Dinamo Zagreb – FCSB: a knockout night to stay alive 
Thursday night Dinamo Zagreb and FCSB are fighting for their European lives. Both sit on the edge of the top 24 — Zagreb 25th, Bucharest 27th — and with the group this tight every point counts. Between 18th and 28th there’s only a three-point gap: this feels like a play-off before the real playoffs.
Dinamo Zagreb: bright start, then a nosedive 
At home Dinamo lead the Croatian league by a point and have one eye on Hajduk Split. Europe is still a target after a promising opening: seven points from Fenerbahçe, Maccabi Tel‑Aviv and Malmö… then nothing. Three straight defeats, ten goals conceded against Celta Vigo, Lille and Betis — the defence has blown apart and Zagreb now have one of the worst backlines in the group. To make matters worse they’re short on sharpness: their last competitive match was on 20 December and the only friendly since ended in defeat. With a tricky trip to Midtjylland to finish the group, this one looks like a must-win.
FCSB: chaotic season, but still alive in Europe 
FCSB have played just once since the break, a 1-0 loss to Argeș. Domestic form is a mess: ninth, 12 points off the top and a squad that never found its rhythm. Elias Charalambous is still in the dugout but the pressure is rising. Europe has been their oxygen — four games unbeaten and that crazy 4-3 win over Feyenoord in December which dragged them back into the hunt for the top 24. After Zagreb they host Fenerbahçe in Bucharest. Put bluntly: FCSB cannot afford to miss this.
Probable line-ups
Dinamo Zagreb :
Filipovic ; Galesic, Dominguez, McKenna, Perez Vinlof ; Ljubicic, Misic, Zajc ; Topic, Beljo, Hoxha
FCSB :
Târnovanu ; Crețu, Lixandru, Dawa, Pantea ; Chiricheș, Tănase ; Cisotti, Olaru, Toma ; Bîrligea
Key points
- Zagreb have lost three European games in a row.
- FCSB pulled off a crazy 4-3 win over Feyenoord to stay in the race.
- Both sides look short of match sharpness after the break.
- Dinamo haven’t played a competitive match in over a month.
- The winner will take a big step toward the top 24.
Match tip Dinamo Zagreb – FCSB
Over 1.5 goals in the match
These teams are evenly matched and recent form inspires little confidence. Dinamo will be slight favourites at home, but their lack of competitive action could bite. Expect a tight, scrappy game — probably a low-scoring draw.
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