Slovenian football figures reflect on Maribor and Olimpija rivalry

Former Slovenian national team captain Aleš Čeh and forward Jan Mlakar have shared their thoughts on the country's prominent football rivalry between NK Maribor and Olimpija Ljubljana.

Čeh, who led Slovenia during its landmark international tournament appearances before spending over a decade in coaching alongside Srečko Katanec, expressed a deep affinity for Olimpija while maintaining strong respect for Maribor. Meanwhile, Ljubljana-born striker Mlakar has returned to Maribor for a third spell. Addressing long-standing transfer speculation, Mlakar stated he was "never close to joining Olimpija" despite his hometown ties. He noted that while Olimpija is currently experiencing a difficult period, the club "can only gain" in the high-stakes context of an upcoming derby match.

Sources: Delo, Siol.net