HNK Hajduk Split will play their Croatian Cup round of 16 match this week away against NK Vardarac in a small village in Baranja. The tie will be held at the modern V Arena stadium, a facility whose construction cost over 7.3 million euros, as reported by Index.hr.
The club from a village of around 500 inhabitants has made a significant leap in the last two seasons, winning the Inter-County League and earning promotion to the Third NL East. Their new stadium, opened last year, meets UEFA B license criteria and has 500 seats. The roof of the structure weighs 58 tons and, due to unstable ground, is supported by pylons driven 18 meters into the earth.
Why is the V Arena stadium so significant?
The project was realized with co-financing from the Governments of Croatia and Hungary, aiming to strengthen the sports infrastructure of the Hungarian community in Croatia. The opening ceremony was attended by HNS president Marijan Kustić. Robert Jankovics, a parliamentary representative of the Hungarian national minority, emphasized that the facility was built for a wider community. "This was not built for the 500 inhabitants of Vardarac, this was built for the 12,000 members of the Hungarian community in Croatia," Jankovics said.
Beyond the main pitch and stands, V Arena features fully equipped dressing rooms, a VAR room, a doping control area, and a gym. Modern working spaces for journalists are also provided. Such a complex is exceptional for a club in the fourth tier of Croatian football.
How did Vardarac qualify for the cup?
Vardarac entered the fourth tier of Croatian football after winning the Inter-County League Osijek - Vinkovci. They celebrated the opening of their new stadium with a 3:1 win against Bedem, with the first goal in V Arena's history scored by Patrick Almeida Da Silva Ignacio. They now face one of the biggest challenges in the club's history. Hajduk's current squad lists 28 players, giving manager Ivan Leko a full roster for this match.
How is Hajduk approaching this match?
For the Split club, this will be one of the more unusual away fixtures of the season. The players will compete at a venue whose standards surpass those of many larger footballing environments. Hajduk is currently focused on two fronts this part of the season, and you can follow their detailed schedule of preparations and matches on our fixtures page. The club holds a high position in the Croatian First League, which you can check in the standings.
The first leg of the Croatian Cup round of 16 between Vardarac and Hajduk is scheduled for the middle of this week. The winner of this tie will advance to the competition's quarter-finals.
