Rijeka vs Austria Vienna
UEFA Europa League
Date: 2nd November 2017
Kick off at 18:00 UK/ 19:00 CET
Venue: Stadion HNK Rijeka (Rijeka)
Rijeka Team News, Updates, and Facts
Team News
Matjaz Kek saw left back Leonard Zuta come off early on Saturday in their tough loss at Dinamo, so he will not be likely to play a role in this match.
Key Man
Rijeka decided to hold Brazilian attacker Heber in reserve for much of their match on Saturday, so he will be fresh and ready to go this weekend. Heber has scored eight times in the league so far this season, but he has yet to add a Europa League goal to his tally so far. He's certainly capable of, and we suspect he might just strike in front of the home support.
Team Form
Rijeka have three losses and two draws in their last five matches:
3-1 loss at Dinamo Zagreb
1-2 home loss vs Osijek
1-3 win at Austria Vienna (UEL)
1-0 loss at Istra 1961
1-5 win at Rudes
Rijeka Predicted Starting Line-up
Expected Line-up: 4-2-3-1
Austria Wien Team News, Updates, and Facts
Team News
Thorsten Fink has a seemingly impossibly long list of injuries to contend with. Goalkeepers Robert Almer and Osman Hadzikic, right back Florian Klein, center backs Ruan, Alexandar Borkovic, Abdul Mohammed, and Heiko Westermann, left back Christoph Marschinko, winger Lucas Venuto, and midfielders Alexander Grunwald, Vesel Demaku, and David de Paula are all out of action.
Key Man
It's a mystery that Austria Vienna are able to stay in fourth place in the Austrian Bundesliga currently given their number of injuries, and there are big questions to be answered about who comes up with their goals in this tournament. The man most likely to do the damage is Brazilian Felipe Pires. The attacking midfielder has four Bundesliga goals and three assists so far, and he's made two and scored one in the Europa League thus far as well.
Team Form
Austria Vienna have a draw and four losses in their last five matches:
2-2 draw at LASK Linz
1-2 home loss vs Rapid Vienna (Cup)
0-1 home loss vs Rapid Vienna
1-3 home loss vs Rijeka (UEL)
3-0 loss at Sturm Graz
Austria Wien Predicted Starting Line-up
Expected Line-up: 4-3-3
Rijeka vs Austria Vienna: Head to head
Prior to the clash in the Austrian capital, the two likes have not had the chance to meet each other.
It was Mario Gavranovic who made the difference by netting a brace within the opening half-hour of the game at Ernst-Happel-Stadion as Austria never came back from a two-goal deficit until the end.
Rijeka vs Austria Vienna: Prediction
The Croatian champions should be favourites in front of their fans, but we certainly can’t take the 1.44 odds for the home win since the gulf in quality between the two sides is just not that big.
Both teams have been fairly easy to break down lately and the BTTS pick just has to be the way to go here.
Rijeka vs Austria Vienna: Bet Tips
The first bet is BTTS at the odds of 1.80.
The value-seekers will fancy Austria Vienna Over 1.5 Team Goals at the odds of 4.33.
