The 2010–11 season was the 51st season in the history of NK Maribor and the club's 20th consecutive season in the Slovenian PrvaLiga since the league's establishment in 1991. The team participated in the Slovenian PrvaLiga, Slovenian Football Cup, and UEFA Europa League. The season covers the period from 1 June 2010 to 31 May 2011. The club started and finished the season with Darko Milanič as head coach and were crowned the league champions for the ninth time. They were also runners-up of the Slovenian cup and supercup.
The club began their league campaign with a total of 37 points in their first 15 matches, during which time they were undefeated. This set the new all-time league record for the best start of the season, previously held by Domžale (35 points).
Season review The team played its opening match of the season in a Supercup final on 9 July 2010, when they lost against Koper after penalties (5–4). The score after regulation was 0–0. Maribor qualified for the final as a Slovenian Cup winner of the previous season. Traditionally, the Supercup final was played at a home stadium of the Slovenian champions, however, in this season it was played in Maribor, due to the construction of a new stadium in Koper at the time.
During their Europa League campaign, the club had a solid run and played a total of six matches in the competition. Their record was four wins, one draw and one defeat in matches against Videoton, Hibernian and Palermo. The team did particularly well on home field at the Ljudski vrt stadium as they recorded three wins in three matches with a goal difference of 9–2. However, that was not enough for progression as their only defeat came in the first leg of the play-off round against Palermo (3–0). In the second leg Maribor was winning against the Italian side 2–0 after 60 minutes of play, however, the match eventually finished with a 3–2 home victory which was not enough to progress into the main stage of the competition. After the match it was announced that Palermo had acquired Josip Iličić and Armin Bačinović, two of the top players during the club's Europa league campaign.
The club did extremely well during the 2010–11 PrvaLiga season as the team was in the league's top position after every round of the season, except after week two when they were second. Maribor was undefeated in the league up until the 21st round in March 2011, when they were defeated at home, by Gorica (3–1). Before that the team's score in the first 20 rounds was 14 wins and six draws. Eventually the team won their ninth league title with 75 points, eight more than second placed Domžale. Marcos Tavares, team captain, was the league's best scorer with 16 goals. In addition he was the club's best scorer during the season with 21 goals in all competitions. Tavares was also voted as the best player of the season by the players, the media and the fans. He scored one goal in the 2010–11 Cup season where the team reached the final that was played in late May 2011, at Stožice Stadium in Ljubljana against Domžale. In a spectacular match, which ended with the score of 4–3 after 90 minutes, Domžale prevailed and won their first ever Slovenian cup title. With the 2010–11 Slovenian league title, the club has won its 16th major title in its 20th season in Slovenian football.
Supercup
Slovenian League
Standings
Results summary
Results by round
Matches
Slovenian Cup
UEFA Europa League
Second qualifying round
Third qualifying round
Play-off round
Squad statistics
Key
Players No. = Shirt number Pos. = Playing position GK = Goalkeeper DF = Defender MF = Midfielder FW = Forward
Nationality = Brazil = Croatia = Slovenia
Competitions Apps = Appearances = Yellow card = Red card
+KeyThe player was selected in the official 2010–11 Slovenian PrvaLiga team of the season and was chosen as the league's MVPThe player was selected in the official 2010–11 Slovenian PrvaLiga team of the season♦The player was the top scorer in the respective competition
Appearances and goals Correct as of 29 May 2011, end of the 2010–11 season. Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality. The players squad numbers, playing positions, nationalities and statistics are based solely on match reports in Matches sections above and the official website of NK Maribor and the Slovenian PrvaLiga. Player in bold received the Purple Warrior trophy as the club's most valuable player, selected by the fans. Only the players, which made at least one appearance for the first team, are listed.
+List of Maribor players, who represented the team during the 2010–11 season, and displaying their statistics during that timeframeNo.Pos.NameAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsLeagueCupSupercupEuropa LeagueTotal2DF Matic Črnic0003DF Elvedin Džinić1100134DF Jovan Vidović0005MF Željko Filipović140186DF Martin Milec7DF Aleš Mejač1200001908MF Dejan Mezga 21032109FW Marcos Tavares 3316 ♦0462110MF Tomislav Pavličić150002111FW Dragan Jelić000011FW Etien Velikonja161912GK Marko Pridigar13000020013GK Matej Radan2400031014FW Vito Plut17002215DF Luka Krajnc0017FW Dalibor Volaš150251220MF Goran Cvijanović340004721MF Armin Bačinović00010022DF Nejc Potokar130015023DF Mitja Rešek00025MF Semir Spahić0026DF Aleksander Rajčević 290004227MF Josip Iličić1127FW Alen Ploj028DF Mitja Viler 350004829MF Timotej Dodlek29003432FW Robert Berić3003536DF Aleš Majer260032039FW David Bunderla000055MF Rajko Rep2603066DF Siniša Andjelković180002770MF Aleš Mertelj20003090MF Gabriel000
Discipline Correct as of 29 May 2011, end of the 2010–11 season. Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality. The players squad numbers, playing positions, nationalities and statistics are based solely on match reports in Matches sections above and the official website of NK Maribor and the Slovenian PrvaLiga. If a player received two yellow cards in a match and was subsequently sent off the numbers count as two yellow cards, one red card. Player in bold received the Purple Warrior trophy as the club's most valuable player, selected by the fans. Only the players, which received at least one yellow or red card, are listed.
