Slovenian football figures Aleš Čeh and Jan Mlakar reflect on domestic landscape

Former Slovenian national football team captain Aleš Čeh and striker Jan Mlakar have reflected on their careers and the current landscape of Slovenian football. Čeh, who captained Slovenia during their qualification for major tournaments under head coach Srečko Katanec, later served as Katanec’s assistant coach for more than a decade, including seven years working in Asia. Čeh expressed affection for his former clubs Olimpija Ljubljana and Grazer AK while noting respect for Maribor.

Meanwhile, 27-year-old Ljubljana native Jan Mlakar has returned to Maribor for a third spell. Despite his origins in the capital, Mlakar stated that he was "never close to signing" with rival club Olimpija Ljubljana. Mlakar voiced confidence in Maribor's direction and observed that derby matches provide struggling teams an opportunity to recover momentum.

Sources: Delo, Siol.net