HNK Rijeka learns 3rd round Conference League qualifier opponent
HNK Rijeka, after beating Derry City, has learned their opponent in the third round of Conference League qualifying. They will face Finnish club Ilves Tampere, who dramatically defeated Icelandic Stjarnan 2-1 after extra time and 5-4 on penalties.
How Ilves Tampere advanced
Ilves Tampere fought back in the second leg of the second qualifying round, beating Stjarnan 2-1 after extra time. Ilves goalkeeper Faris Krkalic scored an own goal in the 107th minute, but the Finns equalized six minutes later through Tatu Miettunen. In the penalty shootout, Ilves converted all five of their attempts, while Stjarnan missed one.
Outlook for HNK Rijeka
According to Transfermarkt, HNK Rijeka is the clear favorite in this tie. The Rijeka squad is valued at €32.25 million, while Ilves Tampere's players are worth €4.28 million. This makes the Rijeka team approximately seven and a half times more valuable than the Finnish club.
What's next
The first leg between HNK Rijeka and Ilves Tampere will take place on August 6 at Rujevica Stadium. The return leg is scheduled for August 13 in Tampere. Last season, HNK Rijeka finished 4th in the HNL with 41 points from 11 wins, 8 draws, and 10 losses in 29 matches. Their recent form: LWLLW.
