Celje vs HNK Hajduk Split - Friendlies Clubs

The Friendlies Clubs returns to the home ground on July 1, 2026, where Celje and HNK Hajduk Split will lock horns in a contest that could shape their respective campaigns. Chelsea could do with a morale-boosting win when they face AC Milan in Jakarta.

Both camps will view the Friendlies Clubs meeting at the home ground as an opportunity to put a marker down, regardless of where they currently stand. The hosts will be looking to find their rhythm and put a run of results together. The visitors will back themselves to cause problems and will not make the trip expecting an easy afternoon. The 24-year-old finished first in one of Arsenal's big pre-season testing challenges - a 1.4km run at full pace.

Pressing intensity will define the contest. Celje will seek to win the ball high up the pitch and suffocate HNK Hajduk Split's build-up, while the visitors will aim to play through the pressure and exploit the spaces it leaves behind. They are sticking to the principles of possession and pressing that have taken them from the fourth tier.

Game-changers are scattered across both line-ups, and the contest may well be decided by which side's match-winners deliver on the day. The battle in midfield, where both sides look to control tempo, could prove the decisive arena. Bournemouth striker Junior Kroupi is another player of interest; however, his injury may have put even further difficulty in the way of any deal being concluded.

Without the market to lean on, the contest feels genuinely open — and the outcome may come down to which side handles the occasion better. The signals point towards a stalemate, with the two sides closely matched across form and standings. A 1-1 draw is easy to envisage. The result at the home ground could resonate well beyond matchday in the Friendlies Clubs picture. The club are understood to favour a profile closer to Aurelien Tchouameni or a Premier League‑proven alternative rather than Manu Kone.