Kenan Bajrić in an interview for Football Planet: “The feeling is truly different when you win the title after so many years and lift the whole of Ljubljana to its feet”
Photo: Vid Ponikvar / Sportida
When he was already preparing to leave for Celje, he received a call and responded. Kenan Bajrić, before the tough away match of Slovan in the princely city, where they managed to escape unscathed despite playing with a man down, took time for Football Planet. The former member of Olimpija and occasional Slovenian national team player spoke with our journalist Nik Brumen about the possible return of Andraž Šporar to the Slovakian capital, Slovenia’s performances at Euro 2024, and the time when he was considering that there might be no place for him in the Bratislava pride team.
As we understand, you once mentioned that you would like to wear the Olimpija jersey again. However, after winning the title last season, you extended your contract with Slovan; does this mean you want to stay in Bratislava before returning to Ljubljana, or is there another stop planned in between?
That’s correct, I signed a new contract because I am happy here, and the club is satisfied with me. I think returning to Olimpija is not in the plan at the moment because I would like to spend a bit more time abroad. We will see where my football journey takes me, whether I will still be a member of Slovan when I return to Ljubljana, or if I will end up somewhere else.
Are you surprised that you have such an important, almost key role in Slovan again? We ask this because you were loaned to Pafos for two years before. It’s not very common to be loaned to the same club for such a long time…
If you had asked me when I was on loan at Pafos whether I would return to Slovan, I would have said that I didn’t see myself in the Slovakian capital anymore because I was on loan for two years. During that time, many things changed, from the squad to other aspects, but when I returned, I evidently made a good impression during preparations and performed well enough in the previous season to be included in the league’s ideal eleven. Consequently, this led to a rather unusual situation in football, but I was satisfied with it, as were the head coach and everyone else.
Is it better to win a national title with Olimpija after 21 years or to win serially in the Slovakian league?
It’s hard to choose. With Olimpija, it was a truly different feeling, winning the title after so many years and being part of the team that achieved it, lifting the whole of Ljubljana to its feet. While at Slovan, there is no other way; winning the title is a must, as nothing else matters here because then we can compete for Europe and participate in the most elite club competitions. Here, you simply have to win; there is no other option. On the other hand, Olimpija had several turbulent years before that, so that title was something unique. In Bratislava, the title is celebrated every year as if it’s the first, with a big event organized, fans celebrating with us, and this celebration brings great joy to us, the players.
Do you still follow Olimpija’s matches or the Slovenian national championship in general?
Of course. I follow every Olimpija match whenever I can, or the Slovenian league in general if I can find the time because this is where I took my first football steps and played for quite some time, so the league is also very interesting to me.
What was your relationship like with Darko Milanič? Given that you were first rivals and then you worked under his leadership?
That’s true. I didn’t expect him to come to Slovan, and I didn’t know what to expect from him because we never had any contact before. I knew him as the coach of Maribor, as a rival from the eternal derbies. But when he came to Slovan, we worked very well together because his coaching style suited me, so I went to Cyprus with him and spent another year there together, so we had a very good relationship. I liked his training and playing methods, and we remained very good friends.
Did you watch the last Euro? What do you think about the performances and achievements of the Slovenian national team and the pilgrimage of thousands of Slovenian fans to Germany?
I watched all the matches, of course. The Slovenian national team deserves all the praise for their performance because probably no one expected such an outcome before the championship, that we would be so close to advancing to the quarterfinals, if perhaps we had a bit more luck with the penalties. I can only say that they left me speechless because I think all the national team members gave their maximum. The fans also deserve praise; as far as I followed, the players said they felt like they were playing at home in every match. I also saw footage from the streets before and after the matches, for which I can once again only give praise.
What do you think about the final outcome of the whole championship?
I think Spain deservedly became the European champion in the end, showing consistent form throughout the championship. While other major teams fluctuated, they maintained a certain level.
You and Andraž Šporar shared the locker room at Olimpija and then at Slovan. Now there are talks that Andraž might return to Slovakia. How do you see this? Would you like to have him as a teammate again?
That’s right. Andraž and I spent quite some time together at Olimpija and then at Slovan before he went to Portugal to Sporting. Certainly, everyone would want to have such a player on their team; definitely, both the fans and I hope he returns to Bratislava if there is any chance, so I hope for a good outcome. If the transfer happens, I will have another friend here with whom I can spend time, so I hope it all works out and he returns to Slovan.
You were three Slovenians on the team for a while, and now you are the only one. Does it feel different?
The team composition changes from season to season. When we were three, Žan Medved and Alen Ožbolt were also here, but there are always some players from the Balkans on the team, so the atmosphere is very good because you are practically never alone, and there really isn’t a problem with that.
This text was automatically translated using AI.
Author: editorial Football Planet
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