- 1 Viking vs Dinamo Zagreb: a 2-2 draw in Maksimir has blown the tie wide open
- 2 Viking: a league title and a chance they may never get again
- 3 Dinamo Zagreb: unbeaten this season, but no goalkeeper
- 4 Champions League prediction Viking vs Dinamo Zagreb
- 5 First, a word on our free predictions
- 6 No commitment from us
- 7 Information changes
- 8 Your responsibility
- 9 Responsible gambling first
- 10 Legal age
- 11 About the images…
Viking vs Dinamo Zagreb: a 2-2 draw in Maksimir has blown the tie wide open 
Viking came away from Stadion Maksimir with a 2-2 draw on August 18. That leaves the Stavanger club with a Champions League play-off second leg on Wednesday August 26 at 21:00, at Lyse Arena.
The first leg could hardly have started worse for the Norwegians. Dion Drena Beljo struck in the 6th minute, and Mateo Lisica doubled the lead on 10 minutes.
Viking hit back through Peter Christiansen on 26 minutes and captain Zlatko Tripic on 39. Those two goals in Croatia have completely changed the shape of this tie.
The history books show just how big this is for the home side. Viking are in their first Champions League campaign since 1992, when they were knocked out by Barcelona in round one.
Viking’s European record is thin stuff: seven two-legged ties, seven exits. Their only group-stage appearance came in the 2005-06 UEFA Cup.
Dinamo Zagreb, by contrast, are chasing a 10th appearance in the competition’s group or league phase. The Croatian side have won every Champions League play-off they have played against Norwegian opposition, beating Rosenborg in 2019-20 and Bodo/Glimt in 2022-23.
One key detail changes the picture this time: both of those wins were built on home victories. The 2-2 in Maksimir means Dinamo no longer have that safety net.
This format leaves no room for second-guessing. The winners go into the Champions League league phase, while the losers drop straight into the Europa League.
The league phase draw takes place on Thursday August 27, just 24 hours after this second leg. Both clubs will know their European schedule for the autumn very quickly.
Viking: a league title and a chance they may never get again 
They waited 34 years for this. By ending Bodo/Glimt’s grip on the Eliteserien, Viking finally got their hands on the Norwegian title. It was earned the hard way too, via a stunning run-in: seven straight wins to finish the job and lock up their European place.
Viking’s form is still strong despite a recent setback. The Norwegians lost 2-1 at Rosenborg, only their third defeat in 17 league games.
That leaves them one point behind leaders Bodo/Glimt, with the 2026 season running alongside their European campaign. The match rhythm should suit them as they head into this return leg.
The back line has been weakened by the absence of Anders Baertelsen, who suffered a broken foot in training early in the month. Jesper Daland, on loan from Cardiff City, now slots into the centre of defence.
Veton Berisha is also a doubt, which trims the attacking options available to joint bosses Bjarte Lunde Aarsheim and Morten Jensen. That leaves most of the pressure on Zlatko Tripic.
The captain has reached double figures for both goals and assists in each of the last three seasons. His goal in Zagreb and his decisive penalty against Sarpsborg are proof that he turns up when the heat is on.
Morten Jensen summed it up after the first leg, saying his side had not lost and had gained experience. Tripic, meanwhile, has called this a historic chance in front of their own fans.
Lyse Arena is now Viking’s biggest weapon. The Stavanger club are playing a Champions League knockout tie at home for the first time, a first in their modern history.
The Norwegian calendar also works in their favour. Viking are deep into their season, while Dinamo are only just coming out of summer prep.
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Dinamo Zagreb: unbeaten this season, but no goalkeeper 
Dinamo Zagreb head into this return leg unbeaten in 2026-27. The Croatian club have seen off Slaven and then crushed Rudes 4-0, with Dion Drena Beljo scoring twice.
Their European run has been a bit more complicated than it looks on paper. After a 7-1 aggregate win over Kauno Zalgiris, they had to overturn a 3-1 deficit against Thun in the previous round, with Moris Valincic scoring in the 112th minute.
That taste for tight finishes could help in Stavanger. Dinamo have also won 21 of their last 24 Champions League qualifying ties.
One concrete problem is hanging over Mario Kovacevic’s preparations. Goalkeeper Ivan Filipovic is suspended after his red card in Lithuania, which hands the spot to Ivan Nevistic.
Up front, Beljo is in good touch: five goals in all competitions since the start of the season. Luka Kacavenda has scored in each of his last three appearances, giving Dinamo two clear attacking threats.
Aleks Stojakovic remains out with a foot injury. Matteo Perez Vinlof and Luka Stojkovic returned to the squad against Rudes and should be fully fit.
Kovacevic admitted his frustration after the first leg, saying his side had controlled the game, hit the bar and wasted too many chances. The message before the trip is simple: repeat that level, then finish the job this time.
The one stat Dinamo can hang onto is their unbeaten record at home against Norwegian clubs. That counts for very little now after the draw in Maksimir.
Dinamo must now win, or score enough in Norway, something they did not have to do in their previous two qualifying wins against teams from the country. This is a different test for Mario Kovacevic.
Probable Viking line-up: Not available at the time of publication.
Probable Dinamo Zagreb line-up: Not available at the time of publication.
Champions League prediction Viking vs Dinamo Zagreb
Our pick: Both teams to score
The four goals in the first leg were no accident. Dinamo hit Viking twice inside 10 minutes and also rattled the bar, while Viking hit back twice in 30.
Everything about this tie points towards an open game. A level score forces the Croatians to score if they want to avoid extra time, and Viking can’t afford to sit deep with Tripic leading the attack.
Filipovic’s suspension and Baertelsen’s absence weaken both back lines at the same time. Both teams to score is the bet that fits this tie best.
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