The last international break of this calendar year is underway before the important conclusion of the first part of the season. Before the winter break, the Dragons face, among others, the league’s eternal derby and a cup match against Celje. We used this short break from competitive obligations to talk with the club’s president Adam Delius, who commented on current club happenings both on and off the pitch.
Federico Bessone took over the team in September. Although the desired results are not yet there, progress in the game is visible. How do you see his work so far?
We are very satisfied with his work. Mr. Bessone took on the responsibility during a difficult period. He is a coach who immediately brought energy to the team with the aim of rebuilding the players’ confidence. He is a coach who advocates modern football and has a clear vision. We are convinced that Mr. Bessone will be the one to win trophies with Olimpija.
We are approaching the halfway point of the season. What are the goals and ambitions that we at Olimpija want to fulfill by the end of May?
We entered the 2025/26 season with great euphoria. We believed we had assembled one of the best teams in Olimpija’s history. The goal was to defend the national championship title and take a step forward in UEFA European competitions. However, reality has shown that football, despite all efforts, can be very cruel. It’s not the time to look for reasons in injuries, coaches, and so on. Today we know why we are where we are. Just like after every football match, when all experts quickly find reasons why a match was won or lost. As said – after the match. But the essence remains the same: at Olimpija, you must win. Here, we all have only victory in our minds and hearts. Olimpija means this: This is us, and we win! As long as there is a mathematical possibility, we will believe that we can become champions. Olimpija has no other goal and will not have any other goal. Whoever works for Olimpija or plays for Olimpija must have only one thought: we are winners and we win.
Many new faces strengthened the team during the summer transfer window. How do you assess their contribution and adaptation to Slovenian football?
Our new reinforcements are meeting the expectations we had for them. The process of adapting to a higher level of play is still ongoing. Unfortunately, some players got injured or returned injured from their national teams, which didn’t make the situation easier. Patience was needed, and will be needed in the future.
Today, it’s clear that Veljko Jelenkoviฤ is a top-class central defender. Joลกt Urbanฤiฤ has also developed into a key player since he no longer has problems with injuries. I would be surprised if he hasn’t been on Mr. Kek’s radar for a long time. Currently, he is by far the best full-back in the Slovenian league. Dimitar Mitrovski has recovered from his injury and has shown in recent matches what he is capable of.
I’d like to remind you that even Raul Florucz wasn’t in the best physical condition when he arrived at Olimpija. When he started to progress, an injury followed, but after a year he rose again and literally exploded. That’s football – time solves problems, and those who work hard are rewarded for it in the end. All our new players have the potential to become Olimpija’s next big stories.
What kind of personnel picture can we expect in the second part of the season?
Olimpija has a large squad that was assembled in terms of player numbers for playing at a European rhythm. After the early exit from Europe, it’s clear that we will have to reduce it somewhat. Players whose contracts are expiring, and those whose approach is currently not right, have only a short time to prove themselves in training and matches. In December, we will inform some players and their agents that their contracts will not be extended and that the players are available for transfer. All players have the quality to stay and the opportunity to earn a new contract. It depends only on them whether they will prove themselves for an extension or look for a new club. We are prepared for any decision, and in January we will announce who will not continue their careers at our club.
After a short break, the first team is training again on the auxiliary pitch in Stoลพice. What are the training conditions like?
ล port Ljubljana has put a lot of effort into improving training conditions. The training pitch in Stoลพice is in good condition, and in spring, with the help of better weather conditions, we will train on an even higher quality surface. Unfortunately, the main pitch in Stoลพice is overloaded, which presents a serious problem. We simply have to accept this, no matter how difficult it is to play on it.
The youth academy is recording excellent results this season. How do you assess the work in Jama?
The good results that our academy is achieving are the result of work we started more than three years ago. Today, Olimpija shows what can be achieved if you have a plan and persistently work according to it. All employees in the academy ‘live’ their work – this can be seen and felt. It’s already clear that we have some great talents. These players already have professional contracts, and some of them have already been included in the first team by Mr. Bessone.
We still face many challenges, including infrastructural ones. These have not been forgotten, but we will tackle them only when certain conditions are met (especially regarding land). For now, it seems that the implementation of such a project would be possible at the earliest in one or two years.
Before the match with Primorje, the club organized a business event ‘When Football Meets Business’, while in recent years the club’s commercial growth has been visible. How do you assess Olimpija’s marketing side and what opportunities is the club looking for in the future?
Olimpija is a brand – a huge sleeping dragon that has awakened. The work of our marketing team is constantly improving and reaching an ever-wider audience. 250 entrepreneurs responded to the first mentioned event. Our goal was to show companies that they can stand by their club, just like many fans do. We believe that Olimpija can become an even bigger club only if entrepreneurs from Ljubljana stand by it and if there is a strong connection in our community. Olimpija has never had an event where guests stayed until midnight, having fun and discussing. In addition to surprises and a rich program, the evening was complemented by our head coach, who greeted the guests after the match and answered numerous questions. A wonderful event, after which the guests went home thinking: “My club won”.
The next match on the schedule is the eternal derby. What are the expectations?
The eternal derby is and remains the match of all matches in Slovenia. Maribor is statistically the favorite, as the league table shows, but the derby writes its own story. Numerous fans from Ljubljana will come to the match to support their team. The Green Dragons will be present in large numbers and will support the team as the twelfth player. Olimpija certainly isn’t going to Maribor with the intention of losing – we’re coming for three points. That’s our goal!
