Rino Gattuso’s Hajduk Split has roared back to prominence in Croatian football with a memorable week capped by a crucial victory. The former Milan and Napoli coach faced a challenging period, including the resignation of sporting director Nikola Kalinic, but responded emphatically on the eve of the most anticipated match – the clash against arch-rivals Dinamo Zagreb.
Hajduk secured a 1-0 away victory, thanks to a goal from former Inter Milan player Marko Livaja, propelling them to the top of the Croatian league table. After six rounds, Gattuso’s team remains undefeated with an impressive record of four wins and two draws. This success comes despite initial skepticism and criticism following their elimination from the Conference League preliminaries and the unpopular decision to “cut” local hero Ivan Perisic.
Gattuso and his players have silenced their critics, and the 2006 World Cup winner decided to make a grand gesture after the final whistle. In addition to dedicating the victory to Nikola Kalinic, Gattuso surprised his players and staff by gifting each of them a brand new iPhone 16. This personal investment of approximately 40,000 euros serves not only as a reward but also as a means to further strengthen the bond within the group.
