany Adidas Lana grupa
Gorica Croatia Siniša Oreščanin Bosnia and Herzegovina Aleksandar Jovičić Croatia FCG —
Hajduk Split Italy Paolo Tramezzani Croatia Lovre Kalinić Italy Macron Tommy
Istra 1961 Croatia Danijel Jumić Croatia Slavko Blagojević Spain Kelme Croatia Osiguranje
Lokomotiva Croatia Samir Toplak Croatia Josip Pivarić Germany Adidas —
Osijek Croatia Nenad Bjelica Croatia Mile Škorić Hungary 2Rule DOBRO, Stadler
Rijeka Croatia Goran Tomić Croatia Franko Andrijašević Spain Joma Sava Osiguranje
Slaven Belupo Croatia Tomislav Stipić Croatia Goran Paracki Germany Adidas Belupo
Šibenik Spain Sergi Escobar Croatia Marko Bulat Germany Jako Krka National Park
Varaždin Croatia Zoran Kastel Croatia Marko Stolnik Italy Legea Radnik, Derma

Managerial changes
Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Replaced by Date of appointment Position in table
Istra 1961 Croatia Ivan Prelec[14] Contract expired 14 July 2020 Croatia Danijel Jumić (caretaker)[15] 16 July 2020 Pre-season
Hajduk Split Croatia Igor Tudor[16] Signed by Juventus 21 August 2020 Croatia Hari Vukas[17] 8 September 2020 3rd
Istra 1961 Croatia Danijel Jumić (caretaker) Signing of Budicin 26 August 2020 Croatia Fausto Budicin[18] 26 August 2020 10th
Osijek Croatia Ivica Kulešević[19] Sacked 4 September 2020 Croatia Nenad Bjelica[20] 5 September 2020 8th
Hajduk Split Croatia Hari Vukas[21] Sacked 4 November 2020 Croatia Boro Primorac[22] 4 November 2020 6th
Varaždin Croatia Samir Toplak[23] Sacked 7 December 2020 Croatia Zoran Kastel 7 December 2020 9th
Gorica Lithuania Valdas Dambrauskas[24] Signed by Ludogorets 3 January 2021 Croatia Siniša Oreščanin[25] 3 January 2021 3rd
Lokomotiva Croatia Goran Tomić[26] Resigned 9 January 2021 Croatia Jerko Leko[27] 9 January 2021 8th
Hajduk Split Croatia Boro Primorac Removed from position 18 January 2021 Italy Paolo Tramezzani[28] 18 January 2021 5th
Istra 1961 Croatia Fausto Budicin[29] Sacked 11 February 2021 Croatia Danijel Jumić[30] 11 February 2021 10th
Rijeka Slovenia Simon Rožman[31] Resigned 27 February 2021 Croatia Goran Tomić[32] 1 March 2021 4th
Lokomotiva Croatia Jerko Leko[33] Removed from position 13 March 2021 Croatia Samir Toplak[34] 14 March 2021 10th
Dinamo Zagreb Croatia Zoran Mamić[35] Resigned 15 March 2021 Croatia Damir Krznar[35] 15 March 2021 1st
Šibenik Croatia Krunoslav Rendulić[36] Sacked 23 March 2021 Spain Sergi Escobar[37] 30 March 2021 6th

League table
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Dinamo Zagreb (C) 36 26 7 3 84 28 +56 85 Qualification to Champions League first qualifying round
2 Osijek 36 23 8 5 59 25 +34 77 Qualification to Europa Conference League second qualifying round
3 Rijeka 36 18 7 11 51 46 +5 61
4 Hajduk Split 36 18 6 12 48 37 +11 60
5 Gorica 36 17 8 11 60 47 +13 59
6 Šibenik 36 9 8 19 32 47 −15 35
7 Slaven Belupo 36 7 13 16 36 53 −17 34
8 Lokomotiva 36 7 9 20 29 60 −31 30
9 Istra 1961 36 7 8 21 27 52 −25 29
10 Varaždin (R) 36 6 10 20 30 61 −31 28 Relegation to Croatian Second 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).[38]
(C) Champions; (R) Relegated

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 22 May 2021[39]
Rank Player Club Goals
1 Argentina Ramón Miérez Osijek 22
2 Switzerland Mario Gavranović Dinamo Zagreb 17
3 Croatia Mislav Oršić Dinamo Zagreb 16
4 Croatia Kristijan Lovrić Gorica 15
5 Croatia Franko Andrijašević Rijeka 13
6 Australia Deni Jurić Šibenik 11
7 Croatia Mijo Caktaš Hajduk Split 9
Serbia Ognjen Mudrinski Gorica
Croatia Bruno Petković Dinamo Zagreb
10 Croatia Ivan Krstanović Slaven Belupo 8
Croatia Robert Murić Rijeka

Awards

Annual awards
Award[40] Club Winner
Player of the Season Croatia Bruno Petković Dinamo Zagreb
Manager of the Season Croatia Nenad Bjelica Dinamo Zagreb
Young Player of the Season Croatia Joško Gvardiol Dinamo Zagreb
Team of the Year[41]
Goalkeeper Croatia Dominik Livaković (Dinamo Zagreb)
Defence Brazil Igor Silva (Osijek) Croatia Mile Škorić (Osijek) Croatia Joško Gvardiol (Dinamo Zagreb) Denmark Rasmus Lauritsen (Dinamo Zagreb)
Midfield

