NK Rijeka - UEFA Cup 2009 - 2nd qualifying round

Ok, now, Luxemburg is surely not a destination that you'll visit with no hope in a victory if you're a professional football team. However, our unpredictable NK Rijeka made us sweat this time. Losing a first game against FC Differdange is quite an achievement in itself and the only thing that could overshadow it would be a full-blown elimination. Thank heavens, Bijeli (the whites) spared us such a humiliation. The next Euro-opponent for NK Rijeka will be Metalist from Ukraine; obviously, we can hardly expect an overall victory, but corny as it seems, the hope dies last. Plus, remember Slaven Belupo? The other Croatian team in this year's edition of Cup UEFA initially did even worse than Rijeka, eliminating Bikirikara from Malta with only one goal margin (1:0, 0:0), but then exploded against Milano Kumanovo (4:0, 8:2!)... Clearly, Metalist can't be compared to Milano Kumanovo, but if Rijeka proves able to improve as much as Slaven Belupo did in a two week time-span... nothing is impossible.

2nd qualifying round

FC Differdange - Rijeka 1:0 (60' Piskor)

Rijeka - FC Differdange 3:0 (19' Ceric, 24' An. Sharbini, 64' Ah. Sharbini)

Game review (Croatian):

http://sportske.jutarnji.hr/index.php?cmd=show_clanak&clanak_id=12552

Video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-SJsUe3wyk (be sure to check the second Rijeka goal - a masterpiece that one can rarely see even in the Champions league!)

NK Rijeka - UEFA Cup 2006

The final European season for Rijeka before an agonizing crisis that would mark a three year absence for "Bijeli" (the whites) from international cups. Cyprus never seemed a dangerous place to visit football-wise, but it was right around 2006/7 that cypriot teams started growing into a decent European force (remember: later on, Anorthosis played Champions League, and Omonia had some notable games in Cup UEFA). Rijeka underestimated the opponent and paid a huge price for doing so.

NK Rijeka - Omonia Nicosia 2:2

Omonia Nicosia - NK Rijeka 2:1

Videos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcFcuL-JVH0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7Cgldm3pvg&feature=related

NK Rijeka - UEFA Cup 2005

Once again an elimination on away goal... This time even worse given that Rijeka showed much more than Bulgarian Litex but seemed unable to make the decisive moves and especially to score in the first game where the opponent looked rather ready for a knock out...

2nd qualyfinig round

Litex Lovech - NK Rijeka 1:0

NK Rijeka - Litex Lovech 2:1

NK Rijeka - UEFA Cup 2004

Undeniably one of the saddest moments for our team in European Cups; after a 0:1 defeat in the first game, Rijeka had 2:0 and a penalty shot against much costier Gençlerbirligi on the homecourt. But, Sinisa Linic's penalty was denied and the Turks punished that error by scoring in the last minute of the game. It ended up with a 2:1 victory for Rijeka and an elimination due to Turkish away goal.

2nd qualifying round

Gençlerbirligi - NK Rijeka 1:0

NK Rijeka - Gençlerbirligi 2:1

Video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXmYmsBgc18

NK Rijeka - UEFA Cup 2001

Coming back after the heaviest Euro defeat ever against Partizan Belgrade, NK Rijeka provided quite a decent game in 2001. After a heavy struggle against Valletta FC, "Bijeli" (the whites) played a classic David vs. Goliath match with Celta de Vigo. Aware of the objective quality gap, NK Rijeka presented a nearly perfect "catanaccio", thus reaching an unexpected 0:0 in Vigo. The Spaniards promissed they'll crush the enemy under the rocks of Kantrida, but "Bijeli" pulled another miracle ending that game 0:0 as well. It was only deep in extra time that Celta broke Rijeka's defences with a massive free kick: a great pitty, as NK's goalkeeper Đoni Tafra had quite a reputation as a penalty denier... Still, a nice score knowing that the Spanish coach alone costed more than entire Rijeka team.

1st preliminary round

NK Rijeka - Valletta FC 3:2

Valletta FC - NK Rijeka 3:4 (extra time)

1st round

Celta de Vigo - NK Rijeka 0:0

NK Rijeka - Celta de Viga 0:1 (extra time)

NK Rijeka - UEFA Champions League 2000

In it's first Euroseason after the Croatian independance, NK Rijeka sadly marked the worst possible Champions League debut with a heavy double loss against Partizan Belgrade. After a "so-so" first game (1:3), the team crushed under big expectations and suffered the ugliest ever home defeat in Europe, 0:3.

1st preliminary round

Partizan Belgrade - NK Rijeka 3:1

NK Rijeka - Partizan Belgrade 0:3

NK Rijeka - UEFA Cup 1987

The final Rijeka's Euro season in the Yugoslav years. With this one, the statistics sum up to a decent 16 games, 5 wins, 4 ties and 7 losses.

1st round

NK Rijeka - Standard Liege 0:1

Standard Liege - NK Rijeka 1:1