The Rijeka–Pula derby (Croatian: Derbi Rijeka – Pula), also called Derby della Učka (Derby della Monte Maggiore) is the name given to matches between Rijeka and Istra 1961. It is a regional derby between football clubs from Croatia's two largest northern coastal cities, Rijeka and Pula. The teams are supported by their fanbases called Rijeka's Armada and Pula's Demoni.
History
The rivalry between Rijeka and Pula dates back to the days of Kingdom of Italy in the early 1920s, when numerous clubs from Fiume (Rijeka) and Pola (Pula) met at various levels of the Italian league system. The first official match between Rijeka and Pula took place on 25 June 1920, between Juventus Enea Fiume and US Polese. While numerous Rijeka/Fiume (Juventus Enea, CS Olympia, CS Gloria, CS Fiume, Veloce, Magazzini Generali) and Pula/Pola (Polese, Grion, Edera) regularly met during this period, the most notable rivalry existed between the leading club of each city, U.S. Fiumana (successor of Olympia and Gloria after 1926) and G.S.F. Giovanni Grion Pola. Between 1930 and 1943, these two clubs played 20 official matches, with Fiumana winning 11 and Grion 5 matches, alongside 4 draws.
Following the end of World War II, the two cities became part of the Yugoslavia. Like all clubs in Yugoslavia,[1] U.S. Fiumana got restructured into the more proletarian-friendly brand S.C.F. Quarnero in July 1946.[2][3] The new regime decided to invite a club from the occupied Julian March for the 1946–47 Yugoslav First League and Quarnero was admitted after beating the short-lived Pula-based club USO (Unione Sportiva Operaia) in a two-legged play-off in August 1946.[4] In late 1947 USO merged with another local club to form NK Pula, which survives today as NK Istra. The Quarnero was renamed to NK Rijeka in June 1954.[5] During this period Rijeka spent most seasons playing in the Yugoslav First League, while Pula clubs played in the lower tiers. Until the break-up of Yugoslavia in 1991, Rijeka played 21 official fixtures against Istra and Uljanik, mainly during its stay in the lower divisions in the 1950s and early 1970s, and in the 1973 and 1978–79Yugoslav Cup.[6] Two other clubs from Rijeka, NK Orijent and NK Lučki Radnik met more frequently Istra and Uljanik in the lower tiers of Yugoslav football.
Since Croatian independence, Istra joined Croatia's top tier, and local derbies became a regular feature. Between 1992 and 2000, Rijeka and Istra met on 17 occasions, with Rijeka winning on eight and Istra on six occasions, while three matches finished in a draw. Pula did not have a top-tier club between 2000 and 2004. In 2004, NK Pula 1856, former Uljanik, was promoted to Prva HNL. In 2005, the club was renamed to NK Pula Staro Češko, in 2006 to NK Pula and, finally, in summer 2007 to NK Istra 1961. Since July 2004, Istra 1961 and Rijeka have played 65 regional derbies, with Rijeka winning 43 and Istra 1961 6 games, while 16 matches ended in a draw.
