Nexus Europa
Live
Europe PulseEconomy & EnergyEastern FrontierDefence & IndustryPowerRussian InfluenceSocietyBalkansFuture EuropeOther
SocietyAI-generated

Slovenian football figures Čeh and Mlakar reflect on careers ahead of derby

Nexus Europa Newsroom
Posted Sep 23, 2026, 07:30 PM UTC · In the digest of 2026-09-23-1930
Slovenian football figures Čeh and Mlakar reflect on careers ahead of derby
Photo: Siol.net

Former Slovenia captain Aleš Čeh and NK Maribor forward Jan Mlakar reflect on their careers, coaching spells, and the NK Maribor-Olimpija Ljubljana rivalry.

Slovenian football figures Aleš Čeh and Jan Mlakar have shared perspectives on their footballing careers and the regional rivalry between NK Maribor and Olimpija Ljubljana.

Čeh, former captain of Slovenia's national team during its successful qualification era under manager Srečko Katanec, reflected on his post-playing career. Following his retirement, he spent over a decade working as Katanec's assistant coach, including a seven-year tenure in Asia. Čeh highlighted his affinity for Olimpija Ljubljana and Austrian club Grazer AK, while emphasizing his respect for Maribor.

Separately, 27-year-old forward Jan Mlakar discussed his third stint with NK Maribor. Born in Ljubljana, Mlakar noted he was "never close to Olimpija" and expressed confidence in Maribor leadership under Zlatko Zahović and Darko Milanič. He added that derby fixtures allow struggling opponents an opportunity to regain momentum.

Sources: Delo, Siol.net

Sources

Earlier coverage

Share