Zira vs Hajduk Split: Europa Conference League Prediction (23.07.2025)

On Wednesday, July 23 at 22:30 WIB, local side Zira will host Hajduk Split at the Bakcell Arena in Baku in the first leg of their UEFA Conference League 2025–2026 qualifying tie. The Azerbaijani club enters this stage of the competition as the silver medalist of their domestic league. The Croatian side finished third in the 2024–2025 national championship.

In the first leg of Zira vs Hajduk Split, bookmakers see the visitors as favorites. Odds for a win by the “Eagles” are 3.80, a draw is at 3.45, and a Hajduk victory is priced at 1.95. Experts do not expect a high-scoring match: the over 2.5 goals total is valued at 2.22, and both teams to score is at 2.03.

Zira

Under Rashad Sadygov’s leadership, the team currently faces little domestic competition for second place in Azerbaijan. The “Eagles” finished 16 points ahead of third-place Araz but also trailed champions Qarabag by 15 points — illustrating the league’s competitive imbalance. This lack of pressure among the top teams doesn’t encourage much growth.

One standout in Zira’s squad is 21-year-old Guinean forward Salifou Soumah, who scored several goals in the recent Azerbaijan league season. Another key player is 27-year-old midfielder Ismayil Ibrahimli, an integral part of Zira’s build-up play and also a capped member of the national team.

Hajduk Split

In the recently concluded Croatian championship, Hajduk battled for the title against Rijeka and Dinamo Zagreb, eventually finishing just two points behind both rivals. In June, the club parted ways with head coach Gennaro Gattuso, who left to manage the Italian national team. He was replaced in Split by 41-year-old Spanish manager Gonzalo Garcia.

Also in early July, UEFA imposed a €300,000 fine on the club for breaching Financial Fair Play regulations. As a result, Hajduk were forced to sell promising central defender Dominik Prpić to Porto — a key figure in their defensive line.

Stats and Head-to-Head Record

This will be the first-ever meeting between the two sides, taking place in the capital of Azerbaijan.

Prediction

Despite the challenges Hajduk Split has faced this summer, they remain part of Croatia’s elite top three. Zira, on the other hand, is a far more modest side, making it hard to believe they can get a result even at home. The prediction is a Hajduk win at odds of 1.95.