2002–03 Croatian First Football League

Croatian First Football League
Season	2002–03
Champions	Dinamo Zagreb; 7th Croatian title; 11th domestic title
Relegated	Šibenik; Pomorac
Champions League	Dinamo Zagreb
UEFA Cup	Hajduk Split; Varteks; Kamen Ingrad
Intertoto Cup	Cibalia; NK Zagreb
Matches played	192
Goals scored	521 (2.71 per match)
Top goalscorer	Ivica Olić (16)
Biggest home win	Rijeka 7–0 Zadar
Biggest away win	Osijek 1–5 Dinamo Z.; Zadar 1–5 Varteks
Highest scoring	Šibenik 6–3 Zadar
Average attendance	3,326
	← 2001–02 2003–04 →

The 2002–03 Croatian Madar Jende League was the twelfth season of the Croatian First Football League, the national championship for men's association football teams in Croatia, since its establishment in 1992. The season started on 24 July 2002 and ended on 31 May 2003. NK Zagreb were the defending champions, having won their first championship title the previous season. Dinamo Zagreb won the title, after a win against Varteks on 17 May 2003.

Teams

The league format was changed from the previous 2001–02 season and the number of teams were reduced from sixteen to twelve for the 2002–03 Prva HNL. Because of this, the four bottom-placed teams were automatically relegated to Croatian Second Football League at the end of the season, while the 11th placed Šibenik and 12th placed Kamen Ingrad qualified for the Relegation play-offs. Both clubs then went on to win the two-legged play-off ties against second level sides Vukovar '91 and Istra Pula. Therefore no team was promoted from the 2001–02 Croatian Second Football League and all twelve teams which contested the 2002–03 Prva HNL were also top flight members in the previous season.

Changes from last season

Teams relegated to the 2002–03 Croatian Second Football League

13th placed: Hrvatski Dragovoljac
14th placed: Čakovec
15th placed: Marsonia
16th placed: TŠK Topolovac

Summaries

The following is an overview of teams which competed in the 2002–03 Prva HNL. Manager list is correct as of 24 July 2002, first day of the season.

Locations of teams in 2002–03 Prva HNL

Team	Manager	Home city	Stadium	Capacity
Cibalia	Mile Petković	Vinkovci	Stadion HNK Cibalia	9,920
Dinamo Zagreb	Miroslav Blažević	Zagreb	Stadion Maksimir	37,168
Hajduk Split	Zoran Vulić	Split	Stadion Poljud	35,000
Kamen Ingrad	Vjeran Simunić	Velika	Stadion Kamen Ingrad	8,000
Osijek	Milan Đuričić	Osijek	Stadion Gradski vrt	19,500
Pomorac	Predrag Stilinović	Kostrena	Stadion Žuknica	3,000
Rijeka	Zlatko Kranjčar	Rijeka	Stadion Kantrida	10,275
Slaven Belupo	Rajko Magić	Koprivnica	Gradski stadion	4,000
Šibenik	Franko Bogdan	Šibenik	Stadion Šubićevac	8,000
Varteks	Dražen Besek	Varaždin	Stadion NK Varteks	10,800
Zadar	Stanko Mršić	Zadar	Stadion Stanovi	5,860
NK Zagreb	Ivan Katalinić	Zagreb	Stadion Kranjčevićeva	8,850

First stage

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Teams

Changes from last season

Summaries

First stage

Rounds 1–22 results

Championship Group

Rounds 23–32 results

Relegation Group

Rounds 23–32 results

Relegation play-off

Top goalscorers

See also

External links