Varazdin vs Slaven Belupo Prediction: Derby in the north of Croatia

Varazdin welcomes Slaven Belupo to their stadium this Sunday in another edition of the northern derby. The match of the 22nd round of the HNL will be played on Sunday starting at 5 p.m., and a real battle is expected between the two neighbors - not only geographically, but also in the championship standings. Varazdin currently occupies fifth place with 30 points won, while Slaven Belupo are sixth with five points less. This match could be crucial in the rest of the season because a victory for Varazdin brings additional separation and a calmer situation in the fight for the best possible position, while Slaven would further complicate the situation and reduce the gap with a possible win.

Varazdin

Form: LWDLW

Varazdin have achieved a win, a draw, and a loss in the rest of the season. In the last round, they suffered a minimal defeat at Poljud against Hajduk, although they played better than the hosts and showed that they are in good form. This unfortunate defeat can be an additional motivation for them to achieve a positive result in front of their fans and confirm their good play. However, before that, they drew against Gorica away and won against Rijeka in this stadium. Varazdin are playing very good football this season, and the scouting service led by coach and sports director Nikola Safaric has done a very good job so far. I think that the club's policy to bring in young and talented players who are not overly followed by the media, as well as experienced footballers who still have a lot to offer in their careers is excellent. Mateo Barac definitely belongs to the latter group, he is 30 years old and has a long list of clubs for which he has played. Now he will strengthen Varazdin in the fight for a better position in the table, and an experienced, fit defender is always welcomed and needed in many teams.

Slaven Belupo

Form: WDDWW

With a dramatic victory in injury time against Lokomotiva, Slaven Belupo's players continued their unbeaten streak in 2025 and 'confirmed' the points they won on away matches in Split and Sibenik. In their last 12 competitive matches, they have only lost once, and the three points they won have brought them closer to the middle of the table. A special detail of this match is the return of Mario Kovacevic to the Varazdin’s stadium, but this time on the away bench. Kovacevic was the coach of Varazdin last season and left a deep mark, so it will be unusual for many Varazdin fans to see him on the opposite side. His experience and knowledge of Varazdin’s team could be an additional asset for Slaven Belupo. 

Expert Betting Tips

We have a game with high stakes ahead of us - three points would mean a lot to both sides as the season continues. Varazdin wants to confirm their position at the top half of the table, while Slaven Belupo are looking for a chance to get even closer. Tradition, current form, and motivation on both sides guarantee an exciting 90 minutes of a true northern derby. Because of the importance of the match and bad weather conditions, I expect a tough match and not too many goals scored. For me, Varazdin are a slight favorite in this derby, but it will be a very close match and a possible victory with only one goal scored.

Our prediction for the match is both teams to score - No for the odds of 1.86 at 1xbet

Our second prediction is – a home win for odds of 2.1 at Betway.

Our third prediction is a correct score 1:0 for odds of 3.25 at Bet365.