Lan Vidmar on insights after this year’s debut in Europe: “It’s like gladiatorial games, as every match you don’t go into 100% you lose”

Published on 1. August 2024 1. August 2024

Photo: Žan Pak

At the beginning of the calendar year, he was still a member of the club from 2. SNL, but now with Maribor, he is aiming for qualification for European competitions. Lan Vidmar probably never imagined that such a great opportunity and the trust of the head coach would come his way in such a short time, and he has managed to capitalize on both so far.

With the absence of his defensive partner Sven Šoštarič Karič, Vidmar will command the Maribor defense this time, although he himself has some shoulder issues that he does not allow to hinder his progress. “”Since I was little, I have had certain problems with my shoulder, and I can say that I am already used to it. With training and an individual program, I try to strengthen the shoulder joint with additional exercises. On top of that, due to my clumsiness, I have added some falls, which sometimes complicates the situation even more. When it happens that it ‘pops out’, the pain in my shoulder is unbearable for a few days. But I don’t skip a single minute of training and I don’t allow such issues to hinder me on my football journey.””

“”A two-goal difference is a nice advantage, as it was a hard-fought victory against a tough opponent. We approached the match with due respect for the hosts, but determined to win. Our intention is clear. Maribor is not going to Romania to defend! If we play like we did in the first match, I believe in a positive outcome,”” Vidmar added.

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The 22-year-old is facing foreign opponents for the first time this season, who know how to punish any moment of thoughtlessness. “”The first realizations are that every European match is a ‘fight’. It’s like gladiatorial games, as you lose every duel you don’t go into 100%. The 180 minutes against Botev showed that in European competitions, every moment of distraction is punished. If you miss an intervention, a goal is very likely to follow. For quite a few players, it was about gaining experience, and then we were much better prepared to face the Romanians than we were against the Bulgarians.””

Vidmar: “”Against Botev, our mistakes were decisive; now we must minimize them to a minimum””

“”You train to play such matches. We are looking forward to the challenge ahead. In Craiova, they have an exceptional stadium, and I believe that a football celebration awaits in front of a large number of spectators, which brings even more motivation. Our mistakes against Botev were decisive; now we must minimize them to a minimum or completely eliminate them and prevent the opponents’ attempts. We all need to be at a high level, and above all, completely focused from the first to the last minute,”” concluded the Maribor player.”

This text was automatically translated using AI.

Author: editorial Football Planet