Rijeka's Victory Comes at a Cost: Fruk and Dantas Injured
Rijeka celebrated a 1-0 win against Ilves, but lost two key players at halftime and in the 71st minute, casting a shadow over the European success.
Rijeka celebrated a 1-0 win against Ilves, but lost two key players at halftime and in the 71st minute, casting a shadow over the European success.
Rijeka's footballers secured an important 1-0 victory against Finnish side Ilves in the first leg of the Conference League third qualifying round at Rujevica on August 6, 2026. However, the celebration was short-lived as the Whites lost two crucial assets during the match, raising justified concerns ahead of the return leg.
Already at halftime, Toni Fruk, considered the club's best player, had to stay in the dressing room. The misfortune continued in the 71st minute when Tiago Dantas, who assisted the winning goal scored by Niko Janković, also left the pitch. These two forced substitutions seriously disrupted coach Matjaž Kek's plans.
Rijeka's strategist did not hide his concern after the match. "Yes, we were forced to rotate Fruk and Dantas," Kek stated. He then clarified the nature of his players' injuries: "These are injuries where we'll have to see what happens. I think nothing is broken with Fruk, we'll see, it's his ankle, he took a knock. Dantas took a hit to his thigh muscle and also couldn't continue."
These words leave room for hope, but also uncertainty. The diagnoses are not yet final, and the recovery of both players is now the top priority.
However, there is a mitigating circumstance. The SuperSport HNL Round 2 derby between Rijeka and Dinamo has been postponed precisely because of the European commitments of both clubs. This gives the medical team extra time to prepare Fruk and Dantas for the return leg against Ilves, which will be played on August 13, 2026, in Tampere, Finland, on artificial turf. Everyone at Rujevica is now anxious and hoping that the key players will be ready for that decisive match.
