The Ludogorets football team qualified for the next round of the Champions League after an extremely tense match with the Croatian team Rijeka. The match, which was held at the home stadium of the Bulgarian champions, ended with a decisive victory of 3:1 after extra time.

The initial match in Croatia ended without goals, which created extreme tension before the return leg. In regular time, the two teams played with a 1:1 draw, which further heightened the atmosphere and sharpened the sporting confrontation.

A key moment in the match was the dismissal of two players from Rijeka's squad, which drastically changed the course of the match. The coach of the Croatian team, Radomir Djalovic, did not hide his disappointment with the final result and made a detailed analysis of what happened.

In an emotional statement, Djalovic shared: "European tournaments do not forgive mistakes, and we made two fatal ones. When we equalized the score and took control, it seemed we could move forward. But with nine players on the field, things became extremely difficult."

The coach emphasized that the team gave its maximum, despite the challenges. "The boys fought to the last atom of strength, but it was not enough for us," he added and commented on controversial referee decisions related to potential penalties.

Despite dropping out of the main Champions League scheme, Rijeka will continue their participation in the second most prestigious UEFA tournament. They have an upcoming match with the champions of the Republic of Ireland - Shelbourne, which will be held on Wednesday.

For Ludogorets, the victory is extremely important and reinforces their position as a serious football team in European club tournaments. They demonstrated will, character, and the ability to overcome difficult situations during the match.