Aston Villa, fifth in the Premiership, could not escape the embarrassment last night of being knocked out of Europe by a team with a row of conifer trees behind one goal of its ground.
Despite Moustapha Hadji's late goal from a 25-yard shot, the defensive errors which led to Villa's expensively assembled side losing 3-2 at home to this backwater Croatian side proved costly.
After trudging through six Intertoto Cup games to qualify, John Gregory's players lacked the imagination last night to break down a well-organised and determined Varteks and so went out of this competition at the first hurdle.
Gregory admitted before the game that Villa "had to go for it" from the start, and he certainly did that. Two attacking wingers, Moustapha Hadji and Hassan Kachloul, flanked two central strikers in David Ginola and Bosko Balaban.
With Paul Merson and Darius Vassell injured, and Dion Dublin suffering from a sore knee that kept him on the bench, changes up front were unavoidable but the choice of Ginola ahead of Juan Pablo Angel, scorer of three goals in his previous two games, was strange.
Gregory's decision to give Balaban his first start since moving from Dynamo Zagreb was more understandable, though a stirring return against his fellow countrymen never materialised. He was replaced by Angel at half-time.
From the first whistle, it was clear how Varteks had manipulated themselves into such a strong position in this tie. Hard working, closing Villa down at every opportunity, they offered movement, pace and invention in dangerous bursts which constantly threatened to make Villa pay for their high-risk strategy of committing players forward.
The best chances of the first half fell to Varteks. An early penetrating run by the impressive Miljenko Mumlek allowed Veldin Karic to give Villa an early scare, then Peter Schmeichel, trying to be too clever with a clearance, presented the ball to Devis Mukaj, whose cross was only just missed by the lunging Sasa Bjelanovic, scorer of two goals in Varteks' 3-2 win at Villa Park in the first leg.
Part of Villa's problems in the first leg was Gregory's decision to rest Merson and Lee Hendrie. The manager was not underestimating Varteks this time and the younger midfielder, working busily, looked one of the few Villa players capable of opening up the home side's well-drilled defence.
Ginola was now dispatched to his more accustomed left-wing position in the hope that he could conjure up the final delivery to worry Varteks. A 20-yard volley on 67 minutes looked promising but it nestled comfortably in the keeper's midriff.
Stone had a shot blocked as Villa pushed forward in search of the two goals they needed to rescue this tie.
But the small-town club of Varteks has not risen from the fourth division to become one of Croatia's top sides without reason.
VARTEKS (3-5-2): Madaric; Kristic, Granic, Rezic; Sabolcki, Mumlek, Kastel, Mukaj, Hrman; Karic, Bjelanovic.
ASTON VILLA (4-4-2): Schmeichel; Delaney, Alpay, Mellberg (Stone, 44), Wright; Hadji, Boateng, Hendrie, Kachloul; Ginola, Balaban (Angel, half-time).
Referee: N Vollquartz (Denmark).
