- Hajduk Split have won 4, drawn 2 and lost 2 of their 8 away HNL 2025/2026 fixtures.
- NK Lokomotiva Zagreb have won 3, drawn 3 and lost 2 of their 8 home HNL 2025/2026 fixtures, scoring 9 goals.
- Hajduk Split have not won in their last 3 away HNL 2025/2026 games (2 draws and a defeat).
Split rivals set for fresh test of new coaches’ credentials
Hajduk Split are currently second in HNL 2025-2026 with 31 points from 16 games while Lokomotiva Zagreb are seventh with 19 points from the same number of matches. Two months ago, Split beat Zagreb 2-0 at home in the reverse HNL fixture, but a trip to the capital is a different test. This NK Lokomotiva Zagreb vs HNK Hajduk Split preview suggests a tightly contested battle, considering the shift in venue and form.
Since taking over in July 2025, Hajduk’s coach Gonzalo Garcia has implemented a structured, possession-based system that allows for variations on a box midfield. Hajduk have usually played a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 and can build from the back in a controlled manner.
Lokomotiva’s coach Nikica Jelavic has brought a very different approach to the club since he took over in July. The Blue-Whites will press, play vertically and try to overload the wide areas of the pitch with numbers, taking advantage of the energy and enthusiasm of a youthful squad.
This clash of different styles should be an interesting chess match with Hajduk trying to dominate possession and Lokomotiva looking to disrupt their play by forcing turnovers in the middle third. Our NK Lokomotiva Zagreb vs HNK Hajduk Split prediction is that Hajduk are the narrow favorites at 1.97 with Lokomotiva 3.7 and the draw 3.38, but there are good reasons to think that the hosts can hold their own in this fixture.
Lokomotiva’s home form can hold up
Hajduk have won one, drawn three and lost one of their last five HNL games, suffering a 5-0 road defeat at Rijeka three games ago before back-to-back draws.
Lokomotiva are winless in their last five HNL matches, having drawn three and lost two, but their two home games in that sequence have been draws. They may not be able to win a lot of home games at the moment, but they’re not getting beaten either.
Lokomotiva have failed to convert their home advantage into wins in their two most recent home fixtures, so the draw looks the obvious play in the match result odds. But with both clubs being draw specialists of late, there’s some value to be found in under 2.5 goals at 1.72. The NK Lokomotiva Zagreb vs HNK Hajduk Split betting tips point toward a low-scoring encounter, keeping in mind their recent form and results.
Michele Sego looks like the difference for Hajduk
In the absence of a true out-and-out striker, Michele Sego has been Hajduk’s main source of goals this season with eight HNL strikes in 15 appearances and three of their last four. He can be a handful and it is worth taking a wager on Sego to score any time on Saturday.
Aleks Stojakovic has been Lokomotiva’s best attacking threat this season with five goals in 16 HNL appearances, but Marko Pajac has chipped in with two goals from midfield in their last five. If Lokomotiva are to get a goal on Saturday, he looks the more likely man to do so.
Back-to-back draws have to make Hajduk favourites uneasy for this trip to the Croatian capital, although the two sides have won once and drawn once each in the last three HNL meetings. This NK Lokomotiva Zagreb vs HNK Hajduk Split prediction is further complicated by the fact that Split haven’t won at Lokomotiva in their last two away visits, so they can’t be confident of picking up all three points. Overall, the NK Lokomotiva Zagreb vs HNK Hajduk Split prediction leans towards a closely fought draw rather than an outright victory for either side.
