HNK Gorica

Hrvatski Nogometni Klub Gorica (English: Croatian Football Club Gorica), commonly referred to as HNK Gorica or simply Gorica, is a Croatian football club based in the town of Velika Gorica, located just south of the Croatian capital Zagreb. They play their home matches at the Gradski stadion Velika Gorica, which has a capacity of 5,200.[2] They won the 2010–11 Croatian Second Football League title and were initially promoted to Croatian First Football League, but their top license was revoked.[3] The club regard themselves as the spiritual continuation of the former Prva HNL members NK Radnik, who went bankrupt and were dissolved in 2009. However, legally HNK Gorica is a distinct and separate club, and is not entitled to claim the history of the old NK Radnik.[4]

This article is about the Croatian football club. For the Slovenian football club, see ND Gorica.

Gorica
Full nameHrvatski Nogometni Klub Gorica
Nickname(s)Goričani, Turopoljci
Short nameGOR
Founded16 July 2009 (as merger of NK Radnik and NK Polet Buševec)
GroundGradski stadion Velika Gorica
Capacity5,200[1]
ChairmanNenad Črnko
ManagerValdas Dambrauskas
LeaguePrva HNL
2019–20Prva HNL, 6th
WebsiteClub website

History

There is a long lasting tradition of football in Velika Gorica and region of Turopolje. First organized clubs were founded during the 1930s but the most prominent football club, NK Radnik, was created in 1945, just after the end of World War II.

Radnik enjoyed average success during Yugoslavia, and its most impressive results came with independence of Croatia. With a newly built stadium for 1987 Summer Universiade Radnik were champions of the first ever Croatian second division. In doing so they were promoted to the highest level Croatian league. Radnik competed there for two seasons, 1992–93 and 1993–94. After being relegated, Radnik started a downfall, obtaining mediocre results which resulted in them playing in the fourth tier of Croatian league football for four seasons (from 2002 till 2006).

During 2009 Radnik got into serious financial troubles and only solution for preserving Velika Gorica's top and most popular football team was a merger with one of financially stable local football clubs. A perfect partner was found in NK Polet from nearby village Buševec. NK Polet had a long lasting football tradition and was a competitive member of Treća HNL. In summer of 2009, merging between Radnik and Polet was agreed and HNK Gorica was formed.[5] As a primal mission club stated winning the league title and reaching Croatian Second Football League after many years of absence. The goal was reached during the first season, Gorica won the Treća HNL West and achieved promotion to the Druga HNL for the 2010–11 season.

Before 2010–11 season it was stated that club's ambitions are not high and that everybody would be satisfied with top half finish. But as the season progressed, Gorica proved to be the best club in the league, this culminating with securing the title two rounds before the end of the season. As 2. HNL champion, Gorica earned a place in Croatia's first division, which was later denied after getting their top level license revoked.[6]

Gorica won the 2017-18 Croatian Second Football League after which they were finally granted licence to play in the top tier after many years of being denied. Their league debut (as HNK Gorica) in the 2018–19 season was one of the most surprising and impressing parts of the league, becoming the best league-debutants in history by winning 59 points, as well as beating European contenders Hajduk Split and Osijek twice and the vice-champions Rijeka three times, although still finishing 5th, just 3 points away from reaching the Europa League qualifying rounds. Many foreign players out of contract were bought for free before the season, which turned out to be remarkable signings, most notably Łukasz Zwoliński, Kristijan Lovrić and Iyayi Atiemwen, who was ranked third in the 2018 Prva HNL Player of the year rankings and sold to Dinamo Zagreb over the 2019 transfer window for a record fee.[7]

