Nusmir Fajic, Marcos Tavares, Agim Ibraimi, Zeljko Filipovic. Just four of the players out to shatter Maccabi's Champions League dream
That NK Maribor have for years dominated the domestic football scene in Slovenia is no coincidence. The champions of the Slovenian PrvaLiga have drawn to their ranks the best players in the country and with the help of a number of foreign talents have preserved their absolute footballing hegemony in this former Yugoslavian republic. Reason enough for tactical preparations ahead of Maccabi's Wednesday night first leg contest, and to start with an introduction to Maribor's key players.
Name: Agim Ibraimi
Position: left winger
Number: 10
One of the most notable players on the Maribor squad is the 25 year-old Macedonian international Agim Ibraimi, who this season returned from a year-long loan spell at Italian side Cagliari. Second only to striker Goran Pandev on the Macedonian national team and sporting a strong left foot that is capable of scoring from corners, this intense winger first appeared for Maribor in June of 2011 and immediately began to show his potential, racking up 22 goals and even more impressive 28 assists in his first two seasons. Subsequent interest from Serie A led to the loan spell at Cagliar, that with two goals and two assists produced only vague hints of the fireworks he created at Maribor. He returned after just one year.
Name: Marcos Tavares
Position: attacking midfielder/striker
Number: 9
Born thousands of miles from Slovenia, Maribor's Brazilian captain Marcos Tavares is no less of a legend at the club, and 17 goals in 45 European appearances for the Slovenian champions will tell you why. Like Ibraimi, Tavares is as much of a threat as provider as he is as goalscorer, though it was the latter ability that confounded Maccabi Haifa in their confrontation with Maribor in in 2011. Tavares' inestimable contribution in all areas to the club, including 118 goals in his last seven seasons, has made him master of the house at Maribor and his mere presence on the pitch is a considerable factor in the team's domestic and European success.
Name: Nusmir Fajic
Position: striker
Number: 17
Waiting for pin-point passes from Ibraimi and Tavares is the Bosnian striker Nusmir Fajic. The 6 foot 3 inch forward may appear a bit ungainly but his technical abilities and goalscoring acumen are varied and considerable. They resulted in 19 goals in all competitions last season, and he's sure to be looking to open this season's account at Maccabi's expense.
Name: Luka Zahovic
Position: striker
Number: 11
Son of one of Slovenia's greatest ever internationals Zlatko Zahovic, now director of football at Maribor, the 18 year-old Luka Zahovic has already demonstrated that under his father's close tutelage the apple hasn't fallen far from the tree. Twelve minutes on the pitch in last Saturday's matchweek two domestic contest between Maribor and NK Radomlje were enough for the young forward to score a brace in a dramatic game that ended in a 3-2 Maribor victory, providing yet more proof of his exceptional talent that the club now have at their disposal.
Name: Zeljko Filipovic
Position: striker
Number: 5
Behind the talented attacking talents of Maribor are holding midfielders whose task it is to watch their backs. Among them is the 25 year-old Slovenian Zeljko Filipovic, now in his fifth year at the club. Already a key figure in midfield, the 6 foot 4 inch Filipovic can drop back into central defence but protecting the back of midfield is his natural inclination. Though not a goalscorer by nature, he did manage to make Maribor's most important European strike last season. Not a work of art, mind you, but sending his side into the Europa League's round of 32 for the first time in their history will make it memorable far beyond its craft.
So, there you have it. Five reasons to hope that after all is said and done, Maccabi Tel Aviv will carry on with their dream of reaching the Champions League group stage and that these names, if remembered at all, can be filed away in the section "Fond memories of Maccabi's successful 2014/15 European campaign".
photograph courtesy of the official website of NK Maribor
