HNK Rijeka and Osijek will play a derby match on Saturday at 21:00 in the 6th round of the SuperSport HNL, with both clubs weakened by losing key players to transfers in Portugal. This clash of Croatian football's traditional giants comes as Rijeka sits fifth in the table with seven points from four games, six points behind leaders NK Varazdin. The report on these transfers was published by the sports desk of the Net.hr portal.
Osijek has returned to the top of Croatian football after two years of underwhelming results. They currently lead the table with four wins in five matches this season. Their only defeat came against Hajduk at Poljud. Manager Federico Bessone has successfully integrated new signings with experienced players into a cohesive unit. However, just before the derby with Rijeka, the club sold two important players to the same Portuguese club.
What are the consequences of the transfers for Osijek?
Osijek lost Nail Omerović and Roko Jurišić, who both signed for Estoril. Omerović moved for a fee of 1.5 million euros, while the fee for Jurišić was not disclosed. These two departures significantly alter the team's dynamics ahead of a important match. Bessone will need to find quick solutions to compensate for their absence. The weakened squad will be tested against a Rijeka side that also has its own departure issues.
Transfers to Portugal have become a common occurrence for talents from the HNL. Arnel Jakupović moved from the HNL to Vitória Guimarães, while Cardoso Varela returned to Porto. The Portuguese league has become more accessible to the Croatian audience as it is available to watch on the VOYO platform this season. These market movements show Portuguese clubs regularly seek value in the Croatian championship.
What is Rijeka's situation ahead of this derby?
HNK Rijeka enters this match from fifth place in the league, with seven points from four games. Their goal difference is even, with five goals scored and five conceded. Their recent form shows one draw, one loss, and two wins. Rijeka were cup finalists last season but have also felt the loss of players in the transfer market.
The club sold Gabrijel Rukavina to Arouca last season. The transfer fee was not disclosed, but it is known that Dinamo Zagreb holds a 50% sell-on clause for any future sale of this player. This loss, combined with their current league position, presents additional challenges ahead of the derby with league-leading Osijek. Fans can follow detailed team statistics on our stats page.
What can we expect from the derby itself?
The match on Saturday evening will be a true test for both weakened lineups. Osijek will try to maintain their league leadership, while Rijeka wants to cut into the six-point gap to leaders Varazdin. Both teams will have to rely on remaining players and show squad depth. The managers will have the task of motivating players after the loss of teammates.
For Rijeka, this game represents an opportunity to close in on the top and gain confidence for upcoming challenges. Their next fixture is an away match against NK Lokomotiva Zagreb. Lokomotiva currently sits seventh in the table, promising an interesting encounter. The full schedule of matches can be found on our fixtures page.
The current league standings can always be checked on the standings page. Rijeka's mid-table position requires consistent results to achieve their ambition of fighting for European places. The derby with Osijek could be a turning point in their season.
