| Season | 2020–21 |
|---|---|
| Dates | 14 August 2020 – 22 May 2021 |
| Champions | Dinamo Zagreb |
| Relegated | Varaždin |
| Champions League | Dinamo Zagreb |
| Europa Conference League | Osijek Rijeka Hajduk Split |
| Matches | 180 |
| Goals | 456 (2.53 per match) |
| Top goalscorer | Ramón Miérez (22) |
| Biggest home win | Dinamo Zagreb 6–0Lokomotiva |
| Biggest away win | Varaždin 0–5 Dinamo Zagreb |
| Highest scoring | Gorica 3–4 Dinamo Zagreb Gorica 3–4 Rijeka |
2021–22 → | |
The2020–21 Croatian First Football League (officiallyHrvatski Telekom Prva liga for sponsorship reasons) was the 30th season of theCroatian First Football League, the top national championship for men'sassociation football teams inCroatia, since its establishment in 1992. The season started on 14 August 2020 and finished on 22 May 2021.
The season began with games being playedbehind closed doors due to theCOVID-19 pandemic.[1]
On 20 May 2020, Croatian Football Federation announced that the first stage of licensing procedure for 2020–21 season was complete. For the 2020–21 Prva HNL, ten clubs were issued a top level license:Dinamo Zagreb,Gorica,Hajduk Split,Istra 1961,Lokomotiva,Osijek,Rijeka,Slaven Belupo,Šibenik andVaraždin. All of these clubs except Šibenik and Varaždin were also issued a license for participating inUEFA competitions.[2] In the second stage of licensing, clubs that were not licensed in the first stage could appeal on the decision. On 17 June 2020, Croatian Football Federation announced that the licensing procedure for 2020–21 season was complete.Inter Zaprešić andOrijent 1919 were also issued a top level license after appeal process.[3]
| Dinamo Zagreb | Gorica | Hajduk Split | Istra 1961 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stadion Maksimir | Gradski stadion Velika Gorica | Stadion Poljud | Stadion Aldo Drosina |
| Capacity: 35,123 | Capacity: 5,000 | Capacity: 34,198 | Capacity: 9,800 |
| Lokomotiva | Locations of teams in2020–21 Prva HNL | Osijek | |
| Stadion Kranjčevićeva | Stadion Gradski vrt | ||
| Capacity: 5,350 | Capacity: 17,061 | ||
| Rijeka | Slaven Belupo | Šibenik | Varaždin |
| Stadion Rujevica | Stadion Ivan Kušek-Apaš | Stadion Šubićevac | Stadion Varteks |
| Capacity: 8,279 | Capacity: 3,205 | Capacity: 3,412 | Capacity: 8,850 |
| Team | City | Stadium | Capacity | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dinamo Zagreb | Zagreb | Maksimir | 35,123 | [4] |
| Gorica | Velika Gorica | ŠRC Velika Gorica | 8,000 | [5] |
| Hajduk Split | Split | Poljud | 34,198 | [6] |
| Istra 1961 | Pula | Stadion Aldo Drosina | 9,800 | [7] |
| Lokomotiva | Zagreb | Kranjčevićeva1 | 5,350 | [8] |
| Osijek | Osijek | Gradski vrt | 17,061 | [9] |
| Rijeka | Rijeka | Rujevica | 8,279 | [10] |
| Slaven Belupo | Koprivnica | Stadion Ivan Kušek-Apaš | 3,205 | [11] |
| Šibenik | Šibenik | Šubićevac | 3,412 | [12] |
| Varaždin | Varaždin | Stadion Varteks | 8,850 | [13] |
| Club | Manager | Captain | Kit manufacturer | Sponsors |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dinamo Zagreb | Adidas | Lana grupa | ||
| Gorica | FCG | — | ||
| Hajduk Split | Macron | Tommy | ||
| Istra 1961 | Kelme | Croatia Osiguranje | ||
| Lokomotiva | Adidas | — | ||
| Osijek | 2Rule | DOBRO, Stadler | ||
| Rijeka | Joma | Sava Osiguranje | ||
| Slaven Belupo | Adidas | Belupo | ||
| Šibenik | Jako | Krka National Park | ||
| Varaždin | Legea | Radnik, Derma |
| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Replaced by | Date of appointment | Position in table |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Istra 1961 | Contract expired | 14 July 2020 | 16 July 2020 | Pre-season | ||
| Hajduk Split | Signed byJuventus | 21 August 2020 | 8 September 2020 | 3rd | ||
| Istra 1961 | Signing of Budicin | 26 August 2020 | 26 August 2020 | 10th | ||
| Osijek | Sacked | 4 September 2020 | 5 September 2020 | 8th | ||
| Hajduk Split | Sacked | 4 November 2020 | 4 November 2020 | 6th | ||
| Varaždin | Sacked | 7 December 2020 | 7 December 2020 | 9th | ||
| Gorica | Signed byLudogorets | 3 January 2021 | 3 January 2021 | 3rd | ||
| Lokomotiva | Resigned | 9 January 2021 | 9 January 2021 | 8th | ||
| Hajduk Split | Removed from position | 18 January 2021 | 18 January 2021 | 5th | ||
