The 2011–12 season was the 80th season in NK Varaždin (1931–2015) history and their twenty-first in the Prva HNL. Their 11th-place finish in the 2010–11 season means it was their 21st successive season playing in the Prva HNL.

This was a season of highs and lows for the club. A year earlier, in mid-2010, the club had lost its sponsor of 52 years, the Varteks clothing factory, and had changed its name from NK Varteks to NK Varaždin. The loss of their main sponsor severely impacted the club's finances. Offsetting this was their success in the first two Qualifying Rounds of the 2011–12 UEFA Europa League, being knocked out by one goal, on aggregate, in the Third Qualifying Round, played in August 2011. However, as the Prva HNL season progressed, their continued financial difficulties, including missing salary payments to its players, led to it being suspended by the Croatian Football Federation, in spring 2012, for their 23rd and 24th matches. This triggered a Federation rule that led to Varaždin being suspended from the Prva HNL for the remaining matches of the 2011–12 season. Under the rules, the club was immediately relegated to the lowest football level possible of the Croatian football league system, being the seventh-tier Third League of Varaždin County, for the 2012–13 season.

While the club was reinstated to the 3. HNL for the 2103–14 season, its continued financial woes saw the then 74-year-old organisation declare bankruptcy, and cease to exist, at the end of the 2014–15 season.

First-team squad

Competitions

Overall CompetitionStarted roundFinal resultFirst matchLast Match2011–12 Prva HNL–16th24 July 31 March2011–12 Croatian CupFirst roundSecond round 20 September 25 October2011–12 UEFA Europa LeagueQR1QR3 30 June 4 August

Prva HNL

Classification

Results summary

Results by round

Matches

Pre-season MatchDateVenueOpponentScoreAttendanceVaraždin ScorersReport117 JunAStrmec Bedenica3–1 Hojski (2), Vuk Sportnet.hr218 JunHZorya Luhansk 2–2 Vugrinec, Šafarić Sportnet.hr322 JunALučko3–0300 Šafarić, Brlečić, F. ŠkvorcSportnet.hr425 JunHKarlovac4–1 Vugrinec (2), Glavica, F. ŠkvorcSportnet.hr53 JulHŚląsk Wrocław 0–1 Sportnet.hr617 JulHMiddlesbrough 2–32,000 Vugrinec, TrojakSportnet.hr

Prva HNL

RoundDateVenueOpponentScoreAttendanceVaraždin ScorersReport1 24 JulHLokomotiva 0–2975 Sportnet.hr2 31 JulAŠibenik 0–12,000 Sportnet.hr3 7 AugHZadar 1–2517 Vugrinec Sportnet.hr4 13 AugARijeka 0–23,000 Sportnet.hr5 20 AugHIstra 1961 2–2514 Golubar, Do. Glavina Sportnet.hr6 26 AugANK Zagreb 0–1500 Sportnet.hr7 10 SepHRNK Split 1–21,000 Tokić Sportnet.hr8 17 SepADinamo Zagreb 0–75,500 Sportnet.hr9 24 SepHCibalia 0–1486 Sportnet.hr10 1 OctASlaven Belupo 0–11257 Sportnet.hr11 15 OctHKarlovac 0–1312 Sportnet.hr12 22 OctAOsijek 2–2500 Golubar, Antolek Sportnet.hr13 29 OctHLučko 0–2500 Sportnet.hr14 5 NovAHajduk Split 0–35,000 Sportnet.hr15 19 NovHInter Zaprešić 3–2300 Tokić, Golubar, Do. Glavina Sportnet.hr16 25 NovALokomotiva 0–1110 Sportnet.hr17 3 DecHŠibenik 2–1500 Vugrinec, Sačer Sportnet.hr19 24 FebHRijeka 0 – 3*– Sportnet.hr20 3 MarAIstra 1961 1–21,200 Do. Glavina Sportnet.hr21 10 MarHNK Zagreb 2–3500 Do. Glavina, Brlenić Sportnet.hr22 17 MarARNK Split 2–2400 Do. Glavina, Antolek Sportnet.hr18 21 MarAZadar 0–21,000 Sportnet.hr23 24 MarHDinamo Zagreb 0–42,500 Sportnet.hr24 31 MarACibalia 0 – 3*– 25 7 AprHSlaven Belupo 0 – 3†– 26 14 AprAKarlovac 0 – 3†– 27 21 AprHOsijek 0 – 3†– 28 28 AprALučko 0 – 3†– 29 5 MayHHajduk Split 0 – 3†– 30 12 MayAInter Zaprešić 0 – 3†–

