Dinamo Zagreb manager Zoran Mamic has warned Arsenal they will not have an easy ride in their Champions League Group F opener at the Maksimir Stadium on Wednesday night.
The Croatian club last season became the first team to go unbeaten through a Prva Liga campaign, and have now gone undefeated in 41 matches following Friday night’s impressive 4-0 derby victory at Lokomotiva Zagreb,
But Dinamo — back in Europe’s elite club contest for the first time since 2012 — have never previously qualified for the knockout stages, and have endured a 15-game winless run in the competition proper.
Arsenal, meanwhile, enter an 18th successive Champions League campaign on the back of improving domestic form after Saturday’s 2-0 win against Stoke.
“Arsenal are a top-quality team — better than us — but our aim is not to sit back and defend,” Mamic said at his pregame news conference.
“We will try to pose them problems. We have been playing a style of game for the whole season, so to change just for one match is not good, so it will be our desire to play the same way tomorrow. I expect a full stadium and great atmosphere.”
Captain Domagoj Antolic is also determined the team will produce the required performance.
“We have got to play a team which for 15 years has been in the top of European football, but that does not mean we will give up,” he said. “We will strive, struggle and hope for a positive result.”
Mamic fully accepts the challenge faced by Dinamo, who have been defeated in each of their last three European games against English opposition and were beaten 5-1 on aggregate by Arsenal in the 2006-07 third qualifying round, losing 3-0 at home.
He added: “In the run-up to the match, I told the players we would have two video analysis sessions: one on Arsenal’s strengths, which would be an hour long, and one on their weaknesses. I told them we probably wouldn’t have anything to show in that meeting.”