+List of Maribor players, who represented the team during the 2010–11 season, and displaying their statistics during that timeframeNo.Pos.NameLeagueCupSupercupEuropa LeagueTotal3DF Elvedin Džinić0000004DF Jovan Vidović005MF Željko Filipović06DF Martin Milec007DF Aleš Mejač00000008MF Dejan Mezga 00000009FW Marcos Tavares 000000011FW Etien Velikonja00012GK Marko Pridigar0000000013GK Matej Radan0000017FW Dalibor Volaš000000020MF Goran Cvijanović0000000021MF Armin Bačinović0000022DF Nejc Potokar0023DF Mitja Rešek00026DF Aleksander Rajčević 000000027MF Josip Iličić000028DF Mitja Viler 000029MF Timotej Dodlek000032FW Robert Berić000036DF Aleš Majer01055MF Rajko Rep0066DF Siniša Andjelković0000000070MF Aleš Mertelj0000000090MF Gabriel0000
Transfers and loans
Summer transfer window TransferPositionNameNat.From / lastToNote Transfer out MF Rene Mihelič Maribor Nacional Undisclosed transfer fee Transfer out MF Dejan Školnik Maribor Nacional Undisclosed transfer fee Transfer in DF Aleksander Rajčević Koper Maribor Free agent Transfer in DF Mitja Viler Koper Maribor Free agent Transfer in MF Tomislav Pavličić Cibalia Maribor Free agent Transfer in MF Goran Cvijanović Gorica Maribor Free agent Transfer in MF Josip Iličić Interblock Maribor Co-ownership deal Transfer in FW Robert Berić Interblock Maribor Co-ownership deal Transfer out MF Josip Iličić Maribor Palermo Undisclosed transfer fee, alleged to be around €2,3 million Transfer out MF Armin Bačinović Maribor Palermo Undisclosed transfer fee, alleged to be around €1,2 million Transfer in MF Rajko Rep Celje Maribor Undisclosed transfer fee, alleged to be around €0,3 million Loan out FW Dragan Jelić Maribor Krylia Sovetov Three month loan until 30 November 2010 Loan out FW Armend Sprečo Maribor Mura 05 Loan until 1 June 2011 Loan out GK Matej Radan Maribor Mura 05 Loan Transfer out GK Miha Bratušek Maribor Aluminij Free transfer Transfer in MF Željko Filipović Koper Maribor Released by the club
Winter transfer window TransferPositionNameNat.From / lastToNote Transfer out DF Siniša Anđelković Maribor Palermo Undisclosed transfer fee Transfer in DF Jovan Vidović Domžale Maribor Undisclosed transfer fee Transfer in MF Da Silva Olimpija Maribor Released by the club Transfer out DF Elvedin Džinič Maribor Charleroi Undisclosed transfer fee Transfer in FW Etien Velikonja Gorica Maribor Undisclosed transfer fee + Vito Plut Transfer out FW Vito Plut Maribor Gorica Part of Etien Velikonja transfer Transfer out FW Dalibor Volaš Maribor Sheriff Undisclosed transfer fee Transfer out FW David Bunderla Maribor Koper Released by the club Loan out FW Dragan Jelić Maribor Willem II Loan until 1 June 2011 Loan out MF Semir Spahić Maribor Drava Loan until 1 June 2011
Footnotes Knockout matches which were decided on penalty kicks are listed as a draw. Traditionally, the Slovenian Supercup is played at the stadium of the previous year league champions. FC Koper has won the 2009–10 Slovenian PrvaLiga, however, their Bonifika Stadium was closed at the time of the match due to redevelopment, and the 2010 final was played at the Ljudski vrt stadium in Maribor, the home of NK Maribor. Thus, the match is listed as being played at home.
See also List of NK Maribor seasons
References