Rijeka
Europa League
Group Stage
Thu , Nov 05 , 2020 18:55
1 - 2
Napoli
Rijeka
Napoli
1 - 2
With both teams waiting for coronavirus tests to complete the squad before the match, Rijeka and Napoli will have a tough task to concentrate on the football pitch on Thursday night.
After the defeat in Alkmaar (4-1), Rijeka also lost in Šibenik. It was not a good match for Rijeka from the first minute. Coach Rožman's troops capitulated in the 12th minute when the home team captain Marko Bulat scored beautifully, and after the big error of Velkovski and the red card before half time, Rijeka did nothing more than concede a goal for the final 2-0. Coach Rožman blamed the situation with coronavirus for bad results and performances: ''We are in trouble, the temperature is measured every three hours, every three hours I have a new lineup that I reshape into play. Now we have used all those players I could count on.’’
And that's not the end of their problems. Heavy and tight schedule, small rotation, they suffer in both the HNL and in Europe, and that could result in injuries, a drop in morale problems are multiplicated for Rijeka. They hope that they will have 12 senior players trained for Thursday so they can play the game against Napoli, or to switch to plan B and play with juniors.
Rijeka lives and functions with a budget of 11-12 million euros a year, and Napoli paid a single player (Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen from French Lille) - 70 million euros, so to preview this as David vs Goliat duel is not so far from the reality.
And Napoli coach wants some kind of revenge. Gennaro Gattuso returns to Rijeka with a three-year-old wound from the sensational 0-2 defeat he suffered with Milan in 2017 in Rujevica against Rijeka. He is also angry with his players for the home Serie A defeat against Sassuolo (0-2), he is furious with the local media because they are questioning his maturity to lead Napoli, he is nervous about the lack of continuity of the team he leads. His Napoli beat six Genoa, defeated Atalanta 4-1 and lost at home to AZ Alkmaar who had 14 senior players, beat the great Real Sociedad away and they are the only team that didn’t score against Sassuolo in the new season. So, Rino Gattuso is wounded and furious, and he will try to vent his anger on Rijeka. All could be even easier because he could get back the best player and biggest star, a key player of both Napoli and the Italian national team, Lorenzo Insigne who has recovered from an injury he suffered in San Sebastian at Real Sociedad. And not just him. Mario Rui is at his disposal, but the midfielder Bakayoko, who deserved a little rest, will not go to Rijeka.
Napoli also had problems with the coronavirus, so, just like in Rijeka, a large number of games were played by the same 12-13 players in a short time, and fatigue settled in their legs and heads. It is easily possible that Gattuso will change formation from 4-2-3-1 with the returning of several players, to his favorite 4-3-3.
Mertens is not exactly the ideal 'ten' in 4-2-3-1, so Gattuso has in mind the midfield with Zielinski, Fabian Ruiz, and Demme or Lobotko (while Bakayoka is resting) and the attacking trio of Politano – Osimhen - Insigne with alternation as good in Lozano and Petagna. With Ospina on goal, in defense Koulibaly, Manolas, Hysaj, Mario Ruiz, Rijeka will have the toughest task in the new season.
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It is easy to say that Napoli is a clear, big favorite and that away win is the only reasonable bet regarding this match.
So, our final Rijeka vs Napoli Prediction is Napoli to win.
