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NK Celje

Slovenian football club

Slovenian football club

FieldValue
clubnameCelje
imageNK Celje.png
image_size200px
fullnameNogometni klub Celje
nicknameGrofje (The Counts)
Rumeno-modri
(The Yellow and Blues)
founded(as SK Celje)
groundStadion Z'dežele
capacity13,059
chrtitlePresident
chairmanValeriy Kolotilo
mgrtitleManager
managerAlbert Riera
leagueSlovenian PrvaLiga
season2024–25
positionSlovenian PrvaLiga, 4th of 10
pattern_b1_niketrophy5mnpb
pattern_so1_fcsm2021h
leftarm10080FF
body1000055
rightarm10080FF
shorts1000055
socks1FFFF00
pattern_b2_niketrophy5soto
leftarm2FF4300
body2FF6600
rightarm2FF4300
shorts2FF6600
socks2FF6600
website

Rumeno-modri (The Yellow and Blues)

Nogometni klub Celje (), commonly referred to as NK Celje or simply Celje (), is a professional football club from Celje, Slovenia. They play in the Slovenian PrvaLiga, the top tier of Slovenian football. Together with Maribor, they are the only club that have participated in every season of the Slovenian PrvaLiga since its formation in 1991. Celje won their first league title in the 2019–20 season, a feat they have repeated four years later. They have also won two Slovenian Cups, in 2004–05 and 2024–25.

History

The club was formed in 1919 as SK Celje. Soon after World War II, in 1946, the club changed its name to NK Kladivar (expressionistic term in Slovene for a blacksmith). In 1964 they qualified for the Yugoslav Second League, where they played for one year.

In 1992, one year after Slovenia gained independence from Yugoslavia, the club was renamed as Publikum due to sponsorship reasons. They reached the finals of Slovenian Cup in 1993 and 1995, but lost on both occasions, having been beaten by Olimpija and Mura, respectively. In 2003, Celje was in a title race with Maribor until the last two rounds, but in the end finished second and also lost the Slovenian cup final against Olimpija during the same season. Two years later, in 2005, the club reached the final for the fourth time and this time they finally lifted their first trophy, defeating Gorica 1–0 in front of their own fans at the Arena Petrol. Celje were also in the finals the next year, but lost to Koper after a penalty shoot-out. In early 2007, they dropped Publikum from their name.

In 2020, Celje won its first Slovenian league title after winning the 2019–20 Slovenian PrvaLiga season. After struggling in the following two seasons, they managed to finish second in 2022–23, before once again winning the league title in the 2023–24 season. As champions, Celje managed to reach the league phase of the 2024–25 UEFA Conference League, their first ever appearance in the main stage of any European competition. After a moderate performance in the league phase, they reached the quarter-finals of the competition, a feat achieved for the first time by any Slovenian club in a major European club contest. In the same season, the club won the 2024–25 Slovenian Cup with a 4–0 win over Koper in the final. This granted Celje a spot in the qualifying stage of the 2025–26 UEFA Europa League, with the club eventually reaching the league phase of the UEFA Conference League for the second season in a row after eliminating Baník Ostrava in the play-offs.

Stadium

For most of its early years, the club played at the Glazija Stadium, and also acquired the Skalna Klet after merging with ŽŠD Celje in 1967. As the Glazija Stadium was demolished in the early 1980s, the club permanently moved to the Skalna Klet. However, the stadium was in poor condition and could not meet UEFA stadium regulations, so the club's officials decided to build a new stadium. In 2003, the main stand of the new Arena Petrol was built. The capacity at the time was 3,600 covered seats. After 2003, three new separate stands were built, and when the last one opened in 2008, the stadium was completed. The current capacity of the stadium is 13,059 seats, of which around 50% are covered. In July 2017, the stadium was renamed to Stadion Z'dežele.

