30 points, as many as they have already collected for ten wins and one defeat in this year’s season of the national championship, is the second best result of any club after 11 rounds. In 1991, Maribor had 31 points after adding one draw to ten wins.
Purple had an outstanding start to the 1999/2000 and 2012/13 seasons, when they won 29 points each in the opening 11 matches (nine wins and two draws).
Until the 30th point, the people of Ljubljana yesterday afternoon in They did not come to the cones as easily as many would have expected. Sežanski Tabor lost 2:0, but the result no it reflects the true relationship on the field. They are from Karšev in in the opening 20 minutes, they hit the goal frame twice, and in the entire match they prepared more shots than the hosts (7:8).
Riera: Lately we always play against five defenders
“It’s sometimes difficult to play after international matches. Even when I played myself, it was like that. We were a little late in pressing and passing and slow with the ball. There are things we need to improve, but no it is about the approach or preparation for the match. About that no I’m complaining. The players wanted” emphasized the Olimpija coach Albert Riera.
He pointed out that the performance always depends on the team on the other side of the field. “Our rivals also know how to play. They prepare well and do good things. Lately, we always play against five defenders. We will have to pay more attention to this kind of play in training. We are trying to improve and give our rivals less chances.”
The Spaniard is aware that no everything will always go according to plan. “It’s normal that sometimes the match isn’t the best. But I don’t remember that we’ve had any really bad matches so far. Maybe the worst was the one against Tabor in Reminiscent of when we played in 40 degrees Celsius in July and were a little sleepy. But I’ll sign immediately if we play badly and get three points.”
It was a break for Riera in something special to the championship. Last Saturday, he attended the friendly match between the legends of Liverpool and Manchester United (2:1) at Anfield. As is known, he wore the jersey between 2008 and 2010 orders.
“I was a trade. And I didn’t complain (laughs). It’s been a pleasant two weeks. After two intense months, we needed to rest a little and disconnect. Both mentally and physically. We haven’t seen the boys for three or four days, but this week we have been preparing very well, just like the others. No matter who we play against, we always prepare in the same way.”
Rui Pedro recalled why he once wore the Porto jersey
The 24-year-old Portuguese scored twice against Tabor Rui Pedro, has hit the net four times in the last four meetings. A promising former member of Porto who is about to arrive in He played in Ljubljana in mid-August in the second Portuguese league, is becoming an increasingly important member of the team.
“He came here to score goals. It’s good that we have a lot of players who can shake the net and play in different positions,” Riera said.
His partner is also satisfied in attack Mustafa Nukićwho wore the captain’s armband, as Timi Max Alder tree after the national team tour in Sweden, he only played the last half hour: “I think that with Rui we work together very well. But it is true that sometimes he plays on the wing and sometimes with me in attack spikes. We will certainly have to work harder because it will in in the future, even more teams played against us with five defenders. We will have to coordinate some movements and other things even better. Otherwise, we have such a quality that someone always stands out. Today was it Ruinext time it might be someone else.”
Pintol for the first time without conceding a goal
On the other hand, Olimpija kept a clean sheet for the first time since August 20 in defense. Young goalkeeper Denis Pintolwho defends instead of the injured Matevža Vidovskawent scoreless for the first time in game five and earned praise from Riera, but no only for what was done against Tabor.
“Pintol in my opinion, he was already at a high level in previous matches. Nobody no can say that we are in They lost Celje because of him. We conceded a lot of goals, nine in four games, but no because of his mistakes. He defended well today, but it was the same before. The good thing for me is that we have two good goalkeepers. A lot we are satisfied with it. He himself is aware that he is doing well in okay.”
Seerwho had a broken wrist, is expected to return to the greens soon after more than a month’s absence, although Riera did not want to predict this more precisely: “He will decide for himself when he is ready to return, based on his feelings. It is important that he is not afraid. It is the kind of injury where he could be afraid. He is our first goalkeeper, and when he is ready, he will come back in door.”
“You have to win, even when no goes”
Nukićthe top scorer with six goals green and whitethis time he failed to score. “It was a very demanding match, like every other. Throughout the 90 minutes I was looking for my position and space. I only got one good chance in the second half, but the ball bounced a little. The opponent prepared well for us and disabled our players in connecting lines. They covered us well. It is difficult for us forwards when we play against five defenders. You have to win matches like this, even when no it goes.”
The Olympia football players dedicated the victory to a member of the Green fan group who died a few days ago Dragons Matej Brčanwho was also remembered with a minute of silence before the start of the match and with a large banner in the stands.
And what Nukić says to 30 points in 11 games? “Fantastic. I’m very proud to be part of this team. I want us to continue learning from the coach, to continue like this and to try to do something for the city and the fans. For Olimpija to finally get back to where it belongs.”
Despite the excellent results, Ljubljana is more than obvious no breathes with the club. One week after the national team spectacle in front of full stands against Norway and two weeks before the derby against Maribor, Olimpija’s tenth victory in accompanied by 1200 spectators. Sad, but nothing what unusual for Slovenian metropolis.
Kosić: We don’t lack much
Camp is a month ago in Ljudské vrti also tormented Maribor (2:2), then lost at home against Gorica (1:3) and Koper (0:2), now suffered another, third consecutive defeat.
Coach Dušan Kosić despite the negative streak, he is an optimist at the meeting in Stožicah missed only one point: “We wanted to be competitive and we were. We stood well on the pitch, maybe it was our best game so far in terms of discipline in game and homogeneity of the team. We knew we were going to have our moments in attack, we had a lot of them, we played well, but we didn’t take advantage of them. In defense, we were late twice in the entire match and Olimpija punished it. We’re kind of spinning all the time in circle and it is not easy or pleasant for us as far as the results are concerned. As for the work process, I have no fantas what to blame, even foreigners who previously played at a lower level are improving. We have a really good ‘team’, no I know when it will work out for us. We don’t lack much.”
Goalkeeper and captain Jan Koprivec he added: “We’re rising in game, although the outcomes of it no they show I think we are today in beat Olympia in the first half. It was not seen that they are the first and we are the last in the ranking.”
Source: Rtvslo
