Rijeka's players faced a tough match against French side Strasbourg, suffering a narrow 1-2 defeat at their home ground in Rujevica during the first leg of the Conference League round of 16. Despite being under intense pressure towards the end of the match, Rijeka managed to push hard for an equalizer but ultimately fell short. The visitors capitalized on Rijeka's mistakes to secure their victory, leaving the Croatian team with a challenging task in the upcoming return leg next week in France.

Captain Martin Zlomislić acknowledged that Strasbourg started the match strongly, scoring an early goal that set the tone for the match. However, he praised his own team's effort in battling a difficult opponent, expressing confidence that they could turn the tie around in the return match. Zlomislić mentioned the emotional support from the fans, emphasizing that the players gave their all in a spirit of dedication, or their motto 'to fight to the end'.

In a notable moment, Rijeka's goal was scored by Ante Majstorović, marking his first goal for the club. He pointed out that the team was aware of Strasbourg's quality and that they could have snatched a better result had it not been for the second goal conceded. The team now looks ahead with determination, believing that the goal scored could prove significant for their chances in the next encounter with Strasbourg, as they aim to progress further in the tournament.