The Slovak football champion Slovan Bratislava will play on Wednesday from 20:15 on the lawn of the Slovenian Celje with the aim of winning a promising result in the rematch.
Photo: TASR, Martin Baumann
Slovan’s coach Vladimír Weiss sees the chances of both teams advancing to the 3rd preliminary round at 50:50.
Trainer Vladimír Weiss sr. after arriving at the match venue, he did not hide his respect for the opponent, but also his confidence in his own team.
“We are facing a good team. It is no coincidence that Celje is the champion of Slovenia. I appreciate and respect the opponent because he has quality, but we will do our best for a favorable result,” the club website quoted the Whites’ captain as saying.
Weiss announced that he sees 3-4 distinct individuals in the opponent’s team that decide the matches. He had in mind the defender Karničnik, who showed himself in an excellent light at the European Championships, but also Matka. Tigran Barsejgan also traveled with the Slovan team, who missed the double match with Struga due to injury.
“He has been with the team for three days, but he is not yet ready to start from the beginning of the match, but he could probably start during the match. The others are healthy and ready for this duel,” revealed Weiss.
Goalkeeper Dominik Takáč, whom Slovan hired after advancing through Struga, is also ready. In his new place of work, he will form a pair with Martin Trnovský, but Weiss did not reveal which of them will be in goal on Wednesday. Before the first match, he also analyzed the opponent:
“As Celje has quality above, so do we. It can be decided in the center or on the regions where the opponent is very strong. It’s hard to say what will be key, I’m not a prophet to guess. I believe in my team, but at the same time I respect the opponent.”
Slavists expect approximately 700 supporters in Celje. “We are playing in a very nice, typically English stadium. The grass is excellent, even despite the rain. It will depend on us how we prepare. The chances are 50:50 on both sides, both teams want to advance, and it will show on Wednesday. We are glad that people are traveling to see us, we are looking forward to the match. I believe it will be a good duel with a favorable ending, so that we have a chance to decide at home,” stated Vladimír Weiss senior.
The match will have a special flavor for Kenan Bajrič, who will present himself in his home country: “Celje has its quality, it won a tough competition. I still have pleasant memories of this stadium from my previous experience. I always look forward to playing in Slovenia, I always feel very good here. I’m glad that our fans will also come to see us.”
The NK Celje team entered the new season of the Slovenian league over the weekend. In its 1st round, NK Bravo was defeated 2:1, when Aljoša Matko and Armnadas Kučys scored with the winning goal in the 89th minute.
The duel will be led by referee Darren England from England. The rematch will take place a week later on Wednesday, July 30 at 8:30 p.m. at the Tehelno poli. In case of promotion, Slovan will play against the winner of the APOEL Nicosia – FC Petrocub Hincesti double match. If he is eliminated, the worse of the two Shamrock Rovers – Sparta Prague awaits him in the 3rd preliminary round of the championship branch of the European League.
Source: sportweb.pravda.sk
