Preview: Rijeka Hosts Celje in Europa League Group Stage Finale

RIJEKA, Croatia (Interstat) — A spot in the Europa League knockout round playoffs is on the line Thursday when HNK Rijeka hosts NK Celje in the final match of the group stage.

The Group G clash at Stadion Rujevica pits a Croatian side seeking consistency against a Slovenian club aiming to rebound from a disappointing defeat.

Rijeka (2-2-1, 8 points) enters the match second in the group, one point ahead of Celje (2-1-2, 7 points). A draw would be enough for the hosts to advance. Celje must win to leapfrog Rijeka and secure a place in the next round.

The home side’s form has been uneven. Rijeka is coming off a 1-0 home loss to AEK Larnaca on Nov. 27, which snapped a modest three-match unbeaten run in all competitions. Their European campaign has featured a strong 1-0 win over Sparta Prague but also a 5-0 drubbing at PAOK. Manager Željko Sopić will look for a more disciplined defensive performance after the lapse against Larnaca.

Celje arrives after a damaging 1-0 domestic loss to rivals NK Olimpija Ljubljana last Thursday. That result halted momentum from a promising European run that included a 2-1 victory over Legia Warsaw and a 3-1 win against AEK Athens. Coach Damir Krznar’s squad has shown a potent attack, scoring multiple goals in four of its last ten matches, but consistency has been an issue away from home in Europe, with recent losses to Sigma Olomouc and Olimpija.

According to Interstat’s game simulator, the most likely outcome is a 1-1 draw, a result that would see Rijeka through.

For Celje, striker Matej Poplatnik will be a key threat, having been a consistent scorer in domestic play. Rijeka will rely on the creative influence of midfielder Lindon Selahi to unlock a Celje defense that has kept two clean sheets in its last five European fixtures.

The match kicks off at 9 p.m. local time (2000 GMT).

Following this match, Rijeka will travel to face Shakhtar Donetsk in a rearranged fixture on Dec. 18, while Celje will host Shelbourne FC in the UEFA Europa Conference League on the same date.