Youth football is back! Starting tomorrow, the older boys and cadets of NK Olimpija Ljubljana are returning to the competitive rhythm. The youths will play for points for the first time this year on Monday.
U19
The youth team began preparations for the spring on Friday, January 10. The first few days were spent testing players, which showed the U19 selection’s professional staff the state in which the boys returned to the training process. During the break, they trained according to individual plans, and quite a few of them spent 14 days working with the member team in preparations in Spain.
Most of the training sessions were then conducted in Jama on artificial grass, and between January 20th and 24th, the young Dragons went to Medulin for preparations, where they had excellent working conditions and bonded even more as a team.
The friendly match played in Croatia against the leading team of the local championship, Lokomotiva from Zagreb, ended goalless. Upon returning home, the Olimpija youth team played against NK Brinje on the same day. This was followed by matches against NK Radomlje, NK Sesvete, NK Istra and the NK Škofja Loka member team.
During the winter transfer window, several boys left the youth selection. Tafoski, Imeraj, Pauković, Petrov and Lakić left. Husić (Brinje) and Ceferin (Bravo) arrived, as well as numerous cadets who will be joined by the older generation. These are Henjak, Dobrnjič, Mohorovičić, Baltič, Zver and Hočevar. The goalkeeper position was strengthened by Tijan Vasić. U15 goalkeepers Patrik Jeran and Lan Ambrož also occasionally train with the U19 selection.
The juniors will play their first spring round on Monday, when they will play away in Nova Gorica.
U17
The cadets started their work in the new year three days later, on January 13th. They completed five quality weeks of work. They also spent 5 days in Medulin. The team has been rejuvenated considerably, as the aforementioned boys have joined the youth team, while Botonjić, Jekovec, Varmaz Plava and Ljubičić have left. Among the newcomers are goalkeeper Jeran, midfielder Vučković and strikers Rus and Lungu.
The cadet squad, led by Armin Alibegović, played matches with Rudeš, Istra and Šenčur during the break. The result was not in the foreground, but all the boys got a chance to play. At the beginning of spring, Olimpija has three demanding matches ahead of them. Tomorrow, the green and whites will be visiting Domžale, then Celje will be visiting Ljubljana, followed by the eternal derby.
U15 Team
The older boys, who finished the fall in first place (38 points), held their first training session of the year on January 13th, followed by a match with Primorje over the weekend and a trip to Medulin for preparations. There, the U15 team, strengthened by Aron Vučič (Koper) in anticipation of the second part of the season, played against Istra.
Admir Krupić’s wards defeated Šenčur in the general classification, having previously played against Rudeš, Croatian Gorica and Slovenska Bistrica. Like the cadets, the older boys will first play against Domžale, Celje and Maribor in 2025.
