'The plane crashed!' – Viking FK skipper hit by flight nightmare before historic Champions League clash

Viking FK captain Zlatko Tripic faced an unexpected setback upon arriving in Germany for his side's Champions League opener against VfB Stuttgart. The 33-year-old winger suffered an allergic reaction during the charter flight from Stavanger due to excessive perfume smells onboard.

Tripic revealed at the team's hotel that the intense fragrances irritated his nose throughout the flight.

"There was so much perfume on that plane," Tripic explained. "I'm allergic to strong smells. My nose was terribly irritated during the entire flight."

According to Dagbladet, Tripic jokingly pointed the finger at room-mate Kristoffer Askildsen as one of the main culprits behind the heavy cologne usage. Despite the stuffy nose, the skipper confirmed he would recover quickly using nasal spray before kick-off.

"He's trying to be a model, then he wears perfume, unfortunately," Tripic said with a twinkle in his eye.

Expert Bernt Hulsker laughed off the incident, noting: "Next time Viking hire a charter plane, there should be zero perfume and barely any deodorant. This is part of Viking's learning."

Beyond the flight distraction, Viking head coach Morten Jensen and Tripic appeared completely relaxed hours ahead of the biggest match in the club's history. Jensen played down pre-match anxiety despite facing a Stuttgart side that finished fourth in the Bundesliga last season under Sebastian Hoeness.

Jensen insisted that his squad are well accustomed to handling high-pressure moments without changing their routine.

"The occasion is historic and there are probably a few players who are feeling nervous, but we are not going to do anything special," Jensen stated. "Professional footballers are good at adjusting."

Tripic echoed his manager's sentiments, emphasizing the importance of blocking out the noise once the referee blows the whistle. The captain insisted the players must focus solely on their tactical tasks rather than the grandeur of the venue.

Around 600 traveling supporters have made the journey from Stavanger to support the Scandinavian champions at the MHPArena.

"It's very much about letting go of consequences, and the team has become good at that," Tripic concluded as Viking prepare for their European curtain-raiser.