- Vukovar 1991 have failed to win any of their last 5 matches (D3, L2)
- NK Varazdin have won 3 of their last 5 games in all competitions (D1, L1).
- NK Varazdin have won 2, drawn 2 and lost 4 of their 8 away games in HNL 2025/2026 (1.00 goals scored and 1.38 goals conceded per game).
Varazdin value bet to extend winning run against promoted Vukovar
4th-placed NK Varazdin (23 points) are slight favorites to beat 10th-placed Vukovar 1991 (12 points) in a HNL 2025-2026 matchup on Friday with the bookmakers offering 2.27 odds for the visitors and 3.02 for the hosts.
Varazdin have the form and head-to-head edge to win the contest and continue their winning streak, but the Vukovar 1991 vs NK Varazdin prediction still expects a cagey game between two teams that play contrasting styles.
Nikola Safaric has done a brilliant job with Varazdin since taking over in December 2023, moulding a team with a real identity around patient, possession-based football. His side's build-up play features structured triangles, with full-backs that overlap to create numerical superiority in wide areas and like to break opponents down with intelligent, progressive play.
Hosts are pragmatic and compact
Silvijo Cabraja has changed Vukovar 1991 since his appointment in September 2025. He has made them into a pragmatic and disciplined unit that sets up in a mid-to-low block when out of possession and looks to transition vertically when they win the ball. They often look for set-piece opportunities and will not offer much to the game if they cannot get these chances. Cabraja has had time to make the players his own, but the Vukovar 1991 vs NK Varazdin preview suggests they are yet to reach a level that should allow them to secure an important result in this matchup.
Varazdin have won their last two games in all competitions, following a 1-1 away draw at Hajduk Split, a penalty shootout win over Osijek in the Croatia Cup after a 1-1 draw and a 4-2 win at home to Lokomotiva Zagreb, while Vukovar come into this matchup on the back of a 4-1 away defeat at Slaven, a 2-2 home draw with Osijek and a 3-1 loss away to Rijeka.
Varazdin’s attacking threat
Aleksa Latkovic is NK Varazdin’s main man up front and has hit four goals in his 16 appearances in HNL 2025/2026, while Robin Gonzalez is his counterpart for Vukovar 1991 with six in 16. The latter has scored two of his side’s last five.
The stats don’t suggest this game will be a high-scoring match, with Vukovar averaging 1.38 goals at home and Varazdin 1.00 away, so under 2.5 goals at 1.71 looks a strong play here. Additionally, our Vukovar 1991 vs NK Varazdin prediction is for a closely contested battle.
However, our main bet is to take Varazdin to edge a close contest given their slightly better league position, form and recent head-to-head record. This Vukovar 1991 vs NK Varazdin betting tips section favors Varazdin, as Vukovar are a newly-promoted side that are still adapting to Cabraja’s methods while Varazdin will want to keep the momentum going and hold onto their top-four position.
