- Varazdin have won four of their last five matches, while Slaven Belupo have lost three consecutive games across all competitions.
- Slaven have won one and lost one of their two home games, so Gradski isn't an impenetrable fortress.
- Varazdin have won two of their last three visits to Slaven, with one loss, in a run of three head-to-head games that have produced no draws.
Varazdin are the value at 2.69
NK Slaven Belupo vs NK Varazdin preview suggests a tight contest, with NK Slaven Belupo are slight favorites at Gradski Stadium against NK Varazdin, but the odds are close enough (Slaven are 2.46) to suggest this will be a close matchup. The hosts are 10th in HNL 2026/2027 with no points from one game while the visitors are 4th with three points from their only game to date, so this is a chess match of compact shapes and transitional punches.
Mario Gregurina has been in charge of Slaven since 1 July 2025 and his side have played a 'structure first' style of soccer where compact blocks are designed to be broken by the team's pace on the counter-attack. In their two 2-0 away defeats to Osijek (HNL 2025/2026) and Dinamo Zagreb (HNL 2026/2027), Slaven have failed to get off the mark and can't be feeling great right now.
Nikola Safaric has led Varazdin since 8 December 2023 and his system has brought a level of continuity to the club that has given them a platform to perform in. The team press high and try to break out quickly, but the 4-2-3-1 is similar to Slaven's with a little more gear in the press and slightly quicker passes to convert recoveries into chances. Varazdin will be flying high after winning four of their last five games, although they lost 2-0 away to Jablonec in UEFA Conference League qualifying last time out. Their response was a 2-1 home win over Hajduk Split in HNL 2026/2027 and they won't arrive at Slaven in a nervous mood.
Luka Mamic can lead Varazdin to victory
Slaven have won just one and lost four of their last five so the visitors should arrive at the stadium in a positive frame of mind. The hosts have lost their last two away games, but won and lost their previous two at home. Varazdin have one win and one loss in their previous two on the road, so I don't expect either side to be rattled on Sunday afternoon.
Varazdin have won two of their last three visits to the Koprijnica area and also beat Slaven 2-1 at home in the last HNL 2025/2026 campaign, so they are in a nasty habit for the home side. The most likely result will be a Varazdin win by a one-goal margin or a tight draw, but the bookies have the game in the right direction and the draw is only 3.32. Both Teams To Score is 1.64, which is a little too short, but Under 2.5 is 1.92 and that is too short as well. For my NK Slaven Belupo vs NK Varazdin betting tips, I'm going for a Varazdin victory as it is the best play on the board, but this game could go to the wire.
Filip Kruselj has brought the pace to the front for Slaven, scoring two of their three goals in the past five games, while Luka Mamic will be the biggest threat for Varazdin as he leads their HNL 2026/2027 scoring charts with one goal in one game. The visitor's set-piece threat is led by Aleksa Latkovic, who has contributed one assist in one league game, which is enough to make him their top provider in HNL 2026/2027. NK Slaven Belupo vs NK Varazdin prediction points to a narrow away win, while NK Slaven Belupo vs NK Varazdin prediction also fits the likelihood of a close, low-scoring match. NK Slaven Belupo vs NK Varazdin prediction
