Dinamo Zagreb vs Anderlecht 15.10.2026: Prediction, Betting Tips and Match Preview

Dinamo Zagreb and Anderlecht cross paths in the second round of the Europa League at Maksimir Stadium. The hosts opened their European campaign with a draw, while the visitors stumbled to defeat and are now desperate to make amends. Can the Croatian side lean on home support to seize the moment, or will the Belgians steady the ship?

Dinamo Zagreb: Home Fortress and an Attacking Boost

Dinamo arrive in this fixture nursing a painful 1:2 league defeat at Hajduk, a result that dropped them to third in the domestic table. Yet, writing off Mario Kovačević’s men as a side in crisis would be premature. In the derby, Zagreb actually struck first through Dion Beljo, and the striker came agonizingly close to a second in the closing stages, rattling the woodwork. The coach himself admitted after the match that his team must take better care of the ball, though conditions were far from ideal — a torrential downpour had left the pitch waterlogged and hampered any fluid combination play.

At home, however, Dinamo are a different beast. All five league matches at Maksimir have ended in victory, with a combined scoreline of 13:3. But their European qualifying ties at the same venue tell a slightly more cautious tale: both encounters against Thun and Viking ended level (2:2) after 90 minutes. Domestic dominance, it seems, does not automatically translate to continental success.

A significant boost comes in the form of Dion Beljo’s return. The forward missed the opening Europa League fixture against Hapoel Be’er Sheva (0:0) but has been in devastating form this season, racking up 12 goals and 6 assists in just 13 appearances across all competitions. Meanwhile, Luka Stojković’s fitness remains a question mark — after an ankle problem, he only featured from the 63rd minute against Hajduk, and his place in the starting XI is far from certain.

Anderlecht: Character, but Defensive Worries

Anderlecht’s Europa League campaign began with a home defeat to Lyon (1:2), but the Brussels outfit responded well in domestic action, beating Zulte Waregem 3:0 and then edging Cercle Brugge 2:1. That last victory was particularly telling: the visitors trailed until the 86th minute before Bertaccini struck the winner in stoppage time. Manager Vitor Bruno praised his team’s character and the impact of his substitutes, though he was candid that the overall performance left plenty to be desired.

The bigger headache for the visitors is the defensive crisis. Julien Biancon is still sidelined with a hamstring injury and has yet to rejoin full training. Andrew Omobamidele missed the last league outing with a muscle issue, and his availability remains uncertain. In their absence, 20-year-old Kais Barry was handed a debut against Cercle Brugge. Should Omobamidele fail to recover, Bruno faces a choice between Barry and the available Lucas Hey — a limited hand in a crucial area of the pitch.

Predicted Lineups

Dinamo Zagreb (4-3-3): Kotarski – Valinčić, Domingues, McKenna, Winlef – Seitz, Mišić, Kačavenda – Lisica, Beljo, Ivanušec

Unavailable: Tabinas, Topić, Moudražija, Nevistić (all not registered)

Manager: Mario Kovačević

Anderlecht (4-2-3-1): Coosemans – Maamar, Barry, Petro, Augustinsson – Kana, Llansana – Winkler, Ambrós, Sikan – Bentayeb

Unavailable: Biancon (injury), Kutsupias (not registered), Omobamidele, Sardella, Kamara (all doubtful)

Manager: Vitor Bruno

Referee: Orel Grinfeld (Israel)

The Israeli official brings a strict approach to officiating. This season, across all competitions, Grinfeld has averaged 5.57 yellow cards and 26.29 fouls per match. In his seven games, he has also issued one red card and pointed to the penalty spot twice.

Prediction and Bet

The main call here leans toward Dinamo Zagreb. The hosts have won six of their eight home matches in all competitions this season, drawing the other two. With Beljo back in the fold, their attacking threat is significantly sharper. Anderlecht, by contrast, are navigating defensive absences and have shown vulnerability on the road, losing two of their last five away fixtures. Backing a home victory at odds of 2.00 looks like the sensible play.

As for goals, recent form suggests entertainment. Five of Dinamo’s last six matches have featured at least three goals, and the same trend applied in three of Anderlecht’s previous official outings. With the hosts’ reinforced attack facing a depleted backline, over 2.5 goals at 1.83 offers strong value.