4-2-3-1
4-3-3
Rijeka
Napoli
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D
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03.11.2024. | Istra 1961 | VS | Rijeka | 0-1 |
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26.10.2024. | Rijeka | VS | Varaždin | 1-1 |
D
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18.10.2024. | Lokomotiva Zagreb | VS | Rijeka | 2-2 |
D
|
01.09.2024. | Rijeka | VS | Dinamo Zagreb | 1-1 |
D
|
17.07.2024. | Salzburg | VS | Rijeka | 1-0 |
L
|
05.05.2024. | Rijeka | VS | Dinamo Zagreb | 1-2 |
L
|
08.10.2021. | Rijeka | VS | Olimpija | 6-1 |
W
|
02.10.2021. | Istra 1961 | VS | Rijeka | 3-6 |
W
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26.09.2021. | Gorica | VS | Rijeka | 3-4 |
W
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10.11.2024. | Rijeka | VS | Osijek | 1-1 |
D
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26.10.2024. | Rijeka | VS | Varaždin | 1-1 |
D
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01.09.2024. | Rijeka | VS | Dinamo Zagreb | 1-1 |
D
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05.05.2024. | Rijeka | VS | Dinamo Zagreb | 1-2 |
L
|
08.10.2021. | Rijeka | VS | Olimpija | 6-1 |
W
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11.09.2021. | Rijeka | VS | Slaven Koprivnica | 2-1 |
W
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22.08.2021. | Rijeka | VS | Šibenik | 2-1 |
W
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08.08.2021. | Rijeka | VS | Lokomotiva Zagreb | 1-2 |
L
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25.07.2021. | Rijeka | VS | Istra 1961 | 2-0 |
W
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17.07.2021. | Rijeka | VS | Gorica | 2-0 |
W
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03.11.2024. | Istra 1961 | VS | Rijeka | 0-1 |
W
|
18.10.2024. | Lokomotiva Zagreb | VS | Rijeka | 2-2 |
D
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17.07.2024. | Salzburg | VS | Rijeka | 1-0 |
L
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02.10.2021. | Istra 1961 | VS | Rijeka | 3-6 |
W
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26.09.2021. | Gorica | VS | Rijeka | 3-4 |
W
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21.09.2021. | Pitomaca | VS | Rijeka | 0-7 |
W
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17.09.2021. | Hrvatski Dragovoljac | VS | Rijeka | 2-2 |
D
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29.08.2021. | Hajduk Split | VS | Rijeka | 1-2 |
W
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15.08.2021. | Osijek | VS | Rijeka | 1-0 |
L
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01.08.2021. | Dinamo Zagreb | VS | Rijeka | 3-3 |
D
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10.11.2024. | Inter | VS | Napoli | 1-1 |
D
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03.11.2024. | Napoli | VS | Atalanta | 0-3 |
L
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29.10.2024. | Milan | VS | Napoli | 0-2 |
W
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26.10.2024. | Napoli | VS | Lecce | 1-0 |
W
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20.10.2024. | Empoli | VS | Napoli | 0-1 |
W
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04.10.2024. | Napoli | VS | Como | 3-1 |
W
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29.09.2024. | Napoli | VS | Monza | 2-0 |
W
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26.09.2024. | Napoli | VS | Palermo | 5-0 |
W
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21.09.2024. | Juventus | VS | Napoli | 0-0 |
D
|
15.09.2024. | Cagliari | VS | Napoli | 0-4 |
W
|
03.11.2024. | Napoli | VS | Atalanta | 0-3 |
L
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26.10.2024. | Napoli | VS | Lecce | 1-0 |
W
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04.10.2024. | Napoli | VS | Como | 3-1 |
W
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29.09.2024. | Napoli | VS | Monza | 2-0 |
W
|
26.09.2024. | Napoli | VS | Palermo | 5-0 |
W
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31.08.2024. | Napoli | VS | Parma | 2-1 |
W
|
25.08.2024. | Napoli | VS | Bologna | 3-0 |
W
|
10.08.2024. | Napoli | VS | Modena | 0-0 |
D
|
03.08.2024. | Napoli | VS | Girona | 0-2 |
L
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31.07.2024. | Napoli | VS | Brest | 1-0 |
W
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10.11.2024. | Inter | VS | Napoli | 1-1 |
D
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29.10.2024. | Milan | VS | Napoli | 0-2 |
W
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20.10.2024. | Empoli | VS | Napoli | 0-1 |
W
|
21.09.2024. | Juventus | VS | Napoli | 0-0 |
D
|
15.09.2024. | Cagliari | VS | Napoli | 0-4 |
W
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18.08.2024. | Verona | VS | Napoli | 3-0 |
L
|
17.05.2024. | Fiorentina | VS | Napoli | 2-2 |
D
|
06.05.2024. | Udinese | VS | Napoli | 1-1 |
D
|
20.04.2024. | Empoli | VS | Napoli | 1-0 |
L
|
07.04.2024. | Monza | VS | Napoli | 2-4 |
W
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Daniel Garcia is originally from Basque Country, and as a kid who grew up just a few streets from Mendizorrotza Stadium, the choice of Deportivo Alavés as his favourite club is more than obvious. Because of his studies, he moved to Madrid where he graduated in Sports Journalism. Daniel plays football on the weekends, but that does not stop him from watching all La Liga matches. He believes that the outcome of a match can be predicted if all the parameters are analyzed well, including form of the players and weather conditions. Currently he is living in Belgrade, and is in love with a Serbian girl who works as a journalist at one of the famous Sport Channels in Serbia.