HNK Rijeka host league leaders HNK Hajduk Split in a key HNL derby on Saturday at their home ground. The match at Stadion HNK Rijeka presents an opportunity for the hosts to break inconsistent form and cut a five-point gap to their Split rivals at the top of the table.
Manager Simon Rožman's side comes off a convincing 6-0 cup win against Vrbovec, but in the league they have recorded just one win in their last three rounds. Rijeka currently sit in fifth place with 11 points from six games played. The team's top scorer this season is D. Adu-Adjei with three goals.
Hajduk Split, on the other hand, enter this clash with five consecutive wins in all competitions. Their defence has been exceptionally solid, conceding only one goal in their last three league matches. The last meeting between these two sides in March last year ended in a 3-2 win for Rijeka.
It will be important for the hosts to capitalise on a favourable run of home games and replicate the aggression shown in the cup. Following this derby, Rijeka will face another challenging opponent in the next HNL round, and details of upcoming fixtures can be found on the fixtures page.
