HNK Rijeka midfielder Zoran Kvrzic hopes Aberdeen have been lulled into a false sense of security ahead of tonight’s meeting of the sides in the Europa League.
Rijeka struggled to a goalless draw in their first game of the new season on Friday at Inter Zapresic and while frustrated at dropping two points, Bosnian Kvrzic insists his side is ready for the challenge of facing the Dons at Kantrida stadium tonight.
He said: “If we can draw anything positive from Friday’s draw with Inter it was that we looked really sharp.
“We have trained well this week and there will be no problems in the game.
“It was too bad we have already lost two points, but this is football.
“All our focus is on Aberdeen now and we will give our best to try to win the match, but what is most important is that we do not concede any goals.”
Kvrzic and his team-mates have been well prepared for what to expect against Derek McInnes’ team tonight by coach Matjaz Kek.
The 26-year-old, who has been capped three times by Bosnia and Herzegovina, said: “Until now we didn’t know too much about them but now we have started to talk about Aberdeen and the coach and his staff have done an excellent job in analysing our opponents. We are perfectly prepared.
“I know Aberdeen is a strong team and they finished second in the Scottish Premiership last season. They have a good European history, but we are the club with the recent experience in European competition and we expect to win.”
With temperatures tipped to reach as high as 37 degrees head coach Matjaz Kek hopes the searing heat will work in his team’s favour tonight.
He said: “We have analysed Aberdeen and they will be a very awkward opponent, but the weather conditions can help us.
“We have the experience of playing in European football and we must use it to our advantage, but Aberdeen have some experience too and they showed they can be dangerous by beating Groningen last year.
“We are expecting an open game and we will all be very pleased if we get through this tie.”