Sunday is the day for the 158th eternal derby: Maribor is flying on the wings of 25 games without defeat, but now the invincible dragons from Ljubljana are coming
Photo: DALL-E
Exciting days for Slovenian football continue. Among the matches of the final round of the European qualifications, the 158th edition of the eternal derby is scheduled for Sunday. At first glance, it might not come at the best time, as both Maribor and Olimpija are also focused on Djurgården and Rijeka. However, both clubs are in very good form. In the Prva Liga Telemach, Maribor has not been defeated since November 12, 2023 (by Celje). True, the statistics also record a victory for Mura, but they were awarded three points off the pitch. On the field, Maribor has remained unbeaten in the 1. SNL for a long 25 matches!
Photo: Žan Pak
However, now the unbeaten Olimpija is coming to Ljudski vrt, where the match will kick off at 17:30. Under the new coach Victor Sanchez, Olimpija is playing really well and is as solid as ever. In the 10 matches with the dragons from Ljubljana, Victor Sanchez has not lost a single one. Under his leadership, Olimpija has only conceded more than one goal once, and goalkeeper Matevž Vidovšek has kept a clean sheet 7 times in 900 minutes. Olimpija is highly competitive, which is a great sign for their fans ahead of this derby.
The statistics before the 158th eternal derby, which will be officiated by David Šmajc, reveal that Maribor is unbeaten in three consecutive matches against Olimpija. The violet team has won all three matches. Olimpija last celebrated a victory less than a year ago (September 2023), and they have not won at Ljudski vrt for more than two years (August 2022). Since 2009, when Olimpija returned to the top tier of Slovenian football, the green-and-whites have only celebrated 5 league derby wins in the capital of Styria, while suffering 14 defeats.
Photo: Žan Pak
Both clubs are entering the match without any suspended players, except for Damjan Ošlaj, Maribor’s assistant coach. On the other hand, both teams are dealing with some injuries. Olimpija is currently without Dino Kojić and Reda Boultam, while Justas Lasickas is playing with a broken nose. Maribor will miss Hillal Soudani, who always performs well in big matches, and there is a question of whether veteran Josip Iličić has enough strength for three intense matches in a week.
In short, let the 158th eternal derby begin! And may it be another exceptional showcase for Slovenian football, which has been thriving since Euro 2024…
Photo: Nik Moder / Sportida
This text was automatically translated using AI.
Author: editorial Football Planet
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1. SNL
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