Career
A native of Drenovci, Mandić started his career at the local NK Borac, before moving on early to the better-known NK Graničar in the nearby Županja. He joined the NK Osijek academy aged 13, and progressed through the ranks and through Croatian youth football national team categories. After alternating between the U19 and the senior side for the following year and a half, Mandić was loaned to the Druga HNL side HNK Cibalia.
He returned to Osijek during the winter break, but was loaned back again to Cibalia in late February.