Croatia Lovro Majer (Dinamo Zagreb)

 North Macedonia Arijan Ademi (Dinamo Zagreb)

Croatia Luka Ivanušec (Dinamo Zagreb)

 Croatia Mislav Oršić (Dinamo Zagreb)
Attack

Croatia Bruno Petković (Dinamo Zagreb)

 Argentina Ramón Miérez (Osijek)

References
  1. "HNL se do daljnjega igra bez publike". Index.hr (in Croatian). Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  2. "Završen središnji postupak licenciranja u prvom stupnju". hns-cff.hr (in Croatian). 20 May 2020. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
  3. "Završen središnji postupak licenciranja". hns-cff.hr (in Croatian). 17 June 2020. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
  4. "Stadion Maksimir". prvahnl.hr. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
  5. "ŠRC Velika Gorica". prvahnl.hr. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
  6. "Stadion Poljud". prvahnl.hr. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
  7. "Stadion Aldo Drosina". prvahnl.hr. Retrieved 27 February 2021.
  8. "Stadion Kranjčevićeva". prvahnl.hr. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
  9. "Stadion Gradski vrt". prvahnl.hr. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
  10. "Stadion HNK Rijeka". prvahnl.hr. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
  11. "Stadion Ivan Kušek-Apaš". prvahnl.hr. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
  12. "Stadion Šubićevac". prvahnl.hr. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
  13. "Stadion Anđelko Herjavec". prvahnl.hr. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
  14. "Potpuni kaos u HNL klubu koji vode stranci! Tri dana prije početka lige nema trenera, nema direktora..." sportske.jutarnji.hr. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  15. "Istra 1961 još nema trenersko rješenje, Danijel Jumić do daljnjeg ostaje na klupi". sportnet.rtl.hr. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  16. "Sad je i službeno: Igor Tudor napustio Hajduk i prešao u Juventus!". gol.dnevnik.hr. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  17. "Hari Vukas potvrđen kao glavni trener Hajduka". novilist.hr. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  18. "Istra 1961 dobila novog trenera! Na klupu kluba s Aldo Drosine sjeda bivši kapetan Fausto Budicin". sportske.jutarnji.hr. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  19. "Osijek i službeno potvrdio kako Ivica Kulešević više nije trener kluba, nasljednik će mu biti Bjelica?". novilist.hr. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  20. "SLUŽBENO: Nenad Bjelica novi je trener Osijeka!". gol.dnevnik.hr. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  21. "Hari Vukas smijenjen s pozicije trenera Hajduka". nacional.hr. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  22. "Boro Primorac novi je trener Hajduka". hr.n1info.com. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  23. "[VIDEO/FOTO] Samir Toplak dobio otkaz, a u klub na čijem je čelu sin izbornika Zlatka Dalića dolazi iskusni prvoligaški trener?". tportal.hr. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  24. "Mindaugas Nikoličius i Valdas Dambrauskas odlaze iz HNK Gorice". hnk-gorica.hr (in Croatian). Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  25. "Siniša Oreščanin novi trener HNK Gorice!". hnk-gorica.hr (in Croatian). 3 January 2021. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  26. "Goran Tomić više nije trener NK Lokomotive". nklokomotiva.hr (in Croatian). 9 January 2021. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  27. "Jerko Leko novi je trener Lokomotive!". nklokomotiva.hr (in Croatian). 9 January 2021. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  28. "Paolo Tramezzani novi je trener Hajduka!". Hajduk.hr (in Croatian). 18 January 2021. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
  29. "Hvala Fausto Budicin" (in Croatian). NK Istra 1961. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
  30. "Dobrodošao Danijel Jumić!" (in Croatian). NK Istra 1961. Retrieved 28 February 2021.
  31. "Simon Rožman više nije trener Rijeke" (in Croatian). HNK Rijeka. Retrieved 28 February 2021.
  32. "Goran Tomić novi trener HNK Rijeka" (in Croatian). HNK Rijeka. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
  33. "Jerko Leko više nije trener Lokomotive". nklokomotiva.hr (in Croatian). 13 March 2021. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
  34. "Samir Toplak je novi trener Lokomotive!". nklokomotiva.hr (in Croatian). 14 March 2021. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
  35. "Priopćenje za medije" (in Croatian). GNK Dinamo Zagreb. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
  36. "Krunoslav Rendulić više nije trener prve momčadi!" (in Croatian). HNK Šibenik. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
  37. "Sergi Escobar novi je trener Šibenika" (in Croatian). HNK Šibenik. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
  38. "Propozicije natjecanja za prvenstvo Hrvatski Telekom Prve lige za natjecateljsku godinu 2020/2021" (PDF). hns-cff.hr (in Croatian). 12 August 2020. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 September 2020. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
  39. PrvaHNL.hr
  40. Wizard, Social. "Trofej nogometaš: Izabela Lojna najbolja igračica Prve HNLŽ | HNTV". www.hntv.hr (in Croatian). Retrieved 1 December 2022.
  41. Wizard, Social. "Trofej nogometaš: Izabela Lojna najbolja igračica Prve HNLŽ | HNTV". www.hntv.hr (in Croatian). Retrieved 1 December 2022.

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