In the upcoming 24th round of the SuperSport HNL, football clubs Slaven Belupo and Istra 1961 will meet at the Ivan Kušek Apaš stadium in Koprivnica. Scheduled to kick off at 18:00, this match opens the round of the Croatian first league. Slaven's coach, Mario Gregurina, stressed the importance of the fixture, highlighting that both teams are well-acquainted with each other, and emphasized the need for his team to focus on their performance with the support of their fans.

Istra's coach, Oriol Riera, has also commented on the anticipated intensity of the match, praising Slaven's current form while underlining the necessity for his team to display confidence and quality, especially when in possession of the ball. Currently, Istra has not secured a victory in recent matches, making this upcoming encounter critical for them to keep pace with clubs vying for top positions in the league.

On the other hand, Slaven Belupo enjoys a slight edge over their Pula rivals with a one-point advantage. Their goal for this match is clear: to gather more points as they aim to enter the race for positions leading to European competitions. The significance of this match extends beyond just points, as it may influence the standings in the Supersport HNL considerably, shaping the outlook for prospects in both clubs' seasons.