Rijeka vs Hunedoara Prediction - Champions League

The first leg, held in Romania, ended in a goalless draw. Thus, the team that wins this second encounter will move forward in the competition for a place in the Europa League. Should another draw occur, the tie will be decided by a 30-minute extra time session. If the tie persists, a round of penalty kicks will determine the winner.

Rijeka and Corvinul Hunedoara have reached the second stage of a four-round process to secure a spot in the 2024/2025 Europa League. The victor of this matchup will face the winner of the clash between Sweden’s Elfsborg and Moldova’s Sheriff Tiraspol in the semi-finals. Betting on a Rijeka victory is the recommendation for this Thursday’s quarter-final return leg in the Europa League qualifiers.

Predictions for Rijeka vs Corvinul Hunedoara

Rijeka wins the match

Rijeka played their first official match of the season in the first leg. With the Croatian Championship not yet begun, they have had the opportunity to focus on their preparation for the return fixture. Given this, one can expect improvements both physically and technically. Corvinul Hunedoara, on the other hand, has already played four matches in the 2024/2025 season and thus are further along in their preparation. However, they face significant technical limitations. Betting on a Rijeka victory is recommended for this Thursday’s return leg of the quarter-finals in the 2024/2025 Europa League qualifiers.

Rijeka over 1.5 Goals

With technical superiority and home-field advantage, Rijeka is expected to pursue an early win against Corvinul Hunedoara as soon as the match starts. Targeting the over/under goals market serves as an extra betting tip for this Thursday’s return leg in the 2024/2025 Europa League qualifying rounds, with the suggestion being for Rijeka to score over 1.5 goals.

Latest News and Statistics from Rijeka

The goalless draw in the first leg of the Europa League qualifiers quarter-finals reflected the lack of ambition from both Rijeka and Corvinul Hunedoara. The teams managed only three shots on target combined, with two of those coming from the Romanian side. The Croatian club controlled the game, holding 62% possession.

However, their shot creation was quite limited, registering only 10 to 12 attempts.

The team seemed content with the draw, which allowed them to approach the second game on equal terms. Coach Zeljko Sopic set up Rijeka with a formation that included four defenders, a defensive midfielder, two linking midfielders, and three forwards. Despite their attacking roles, the forwards were primarily tasked with defensive responsibilities, congesting the midfield. It is expected that they will adopt a more aggressive approach in the return match.

Latest News and Statistics on Corvinul Hunedoara

Competing in the Second Division of the Romanian Championship, Corvinul Hunedoara faced a challenge with their home advantage. Their stadium failed to meet Uefa standards, the organizing body for the Europa League, forcing them to play over 150 kilometers away from their home ground. This distance reduced their fan support significantly. However, during the Europa League qualifying rounds, this didn’t pose much of a problem.

In their encounter with Hungary’s Paksi, Corvinul Hunedoara all but settled the tie in the first leg with a commanding 4-0 away win. In the second leg at their temporary home, they managed to maintain their advantage, ending the match 0-0. Against Rijeka, coach Florin Maxim set up the team with four defenders, three midfielders, and three forwards.

This strategy, likely to be used again, appears offensive but actually favors defense. During the match, the forwards drop back to assist with marking, transforming the 4-3-3 setup into a 4-5-1 or even a 4-6-0.