ŽNK Ljubljana: Slovenian cup winners fighting back

ŽNK Ljubljana: Slovenian cup winners fighting

By Sports.

Background

Katja Turk, as captain of ŽNK Ljubljana, played a key role in the team's victory in the Pivovarna Union Cup. Her skills and leadership are invaluable to the team as they strive to gain recognition on the domestic and European women's soccer scene. This success may also influence her future in the Slovenian national team.

Why is it important

ŽNK Ljubljana's victory in the Pivovarna Union Cup is not only a historic moment for the club, but also an important step towards increasing the visibility of women's football in Slovenia. Defeating ŽNK Mura Nona, the country's most successful team, highlights the growing competition in women's football. This achievement may attract the attention of sponsors and the media, which is crucial for the further development of the club.

Key points

• ŽNK Ljubljana: Slovenian cup winners fighting back.
• ŻNK Ljubljana, founded by four players dissatisfied with their previous club conditions, won their first major trophy by defeating ŽNK Mura Nona in the Pokal Pivovarna Union.
• ŽNK Ljubljana: The Slovenian cup winners fighting for stability - Yahoo Sports.

Some clubs are born out of rebellion. ŻNK Ljubljana was founded when four players decided that the conditions offered to them in their current club were insufficient, and the only way to change it was to start all over again. Four years later, their club defeated the previously dominant Slovenian team at the national stadium and won their first major trophy. After training at another club, the four players agreed that the management, conditions and relationships around the team had collapsed. "One of us just said, what if we started our own club?" – said ŽNK Ljubljana co-founder Luicija Grad. They presented this idea to the other players. They all followed. Four years later, at the Stožice Stadium, ŽNK Ljubljana defeated ŽNK Mura Nona 1-0 and won the Pivovarna Union Cup for the first time. The final of the Pivovarna Union Cup - the Slovenian women's football cup - was goalless until the last minutes. Team captain Katja Turk chased a long ball past Mura Nona's goalkeeper Emillie Tess Gavillet and scored. The VAR referees checked the situation. The goal was allowed. On the other side of the pitch, Grad – one of four players to start Ljubljana in 2021 – played the entire match in goal. As reported in the match report of NZS, the Slovenian football association, she was credited with three significant interventions. However, this victory has its own story. Mura Nona is the most successful team in the cup's history, with eleven trophies won, and was the defending champion having won the cup in the two previous years. According to NZS, Mura Nona has not lost a single match this season and has not lost a single point in the league games. ŽNK Ljubljana also did not lose any cup matches, but played in the final against a team that was much better in the league. Mura Nona won all their matches against Ljubljana this season, including one of five at the beginning of the season, winning 5-1. The final was a clash of two teams, in which one of them clearly dominated the other, but in the final the second team, ŽNK Ljubljana, scored one goal in the 85th minute and defended the result until the end of the match. But this victory did not solve the club's more difficult problems. No general sponsor, no permanent stadium, the club's activities are based on volunteers and no participation in European competitions. UEFA Champions League places in Slovenia are awarded on the basis of league competitions, and ŽNK Ljubljana did not win the title this year, so they did not qualify for European competitions, even if they won the cup, they would not be entitled to play in European competitions. The Slovenian champions, Mura Nona, will play in the qualifications for the UEFA Champions League in the 2025/2026 and 2026/2027 seasons. Meanwhile, ŽNK Ljubljana is still struggling with financial problems. As Grad says, most of the funds supporting the club come from private sources, i.e. from family and friends, and the club does not have any sponsor who would be interested in supporting it on a larger scale. "Visibility is key here. Women's football in Slovenia does not enjoy the same visibility and media interest as men's football. We only have one league in which women play at the highest level, and there is still a kind of taboo regarding women's football in our country," Grad noted. In the new 2023/2024 season, ŻNK Ljubljana will have to face Mura Nona in the league, and the two teams will not meet in the cups, because Mura Nona is currently the only team in Slovenia that has the right to play in European cups. For ŽNK Ljubljana, results will be key, but as Grad says, not only results count. The quality of training in youth clubs is also important, it is important that there is a good atmosphere in the club and that the players feel good in the club. And all this, he says, should bring results in the form of better visibility of the club and finally finding a general sponsor who will support the club financially.

What next

After winning the cup, ŽNK Ljubljana will have to focus on financial and organizational stability. Challenges such as the lack of a permanent stadium and limited visibility could impact the club's future. The team, with captain Katja Turk at the helm, has a chance to further develop and strengthen its position in Slovenian women's football.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened with ŽNK Ljubljana?

ŽNK Ljubljana won their first Pivovarna Union Cup, defeating ŽNK Mura Nona 1-0 at Stadion Stožice.

Who confirmed the founding of the ŽNK Ljubljana club?

The founding of the club was confirmed by co-founder Luicija Grad, who described how four players decided to create a new club.

Why is ŽNK Ljubljana successful now?

ŽNK Ljubljana is successful four years after its foundation, when the players decided to change the conditions in women's football in Slovenia.

What changes have occurred in the ŽNK Ljubljana team?

The ŽNK Ljubljana team was created on the initiative of four players, who wanted to improve the conditions in their current club.

What were ŽNK Mura Nona's achievements before the match against ŽNK Ljubljana?

ŽNK Mura Nona was the defending champion, having won the Pivovarna Union Cup in the previous two years and has not lost a single match this season.

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