What are the biggest expectations before the spring part of the Nike League? ŠPORT.sk summarized it in a few points.
It’s not like it used to be, the winter break lasts much shorter even in local conditions. The highest Slovak football competition is on the threshold of the spring season and will start in a really tempting way. By fighting the second with the first. Žilina, which – together with Trnava – is apparently the only one still chasing the sovereign Slovan Bratislava, will challenge the current champion.
No less, on the contrary, it can be even more dramatic at other poles of the table, where something is at stake. What will it all be about in the next course of the current Nike League season? ŠPORT.sk summarized the biggest expectations.
Who will be the champion?
The cards are dealt clearly. Slovan Bratislava is on its way to winning the 6th championship title in a row, which also confirms its dominance on the Slovak scene this season.
More than the preparation itself, the Slavists upset the level in the winter by playing a preparatory duel with the Russian Dinamo Moscow at the training camp in Qatar. This move caused a huge storm of resentment. Instead of an attractive confrontation with Slavia Prague, the Slovak champion finally played the 5th team of the Slovenian league NK Bravo.
news-item-description">The general before the spring part of the season, a different opponent than was originally agreed, the new successor of Aleksandar Čavrič with a controversial reputation, dissatisfaction with the staff and a heavy heart for Slavia Prague. After Saturday’s match with NK Bravo, ŠK Slovan Bratislava assistant coach Boris Kitka spoke.
Slovan will play on three fronts in the spring, in addition to the league, they will face the last 16 of the Conference League against the Austrian Sturm Graz and the Slovnaft Cup. In view of this, voices are being heard – also from within the club – about the insufficient strengthening of the staff.
There are two adepts who could still pursue Slovan. The question is whether it is just their wishful thinking. Žilina, losing 7 points to the leading position, weakened in the winter, at least on paper. Under Dubň, they can pull young talents out of the hat, but it is very difficult to predict what it will be enough for in the spring.
news-item-description">The Slovak football club MŠK Žilina is shortly before agreeing on one of the biggest deals in recent times. The talented Ghanaian football player Henry Addo is to head to Israel, where he will become a Maccabi Tel Aviv player and a really big package of money will travel to Dubeň.
Trnava has a stabilized cadre with above-standard quality by Slovak standards. In her case, winning a place in the cup seems very real. Much less a title attack. Spartak loses 9 points to the leading position, although this in itself might not be an insurmountable obstacle. If a miracle does not happen and he plays for the title in the extension, he will meet Slovan three more times.
news-item-description">The people of Trnava would like to return to Košice this season. To a stadium that really wants them. Although everything could have been peaceful otherwise.
Who will advance to the superstructure for the title?
Behind the leading three, the situation is incredibly tight. Up to four teams have an identical number of points (29), while only three can enter the elite superstructure! To make matters worse, the entanglement is accentuated even more by the fact that the entire quartet – Podbrezová, Trenčín, Banská Bystrica and Dunajská Streda – is identical in the truth table (+2).
The four rounds that remain until the end of the regular season offer quite a few combinations of how things could turn out in the end. There will also be battles between the teams involved. Don’t forget that it doesn’t have to be just about these four. Just as it can narrow over time, it can even expand.
Ružomberok and Skalica lurk in the background. Their position in relation to attacking the top six is not comfortable, but not completely hopeless either. At the moment, Liptáci lose 7 points, Záhoráci 8 points. There are still 12 left in the game for each team in the regular season.
Who will be eliminated and who will go to the playoffs?
The fight for survival looks to be a three-team affair. It may or may not be so. Košice, Michalovce and Zlaté Moravce will play for sure in the extra stage for survival. However, there will be another 10 rounds in it, where things can easily get messy.
It is certain that no one wants to drop out. The clubs most affected by this made it clear over the winter. They were active in the transfer market and a large number of new player names were added to their squads. Although the Nike League is a European rarity at the moment, with only two teams without a win so far this season, it looks like that could soon change.
news-item-description">Among the UEFA member countries, playing the same model as in Slovakia, there are 11 others in which one of the teams has not been able to win even once. However, each time it is only one league team.
While the race for the title has a clear favorite, the fight for places in the elite superstructure and for salvation is absolutely open. We are waiting for another fight.
Who will be the top scorer?
The highest Slovak competition has been missing a bomber who could score 20 or more goals in one season for 5 years. Although in recent years Nikola Krstovič and before that Dawid Kurminowski were not far from it, the last one to do it is Andraž Šporar. In the 2018/19 season, he equaled the record of the entire league with 29 accurate hits, the same feat was achieved by Róbert Semeník in the past.
Even this year, it doesn’t look like much to conquer the 20-goal goal. In addition, the shooting competition will suffer with the departures of Aleksandar Čavrič and Dávid Ďuriš. The biggest favorite is currently the 10-goal captain of Banská Bystrica, Róbert Polievka, who will be chased by Dávid Strelec from Slovan, the author of 8 goals.
Another Bystrica-Slavonic duo Martin Rymarenko – Tigran Barsejgan (both 7 goals) can speak to the fight for the crown of the king of scorers. Michaloviec leader Matúš Marcin (6) should attack at least a double-digit goal.
Who will be the biggest personality in the league?
If he is available, Vladimír Weiss Jr. will decide. Unfortunately, health complications are too common in his case. Wine producers could probably be inspired by the name Juraj Kucka. The pillar of Slovan, who will celebrate his 37th birthday at the end of February, showed in the autumn that he still has a lot to offer not only to the club, but also to the Slovak national team. If nothing unforeseen happens, we will probably see him at the European Championship in Germany in the summer.
After embarrassing performances, Tigran Barseghan also takes over the baton in Slovan. Great expectations will be on the shoulders of the new signing, the controversial Luxembourger Gerson Rodrigues.
news-item-description">Slovan Bratislava last week strengthened the Luxembourg striker Gerson Rodrigues, who is facing several serious charges, including domestic violence against his ex-girlfriend.
Róbert Polievka, whose (non)transfer saga also resonated this winter, will fight for a place at the EURO in the spring. Žilina, Trnava, Trenčín and others have players with significant potential and representative experience in their ranks, Dunajská Streda attracted reinforcements with an interesting football resume. The club from Žitné ostrov moves on the edge of the top six, which definitely does not correspond to its ambitions and possibilities. That is why he needs a strong personality and a game leader who will take the whole team to higher goals.
The creative Croatian Andrija Balič, who strengthened Zlaté Moravce, has a past in Dunajskostre. A numerous Georgian strike also went to the same address. Another player who left a significant mark in the DAC will probably return to the league – the representative of Panama, Eric Davis, should strengthen Košice.
2024-02-06 16:25:00
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