Croatian Star Martin Baturina Shines in Champions League Debut

Martin Baturina, son of former Bnei Yehuda player Mladen Baturina, made a significant impact in his Champions League debut for Italian club Como. He scored a crucial goal and provided an impressive assist, marking Como's first-ever goals in the prestigious European competition. Baturina, a Croatian midfielder, has already gained recognition in Europe, having previously scored for his national team in the World Cup.

Mladen Baturina, Martin's father, played for Bnei Yehuda in Israel from 2003, the year Martin was born, for four seasons. During his time with the Tel Aviv club, he scored 23 goals in 107 appearances. Martin, however, appears poised for a potentially more illustrious career.

After developing as a promising talent at Dinamo Zagreb, Martin Baturina transferred to Como last summer for 18 million euros. He was a key player in Como's successful season under coach Xavi, helping them reach the Champions League. Last season, he contributed eight goals and four assists in 34 appearances, including a vital goal against Napoli and a successful penalty in a shootout that propelled Como to the Italian Cup semi-finals for the first time in 40 years.

Baturina's career trajectory has been meteoric. His market value, according to Transfermarkt, surged from approximately 18 million euros in January 2026 to 45 million euros just nine months later, a 150% increase.