| Istra 1961 | Sacked | 11 February 2021 | 11 February 2021 | 10th | ||
| Rijeka | Resigned | 27 February 2021 | 1 March 2021 | 4th | ||
| Lokomotiva | Removed from position | 13 March 2021 | 14 March 2021 | 10th | ||
| Dinamo Zagreb | Resigned | 15 March 2021 | 15 March 2021 | 1st | ||
| Šibenik | Sacked | 23 March 2021 | 30 March 2021 | 6th |
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dinamo Zagreb(C) | 36 | 26 | 7 | 3 | 84 | 28 | +56 | 85 | Qualification for theChampions League first qualifying round |
| 2 | Osijek | 36 | 23 | 8 | 5 | 59 | 25 | +34 | 77 | Qualification for theEuropa Conference League second qualifying round |
| 3 | Rijeka | 36 | 18 | 7 | 11 | 51 | 46 | +5 | 61 | |
| 4 | Hajduk Split | 36 | 18 | 6 | 12 | 48 | 37 | +11 | 60 | |
| 5 | Gorica | 36 | 17 | 8 | 11 | 60 | 47 | +13 | 59 | |
| 6 | Šibenik | 36 | 9 | 8 | 19 | 32 | 47 | −15 | 35 | |
| 7 | Slaven Belupo | 36 | 7 | 13 | 16 | 36 | 53 | −17 | 34 | |
| 8 | Lokomotiva | 36 | 7 | 9 | 20 | 29 | 60 | −31 | 30 | |
| 9 | Istra 1961 | 36 | 7 | 8 | 21 | 27 | 52 | −25 | 29 | |
| 10 | Varaždin(R) | 36 | 6 | 10 | 20 | 30 | 61 | −31 | 28 | Relegation for theCroatian Second Football League |
Each team plays home-and-away against every other team in the league twice, for a total of 36 matches each played.
| Home \ Away | DIN | GOR | HAJ | IST | LOK | OSI | RIJ | SLA | ŠIB | VAR | DIN | GOR | HAJ | IST | LOK | OSI | RIJ | SLA | ŠIB | VAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dinamo Zagreb | — | 3–2 | 3–1 | 5–0 | 6–0 | 4–1 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 1–2 | 4–0 | — | 1–0 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 2–2 |
| Gorica | 3–4 | — | 2–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 3–2 | 1–0 | 0–3 | — | 1–1 | 2–1 | 4–2 | 1–0 | 3–4 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 |
| Hajduk Split | 1–2 | 2–4 | — | 2–0 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–0 | — | 1–0 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 3–2 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 2–0 |
| Istra 1961 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | — | 3–1 | 1–4 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 0–1 | — | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 3–2 | 0–1 |
| Lokomotiva | 1–1 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 0–0 | — | 0–3 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 0–3 | 0–2 | 0–1 | — | 0–2 | 2–3 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 4–0 |
| Osijek | 2–0 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 2–1 | — | 3–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 2–0 | — | 2–0 | 3–0 | 3–0 | 1–1 |
| Rijeka | 2–2 | 0–2 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 | — | 2–0 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–5 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 0–0 | — | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–0 |
| Slaven Belupo | 1–5 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 5–1 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–3 | — | 0–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 0–2 | — | 2–2 | 1–0 |
| Šibenik | 0–2 | 1–3 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 3–2 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 0–3 | — | 0–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 0–4 | 0–1 | 2–0 | — | 0–0 |
| Varaždin | 1–2 | 1–5 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 1–3 | — | 0–5 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | — |
| Rank | Player | Club | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Osijek | 22 | |
| 2 | Dinamo Zagreb | 17 | |
| 3 | Dinamo Zagreb | 16 | |
| 4 | Gorica | 15 | |
| 5 | Rijeka | 13 | |
| 6 | Šibenik | 11 | |
| 7 | Hajduk Split | 9 | |
| Gorica | |||
| Dinamo Zagreb | |||
| 10 | Slaven Belupo | 8 | |
| Rijeka |
| Award[40] | Club | Winner |
|---|---|---|
| Player of the Season | Dinamo Zagreb | |
| Manager of the Season | Dinamo Zagreb | |
| Young Player of the Season | Dinamo Zagreb |
| Team of the Year[40] | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goalkeeper | ||||
| Defence | ||||
| Midfield |
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| Attack |
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