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Slovak football player Erik Grendel after two seasons in II. league will play again in the highest domestic competition.
For the 33-year-old midfielder, the 2022/2023 season will be his third in the jersey of the FK Železiarne Podbrezová team, which returned to the Slovak football elite as the winner of the lower competition. “I believe that we will be a revival for the league, we play offensively and we always score a lot of goals in our matches,” said the native of Handlova in an interview for the official website of the Fortuna league. Podbrezová scored 86 goals in 30 matches on her way to the title.
“The whole of Podbrezová has been longing for a long time for a confrontation with the best teams in Slovakia. To feel the tension and anticipation. All the more so because in the very first round we will compete at home with Slovan Bratislava. We can’t wait. The first four rounds will definitely hold up a mirror for us. it’s a huge challenge, but we’re not afraid of it. We’re going for it,” stated Grendel, who won three championship titles with Slovan Bratislava between 2009 and 2015 and also enjoyed winning the Slovak Cup three times. In 2011 and 2014, he played in the group stage of the European League with the Whites. “I have Slovan in my heart, because I spent five years there and I still have my fingers crossed for it. It will be all the more motivation for me.” he added.
EUROPE WITH SLAV AND SPARTACUS
Photo gallery
FC Spartak Trnava – Fenerbahce Istanbul (Martin Skrtel, Erik Grendel)
Source: SITA
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Grendel began his professional career in Dubnica nad Váhom, where he made his debut in the Fortuna League in 2005 and worked there until the fall of 2009. After leaving Slovan, he played in the Polish club Górnik Zabrze, with which he finished fourth in the Ekstraklasa. In the summer of 2018, he transferred to Spartak Trnava, where he played in the EL group for the third time in his career and won his fourth Slovak Cup with them. He came to Podbrezová after the 2019/2020 season. He played a total of 267 matches in the Fortuna League and scored 21 goals in them, in the II. he completed 45 duels in the league and scored seven times.
According to the former captain of the Slovak under-21 national team, Podbrezová will not only be in the number after returning to the top competition: “We don’t have ambitions just in the spirit that we don’t want to be a slap shot. We are looking for higher ranks. Proper athletes must set themselves the highest possible goals. We will see what reality will show. We want to fight for the top six and I think we have what it takes also the necessary quality. Most clubs have strengthened their player squads and some also their coaching staffs. I think we have a very interesting season ahead of us.”
OUR STYLE AGAINST BARCELONA AND SQUARE
Photo gallery
FK Železiarne Podbrezová
Source: TASR
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Roman Skuhravý, who was interested in MŠK Žilina, will also be the head coach of Podbrezova in the 2022/2023 season. “He was able to improve all the players and I believe that our performance will continue to rise. He is a great professional and I think we will hear a lot more from him. I am impressed that he has his own philosophy, from which he does not deviate under any circumstances. Whether we play in quotes against Barcelona or Námestov, we still want to play in our style. For Roman Skuhravý, his team is always important and not the opponent. He wants the opponents to prepare for us.” Grendel picked up his coach.
Apart from the helmsman, the majority of the Podbrež staff from last year also remained unchanged, experienced veterans are complemented by young players. “Our team is very well composed and balanced. We don’t lack ferocity or experience. We make a great team and we get along well. That’s the basis. I hope people will come to watch us. I’m convinced that Podbrezova’s matches will be goal-scoring. The coach himself told us at the beginning of his mission that he would rather win 4:3 or 5:2 than 1:0 after a sweaty performance. We’ll see what the Fortuna League will bring us in the end.” Grendel added.
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