Save for the 2016/17 campaign, Dinamo Zagreb have won the Croatian top flight every season since 2005/06 and the Hammers will have their work cut out for them when they travel to Croatia.
Vlasic is a former Hajduk Spilt player, a club that have a longstanding rivalry with the Croatian champions, and will thus be used to the atmosphere of the Maksimir.
However, the Croatian star believes that because the fans are so far from the pitch, the Hammers will not feel any pressure from them, even if they are passionately cheering their team on.
As a former Hajduk player, Vlasic is not happy with the spell of dominance of Dinamo Zagreb and he is hoping to come to come away with all three points from Zagreb.
Speaking to West Ham TV, Vlasic said: “The Dinamo supporters are passionate, but in the stadium the stands are not close to the pitch so you will not feel like you are suffocating from them.
“I think that [will make it] easier for our players to settle.
“There are good memories from my goals for Croatia at Maksimir, but Hajduk and Dinamo have a big rivalry.
“Dinamo has been very dominant in the last ten years and I’m not happy about that as a former Hajduk player.
“I have good memories there but I hope I have better ones after Thursday!”
West Ham United are playing in the group stage of the Europa League for the first time and they will be hoping their introduction to the competition proper is a made a memorable one by picking up a win against the Croatian outfit.
