Slovenia Football Fans

ATLETICO SEAL CHAMPIONS LEAGUE SPOT

Immediate past Spanish La Liga champions Atletico Madrid have booked their place in the Champions League next season after beating Elche away from home in a league encounter played on Wednesday. Atletico Madrid were unable to defend the title they won last season, but they have recovered from a poor run just before the winter part of the season to seal a place in the top-four as far as La Liga football is concerned this season thereby securing their place in the Champions League in the new season.

Slovenia national team skipper Jan Oblak won the best player award in La Liga at the end of last season after playing a key role in delivering a first league title in seven years for Atletico Madrid. Just like what’s obtainable with the majority of his teammates from last season, Slovenia internationalOblakfailed to live up to the level shown last season. Oblak and his teammates dropped out of the title race even before the second half of the season. In the end, Atletico Madrid were replaced by city rivals Real Madrid. Continue reading

OBLAKKEEPS CLEAN SHEET AGAINST GRANADA

Slovenia international Jan Oblak was in the Atletico Madrid goal during the Spanish La Liga Matchday 33 encounter with Granada on Wednesday night. The Slovenia national team skipper was able to keep a clean sheet as Spanish champions Atletico Madrid were forced to a goalless draw at home.

Oblak was been a regular in the Atletico Madrid team set to lose their status as Spanish La Liga champions to city rivals Real Madrid. The Slovenia international is the undisputed first choice goalkeeper at Atletico Madrid. He was named the best player in La Liga as Atletico Madrid won the league title last season, but has struggled to reach that height this season alongside his teammates. As things stand on the La Liga table, Atletico Madrid still gave a lot of work to do to qualify for the Champions League next season especially after the goalless draw with Granada on Wednesday ahead of the final five games of the season. Continue reading

SLOVENIA FACING CROATIA, QATAR FRIENDLIES

Slovenia will face two World Cup 2022 teams during the ongoing international break. The Slovenians will take on Croatia on Saturday afternoon in the first of their two international friendlies during this March international break before meeting World Cup 2022 hosts Qatarin the second international friendly next week Tuesday.

The two Slovenian opponents during the March international break are part of the 32-team cast for the World Cup tournament in Qatar later this year. Qatar were the first team to confirm their place at the 2022 edition of the FIFA World Cup as hosts, while Croatia qualified automatically as Group H winners in the first round of the European qualifiers. Ironically, Croatia and Slovenia were in the group together. Continue reading

HANDANOVIC TO DEPUTISE FOR ONANA

First choice Inter Milan shot stopper Samir Handanovic will reportedly deputise for Cameroon star Andre Onana when he joins this summer. This is according to the latest reports emanating out of the Italian media.

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Ajax Amsterdam goalkeeper Onana is expected to sign for Inter Milan on a free transfer in time for the start of next season. The Cameroonian has already passed all the necessary medicals for the free transfer move to go ahead. He is presently representing host nation Cameroon at the ongoing 2021 AFCON tournament. Onana is the first choice goalkeeper for Cameroon who are in the last eight of the tournament and will face debutants Gambia this weekend for a place in the semi-finals.
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SLOVENIA END QUALIFIERS WITH WIN

Slovenia had known that they won’t be at next year’s World Cup tournament in Qatar since last month after they had an inferior record to the top two teams namely Russia and Croatia who reached the final of the last edition before they were beaten 4-2 by eventual winners France. Ironically, Russia were the hosts of that last edition three years ago. Russia and Croatia were both drawn in Group H of the European qualifiers alongside Slovenia, Slovakia, Malta and Cyprus. At the end of proceedings in the group, Croatia sealed automatic qualification as winners, while Russia will have to navigate their way to Qatar 2022 via the playoffs.

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At the top of the group, Russia were in pole position to take the sole automatic spot before they were beaten to it by the Croatians thanks to the slender 1-0 win recorded at the expense of the Russians. Fyodor Kudryashov scored an unfortunate own goal nine minutes from time as Croatia beat Russia 1-0 to usurp them at the summit of Group H and book their passage to next year’s World Cup tournament. Croatia finished at the top of the group with 23 points from ten games, while Russia had 21 points from ten games.
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CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: CAN OBLAK STOP SALAH?

Atletico Madrid shot stopper Jan Oblak is widely seen as the best goalkeeper in world football and the Slovenia goalkeeper will most likely have his work cut out when he faces Liverpool attacker Mohamed Salah who’s at the peak of his powers at the moment. Slovenia national team skipper Oblak and his Egyptian counterpart Salah will face each other when Spanish La Liga champions Atletico Madrid play hosts to Liverpool in the Champions League on Tuesday night.

While Slovenia shot stopper Oblak and his Atletico Madrid teammates were not in leagueaction over the weekend, Salah was netting a world class goal against Watford in the Premier League to add to the one that he scored in the 2-2 home draw with defending champions Manchester City in the same competition. Continue reading

GROUP H: SLOVENIA DROP TO FOURTH

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Slovenia are down to fourth place on the Group H standings after their latest World Cup 2022 qualifier, a 3-0 thrashing at the hands of hosts Croatia. The Slovenians missed out on the opportunity to close the gap on the top two teams in the group namely leaders Croatia and second-placed Russia.

The latest set of World Cup 2022 qualifiers in Group H started with Slovenia in third place and three points off the top two of Croatia and Russia. Slovakia, Cyprus and Malta are the other three teams in the group. Continue reading

ATLETICO WIN JESUS GIL TROPHY

Spanish La Liga champions Atletico Madrid began preseason by winning the Jesus Gil Memorial trophy. The Jesus Gil Memorial trophy is named after the former, controversial and longtime Atletico Madrid president, Jesus Gil.

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In their first preseason this summer, Atletico Madrid saw off Numancia via penalties to win the Jesus Gil Memorial trophy. Atletico Madrid and Numancia played out a 1-1 drawbefore the La Liga champions won 5-4 during the penalty shootout in the friendly encounter played last week Wednesday.
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OBLAK BAGS LA LIGA AWARD

Atletico Madrid shot stopper Jan Oblak has been rewarded for his stellar season with his club after he won the La Liga Player of the Year accolade ahead of both Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi and teammate Luis Suarez. The Slovenia goalkeeper was a regular in the Atletico Madrid starting XI as they saw off city rivals Real Madrid to win their first league title in seven years.

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Slovenia shot stopper Oblak finished the season as the best goalkeeper in the Spanish top flight, conceding just 25 goals in 38 appearances in the league. The Slovenia national team player was able to fend off the great Messi to win the Player of the Year award. Argentine international Messi was a consistent performer in the Barcelona team that struggled evidently without the excellent attacking output from Messi who scored 30 times in La Liga to win the Pichichi for a record eight times.The little magician played 35 times for his Catalan team in the league.
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ATLETICO EXTEND LA LIGA LEAD

Atletico Madrid have extended their lead at the top of the La Liga standings following the slender win over Real Sociedad at home. The two teams met at the new Wanda Metropolitano Stadium and it was the league leaders that secured the win needed to go close to winning the league title for the first time in seven years.

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League leaders Atletico Madrid started the season as third favourites for the La Liga title behind both Real Madrid and Barcelona but they have been able to amass more points than those two teams. Atletico Madrid have watched Barcelona and Real Madrid dominate the division in each of the last six seasons since they won the title at the end of the 2013/14 campaign and this season could finally be the time for the capital club.
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