Current squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK  CRO Kristijan Kahlina (Captain)
2 DF  NGA Musa Muhammed
3 DF  BIH Aleksandar Jovičić (3rd Captain)
4 DF  NED Matthew Steenvoorden
6 DF  GHA Nasiru Moro
7 MF  IRQ Jiloan Hamad
8 MF  NED Joey Suk
9 FW  SRB Ognjen Mudrinski (on loan from Jagiellonia Bialystok)
10 FW  CRO Matija Dvorneković (2rd Captain)
11 FW  CRO Dario Špikić
14 FW  CRO Josip Mitrović
17 DF  ALB Albi Doka
No. Pos. Nation Player
19 DF  CRO Marijan Čabraja
20 MF  CRO Hrvoje Babec
21 MF  LTU Paulius Golubickas
22 MF  CRO Gojko Gadže
23 MF  AUS Anthony Kalik
25 DF  CRO Krešimir Krizmanić
31 GK  CRO Ivan Banić
36 DF  CRO Juraj Spudić
44 MF  CRO Kristijan Lovrić
50 GK  CRO Leon Išek
77 MF  CRO Dario Čanađija
99 FW  SEN Cherif Ndiaye

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
18 FW  CRO Martin Šroler (at Inter Zaprešić )
No. Pos. Nation Player

Youth academy

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
— GK  CRO Patrik Crnolatec
37 DF  CRO David Kovačić
— DF  CRO Antonio Ćosić
No. Pos. Nation Player
— MF  CRO Ivan Brkić
— MF  CRO Marko Krznarić
29 FW  CRO Ivan Josip Zorica

Personnel
Position Staff
Manager Valdas Dambrauskas
Assistant coach Saša Sabljak
Goalkeeping coach Siniša Klafurić
Kicking specialist Filip Borak
Fitness coach Krešimir Šoš
Physiotherapist Domagoj Prnjak
Physiotherapist Roman Kokorić
Physiotherapist Ivan Bradić
Sport director Mindaugas Nikoličius
Tehnical director Darko Blažinčić
Head of academy Marko Radenić
Kit manager Franjo Kovačić

Honours
  • Druga HNL (2): 2010–11, 2017–18
  • Treća HNL – West (1): 2009–10

Recent seasons
Season League Cup Top goalscorer
Division P W D L F A Pts Pos Player Goals
2009–10 3. HNL 34 25 4 5 63 20 79 1st ↑ Igor Hajduk 20
2010–11 2. HNL 30 20 4 6 54 21 64 1st Boris Bajto 11
2011–12 2. HNL 28 10 10 8 27 24 40 7th Tomislav Pek 6
2012–13 2. HNL 30 10 10 10 40 35 40 10th R2 Domagoj Abramović 12
2013–14 2. HNL 33 13 6 14 32 33 45 7th R1 Ivan Antolek, Robert Peričić 5
2014–15 2. HNL 30 13 12 5 46 26 51 3rd Tomislav Kiš 12
2015–16 2. HNL 33 13 8 12 40 40 47 4th R1 Benjamin Tatar 7
2016–17 2. HNL 33 15 12 6 53 31 57 2nd PR Benjamin Tatar 13
2017–18 2. HNL 33 18 8 7 44 29 62 1st ↑ R2 Henrik Ojamaa, Victoraș Astafei 6
2018–19 1. HNL 36 17 8 11 57 46 59 5th Łukasz Zwoliński 14
2019–20 1. HNL 36 12 13 11 44 48 49 6th QF Kristijan Lovrić 14
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References
  1. "HNK Gorica - Club history". www.hnk-gorica.hr (in Croatian). Retrieved 12 May 2020.
  2. "HNK Gorica - Club history". www.hnk-gorica.hr (in Croatian). Retrieved 12 May 2020.
  3. "NK Gorica morao igrati MAXtv Prvu ligu!". Sportcom.hr. 30 March 2012.
  4. Paviša, Mato (28 December 2016). "HNK Gorica je na sceni a NK Radnik se ne zaboravlja". cityportal.hr.
  5. Škrlec, Silvijo (25 August 2018). "Tko stoji iza turopoljskog nogometnog čuda, koje je potopilo Hajduk usred Poljuda". tportal.hr. Retrieved 10 November 2018.
  6. Halar, Ivan (13 February 2017). "'Spremni smo za ulazak u Prvu HNL! Nemamo dugova, trenera plaćamo više od Intera i imamo bolje uvjete od prvoligaša'". Vecernji.hr.
  7. "Iyayi Atiemwen iz Gorice prešao u Dinamo". Hrvatska Radiotelevizia. 22 January 2019.
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