Milicevic is a life-long Split fan who at 30 realised a life-long dream by signing with the club during the A-League off-season.

Despite injury holding back his progress under new Split coach Krasimir Balakov, the former Newcastle Jets skipper was named vice-captain at Hajduk.

This season however Dinamo have blitzed the Croatian league this season with a 100 percent record after six games. Incredibly, they’ve yet to concede a goal.

Milicevic’s Split are behind them in second on 13 points with four wins a draw and a loss.

The top two sides with one of the most-bitter rivalries in the world are set for electric atmosphere this Saturday at Split’s Stadion Poljud.

As he and his team-mates relaxed on a nearby Croatian island away from the frenzied build up to the game in Split, the former Jets skipper told au.fourfourtwo.com he can’t wait for the game.

“To make my debut in the Croatian league against Dinamo is massive," he said. "And it’s not lost on me.

"For me personally it’s a dream come true to play in a game like this for a club and a team like Hajduk Split and the whole of Dalmatia.

“They live for the team. There’s so much tension and expectation in the city.”

Split’s fans – known as Torcida – have been preparing an 80-metre long flag which will cover the whole of one side of the stadium.

“Traditionally this is the biggest game on our calendar and it’s a rivalry between two teams and two cities – north and south basically. The fans are very fanatical," he said. 

“No-one knows what is written on it. It’s always a secret but it’s just massive, the city lives for this game. And it’s vitally important for us that we get the three points, if not it will be hard to chase Dinamo.”

 Around 1500 Dinamo fans are tipped to pour into Split for the game.

So, what’s the secret to beating Dinamo? Milicevic said keeping their shape would be vital.

“They’ve got a dangerous team with some talented individuals. But most important is we stay compact and we play to the best of our ability,” he said.

“The only way you’re going to beat a team like Dinamo, with its class, is to stay compact and tactically you’re very aware and remain focused and concentrate fully for the whole game.

“Against these types of teams, mistakes of any kind get punished.

“It’s up to us to catch them and I guess knock them off their perch. There’s no denying at the moment they are a very strong squad with depth which can carry them a long way."

He added: “Hopefully we can get the result we need.”

It’s been frustrating for the former FC Thun star since he arrived at the club with injury holding back his ability to train 100%. But after training strongly over the last couple of weeks he feels ready for battle.

“It’s been a delayed euphoria for me,” he said about his return from injury.

“It’s been hard in that sense but otherwise I love being here. It’s a great place to live, the club is fantastic and it’s an honour to put on that shirt and part of a club with so much tradition and history.

“It’s something I can’t sum up in one sentence.”

And the passion for the club from the locals is, as Milicevic puts it, amazing.

“It’s in peoples’ blood and bones," he said. "They say here it’s in the stones, the stones they’ve been treading upon for hundreds of years.

“You really do realise how much the fans here live for Hajduk Split.”