* Varaždin was suspended and thus unable to play the match so the game was awarded 3–0 † After failing to play two matches in Prva HNL, Varaždin was expelled and all their remaining matches were awarded as a 3–0 forfeit win to opponents

Europa League

RoundDateVenueOpponentScoreAttendanceVaraždin ScorersReportQR1 30 JunH Lusitanos 5–12,000 Šafarić (2), Glavica, Do. Glavina, Vugrinec Sportnet.hrQR1 7 JulA Lusitanos 1–0400 Brlečić Sportnet.hrQR2 14 JulA Iskra-Stal 1–11,000 Tkalčić Sportnet.hrQR2 21 JulH Iskra-Stal 3–13,000 Vugrinec (2), Glavica Sportnet.hrQR3 28 JulA Dinamo București 2–24,000 Sačer, Vugrinec Sportnet.hrQR3 4 AugH Dinamo București 1–24,793 Golubar Sportnet.hr

Croatian Cup

RoundDateVenueOpponentScoreAttendanceVaraždin ScorersReportR1 20 SepA Podravac Virje 0–0 (4–2 p)300 Sportnet.hrR2 25 OctH Istra 1961 0–1 500 Sportnet.hr

Player seasonal records Competitive matches only. Updated to games played 24 March 2012.

Top scorers Rank Name League Europe Cup Total1 Dominik Glavina 5 1 – 6 Davor Vugrinec 2 4 – 63 Josip Golubar 3 1 – 44 Ivan Antolek 2 – – 2 Dejan Glavica – 2 – 2 Mario Sačer 1 1 – 2 Nikola Šafarić – 2 – 2 Niko Tokić 2 – – 29 Luka Brlenić 1 – – 1 Mario Brlečić – 1 – 1 Nikola Tkalčić – 1 – 1TOTALS1613–29 Source: Competitive matches

Disciplinary record Includes all competitive matches. Players with 1 card or more included only.

NumberPositionName1. HNLEuropa LeagueCroatian CupTotal 2 DF Jhonnes20000020 4 MF Goran Barišić11000011 5 MF Luka Jagačić20000020 5 MF Mario Brlečić00200020 6 DF Gordan Golik20000020 8 FW Danko Cerovečki10000010 9 FW Mario Sačer51101071 10 FW Dominik Glavina10100020 10 MF Nikola Šafarić00010001 12 GK Denis Krklec10000010 13 MF Marko Pajač00010001 14 DF Karlo Šimek50100060 15 MF Danijel Rašić30001040 15 DF Nikola Tkalčić10000010 16 MF Jurica Grgec40000040 18 DF Adam Sušac20100030 20 MF Josip Golubar10000111 21 GK Saša Dreven10000010 26 MF Mario Lončar40001050 27 DF Ivan Conjar40301080 30 DF Denis Glavina10000010 30 FW Davor Vugrinec10000010TOTALS4229241555 Sources: Prva-HNL.hr, UEFA.com

Appearances and goals

NumberPositionPlayer Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps GoalsTotal1. HNLEuropa LeagueCroatian Cup 1 GK 50+00+10+00 2 DF 90+00+00+00 3 DF 20+00+00+00 4 DF 10+00+00+00 4 MF 80+00+00+00 5 MF 50+00+00+00 5 MF 81+00+01+00 6 DF 90+00+00+00 6 MF 30+00+00+00 7 FW 20+00+00+00 7 MF 80+00+10+00 8 FW 170+100+00+10 8 MF 31+31+00+00 8 MF 62+00+02+00 9 FW 252+61+01+00 10 FW 286+25+01+00 10 MF 62+00+02+00 11 MF 80+30+20+00 12 GK 10+00+00+00 12 GK 130+00+00+00 13 MF 120+60+10+10 14 DF 230+00+00+00 15 MF 160+20+00+00 15 DF 91+00+01+00 16 MF 200+20+40+00 18 FW 102+62+00+10 18 DF 100+20+00+00 19 FW 172+52+00+10 20 MF 20+20+00+00 20 MF 194+03+21+00 21 GK 10+00+00+00 21 GK 110+00+00+00 23 DF 40+00+00+00 23 DF 60+10+20+10 25 FW 30+30+00+00 26 MF 180+40+10+00 27 DF 270+30+00+00 29 DF 120+10+20+00 30 DF 30+00+00+00 30 FW 226+22+04+00 N/A MF 10+00+00+00 Sources: Prva-HNL.hr, UEFA.com

References