Slovenian football figures Čeh and Mlakar reflect on careers and upcoming derby

Former Slovenian national team captain Aleš Čeh and forward Jan Mlakar have reflected on their football trajectories and domestic league perspectives in separate interviews. Čeh, who captained Slovenia's national side under manager Srečko Katanec before spending over a decade as his assistant coach in Asia, reaffirmed his affinity for Olimpija Ljubljana and Austrian club Grazer AK alongside his respect for rival NK Maribor.

Meanwhile, 27-year-old forward Jan Mlakar has returned to NK Maribor for a third stint in pursuit of a league title. Addressing Maribor's upcoming derby against Olimpija Ljubljana, Mlakar acknowledged that despite Olimpija's current crisis, pre-match form matters little in traditional rivalries where an underdog "can only gain." Both figures highlighted the ongoing evolution and competitive pressures within Slovenian football.

Sources: Delo, Siol.net