This was the first season in which the Maksimir club competed in Europe as the official representative of Croatian football, based on their position in the Croatian league competition. The opponents were Tofta from the Faroe Islands in the Champions League preliminary round. The format of the elite European club competition at the time included a preliminary round, followed by two rounds also played in a knockout system, and only then came the group stage with two groups.

Croatia won the first leg away 5-0, and were even more convincing in the return leg at Maksimir. Moreover, Goran Vlaović scored four times. Three of these six goals came in the final five minutes.

It started with Vlaović missing the target with a header from the penalty area in the 14th minute, and shortly after he hit the post... The first goal in the 17th minute was scored by Zoran Živković who found the top corner from 20 metres. In the 42nd minute, Joško Jeličić, similar to Vlaović earlier, missed the target with a header from the penalty area.

However, everything opened up in the second half when the Blues found the net five times. In the 53rd minute, Živković found Vlaović with a long ball, who easily converted it into a goal. Željko Adžić shot powerfully in the 74th minute, the goalkeeper saved the ball. Adžić got to it again, played it short in front of goal where Sejad Halilović pushed it into the net.

In the final five minutes, three more goals were scored. Vlaović broke clear in front of the goalkeeper in the 85th minute and lobbed the ball into the net. The Blues' striker capitalised on skilful build-up play from his teammates in two consecutive attacks in the 88th and 89th minutes to seal a convincing victory.