What did Jakov Puljić say after the defeat in Varaždin?

He said it was hard to get back into the game after the penalty, that they gave their all but it didn't work, and that they need to get back to winning ways for the fans and the club.

When is Rijeka's next match?

On Thursday, after August 17, 2026, Rijeka plays away against Danish side Midtjylland in the Conference League qualifying playoff.

What did Puljić announce ahead of the trip to Denmark?

He announced that they will have a few good talks to ensure these things don't happen again and that they need to be more aggressive from the first minute.

What detail marked the match in Varaždin for Rijeka?

Jakov Puljić hit the crossbar in the 74th minute, which according to sources best summed up an evening where Rijeka didn't have their day.

Football

Puljić after defeat in Varaždin: We must return to winning ways for the fans and the club

B.M. · Prije 13h | 2 min

Rijeka striker promises a more aggressive approach from the first minute ahead of Thursday's away match against Midtjylland in the Conference League playoff.

Summary

Jakov Puljić spoke after Rijeka's defeat in Varaždin.
He hit the crossbar in the 74th minute, symbolizing a poor evening for the Whites.
He announced talks and a more aggressive approach from the first minute.
Rijeka faces Midtjylland away on Thursday in the Conference League playoff.

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Jakov Puljić, the striker for HNK Rijeka, spoke after his team's defeat in Varaždin, with his comments reported by Novi list and the club's official website. The experienced forward did not hide his disappointment but said the team would try to correct what went wrong through discussions.

The crossbar as a symbol of the evening

In the 74th minute of the match, Puljić struck the ball powerfully, but the crossbar saved the hosts. According to sources, that moment best summed up Rijeka's evening in Varaždin, where it quickly became clear that the Whites were not going to have their day.

"It was hard to get back into the game after the penalty; we gave our all, but it just didn't work. We have to make it up to the fans who came to support us, and to the whole club, by getting back to winning ways," said Puljić, one of the most experienced players in the Rijeka squad.

No time for a lengthy analysis

Rijeka doesn't have much time for analysis because Thursday brings an away match against Danish side Midtjylland in the Conference League qualifying playoff. Puljić outlined concrete steps to avoid a similar scenario in Denmark.

"We'll have a few good talks to make sure these things don't happen again. We need to be more aggressive from the first minute, show that we are Rijeka, as we have in past seasons. I believe everything will be fine," Puljić concluded.

The statement was published on August 17, 2026, and in addition to Novi list, it was also carried on NK Rijeka's official website with a video feature.