GNK Dinamo and former first-team manager Mario Kovačević have mutually terminated their contract, the Zagreb club announced on Sunday. Kovačević is no longer Dinamo’s manager, with the decision coming a day after a 1-0 defeat to Rudeš in Velika Gorica.
The only goal of the 12th-round match was scored by former Dinamo player Junior Fernandes in the 30th minute. Dinamo had two goals by Dion Dren Belje disallowed in the closing stages. Following the loss, the Blues sit second with 22 points, four behind leaders Hajduk.
The team will be temporarily led by Dinamo B manager Jerko Leko for the next two matches. Leko will guide Dinamo against Sunderland and Varaždin. On Thursday at 21:00, Dinamo host Sunderland in the Europa League.
The club thanked Kovačević for his great professionalism, dedicated work and exceptional humanity. Special thanks were given for winning the double, which brought the Croatian league title and Croatian Cup trophy back to Maksimir.
As a player, Leko wore the Dinamo shirt on two occasions, from 1999 to 2002 and from 2011 to 2014. With the Blues, he won three league titles and three Cups. He also played for Dynamo Kyiv and Monaco. He earned 59 caps and scored two goals for Croatia, featuring at Euro 2004, the 2006 World Cup and Euro 2008.
Leko began his managerial career at Lokomotiva’s youth academy, which he briefly managed in the HNL in 2021. Last season, he managed Dinamo’s juniors. At the time of the announcement, Leko was with Dinamo B for a Prva NL match against Croatia in Zmijavci, which had started at noon.
