Dinamo Zagreb vs FC Thun Preview: Home Advantage Could Prove Decisive

Dinamo Zagreb vs FC Thun: Preview, Lineups and Stars to Watch

Dinamo Zagreb host FC Thun at Stadion Maksimir on Tuesday for the second leg of their UEFA Champions League second qualifying round tie, with the aggregate score level at 1-1 following a dramatic first leg in Switzerland. Whoever wins on the night advances toward the next stage of continental qualification, while the loser drops down into the Europa League qualifying path.

The Situation

The first leg at Stockhorn Arena looked to be slipping away from Dinamo Zagreb after Thun’s Brighton Labeau put the Swiss champions ahead in the 20th minute. It took an 86th-minute equalizer from Miha Zajc to rescue a 1-1 draw and extend Dinamo’s remarkable unbeaten run — now stretching beyond 20 matches across all competitions. The Croatian champions reclaimed their domestic title last season, finishing well clear of Hajduk Split, and arrive at this second leg full of confidence built on a productive preseason that included 16 goals in four wins, among them a 9-0 demolition of Brinje-Grosuplje.

FC Thun’s story this season has been one of the most remarkable in Swiss football. Rescued from the brink of financial extinction by Chinese multi-club investor Chien Lee and board member Beat Fahrni only a few years ago, the club won promotion to the Super League via the Challenge League in 2024-25 before stunning the division by winning the Super League title outright in their first season back, finishing five points clear of St Gallen. Mauro Lustrinelli, who guided them to that title, has since resigned, with Gian-Luca Privitelli now in charge for this step up into Champions League qualification — the furthest Thun have gone in European competition in the club’s history.

Expected Lineups

Dinamo are expected to set up in their customary 4-2-3-1, with Ivan Filipović in goal behind a back line of Goda, McKenna, Domínguez and Valinčić. Miha Zajc, the first-leg hero, is expected to retain his place alongside Mišić in central midfield, with Oršić, Vidović and Lisica supporting Beljo up front.

Thun are likely to set up in a 4-4-2, with Steffen in goal behind Hoyle, Bürki, Bamert and Fer. Mayer, Matoshi, Roth and Reichmuth look set to make up the midfield four, with Labo and Dursun leading the line. Thun’s recent form is a genuine concern heading into this leg — they’ve gone winless in five matches immediately prior to this tie, conceding 14 goals across that stretch, though they did open their new domestic league season with an encouraging win over Luzern.

Head-to-Head

There’s no historical head-to-head to speak of beyond this season’s tie itself — this is the first-ever competitive meeting between the two clubs. The only previous data point is the first leg itself: a 1-1 draw in which both teams scored once, leaving the numbers dead level heading into Tuesday’s return fixture at Maksimir.

Stars to Watch

Miha Zajc’s late leveler in the first leg makes him the obvious player to watch again, given his proven ability to produce a moment of quality when Dinamo need it most. Zagreb’s front line, led by Bruno Petković or whichever striker partners Beljo, will also be under pressure to turn territorial dominance into the kind of clear-cut chances the first leg lacked for large stretches.

For Thun, Brighton Labeau’s first-leg goal underlined his threat in behind Dinamo’s defense, and replicating that kind of direct running against a Croatian side more comfortable controlling possession could be Thun’s clearest route to an upset on the road.

The Bottom Line

With the tie still level and both sides showing near-identical underlying numbers through the first 90 minutes, this genuinely looks like a coin-flip contest that will be decided by home advantage as much as anything else. Dinamo’s experience at this stage of European competition and their raucous home support at Maksimir make them the marginal favorites, but Thun’s fairytale season has already defied expectations once this year — there’s little reason to assume they can’t do it again.

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