Current squad

Out on loan

Honours

League

Cup

Domestic league and cup results

SeasonLeaguePositionPtsPWDLGFGACup
1991–921. SNL941401413134351
1992–931. SNL103234128143747
1993–941. SNL43830141065034
1994–951. SNL6383016685027
1995–961. SNL551361312116247
1996–971. SNL447361211135561
1997–981. SNL64936147155757
1998–991. SNL742331012113035
1999–001. SNL64733111485345
2000–011. SNL55033155135952
2001–021. SNL64833146135039
2002–031. SNL25531151065738
2003–041. SNL103932116156152
2004–051. SNL35232164124728
2005–061. SNL64936154174859
2006–071. SNL745361112135451
2007–081. SNL84536136174251
2008–091. SNL45336158134839
2009–101. SNL55136149135356
2010–111. SNL83736910174155
2011–121. SNL83736910174456
2012–131. SNL549361213113939
2013–141. SNL83736107193058
2014–151. SNL27036201065831
2015–161. SNL545361112133246
2016–171. SNL555361510114839
2017–181. SNL55036148145651
2018–191. SNL549361213114551
2019–201. SNL16936191257436
2020–211. SNL74336127173641
2021–221. SNL84236126184650
2022–231. SNL26736191075334
2023–241. SNL1793624757534
2024–251. SNL46136171097651

;Key

  • P – Matches played
  • W – Matches won
  • D – Matches drawn
  • L – Matches lost
  • GF – Goals for
  • GA – Goals against
  • Pts – Points

European record

All results (home and away) list Celje's goal tally first.

SeasonCompetitionRoundOppositionHomeAwayAggregate
1993–94UEFA Cup Winners' CupQualifying roundDenmark Odense BK0–10–00–1
1997UEFA Intertoto CupGroup stageTurkey Antalyaspor1–1—2nd
Israel Maccabi Haifa—1–0
Russia Lokomotiv Nizhny Novgorod1–2—
FR Yugoslavia Proleter Zrenjanin—0–0
2001UEFA Intertoto CupFirst roundDenmark Aarhus7–10–17–2
Second roundSlovakia Petržalka5–01–16–1
Third roundSwitzerland Lausanne-Sport1–10–01–1 (a)
2003–04UEFA CupQualifying roundMacedonia Belasica7–25–012–2
First roundIsrael Maccabi Haifa2–21–23–4
2004UEFA Intertoto CupFirst roundBosnia and Herzegovina Sloboda Tuzla2–10–12–2 (a)
2005–06UEFA CupSecond qualifying roundBulgaria Levski Sofia1–00–31–3
2012–13UEFA Europa LeagueFirst qualifying roundMoldova Dacia Chișinău0–10–10–2
2013–14UEFA Europa LeagueFirst qualifying roundNorway Tromsø0–22–12–3
2015–16UEFA Europa LeagueFirst qualifying roundPoland Śląsk Wrocław0–11–31–4
2020–21UEFA Champions LeagueFirst qualifying roundIreland Dundalk3–0—
Second qualifying roundNorway Molde1–2—
UEFA Europa LeagueThird qualifying roundArmenia Ararat-Armenia—0–1—
2023–24UEFA Europa Conference LeagueSecond qualifying roundPOR Vitória de Guimarães3–41–04–4 (4–2 p)
Third qualifying roundBLR Neman Grodno1–04–15–1
Play-off roundISR Maccabi Tel Aviv1–11–42–5
2024–25UEFA Champions LeagueFirst qualifying roundEST Flora2–15–07–1
Second qualifying roundSlovan Bratislava1–10–51–6
UEFA Europa LeagueThird qualifying roundIRE Shamrock Rovers1–01–32–3
UEFA Conference LeaguePlay-off roundARM Pyunik4–10–14–2
League phasePOR Vitória de Guimarãesalign=center1–321st out of 36
TUR İstanbul Başakşehir5–1align=center
ESP Real Betisalign=center1–2
POL Jagiellonia Białystok3–3align=center
CYP Pafosalign=center0–2
WAL The New Saints3–2align=center
Knockout phase play-offsCYP APOEL2–22–04–2
Round of 16SUI Lugano1–04–55–5 (3–1 p)
Quarter-finalsITA Fiorentina1–22–23–4
2025–26UEFA Europa LeagueFirst qualifying roundAZE Sabah3–33–26–5
Second qualifying roundCYP AEK Larnaca1–11–22–3
UEFA Conference LeagueThird qualifying roundSUI Lugano2–45–07–4
Play-off roundCZE Baník Ostrava1–02–03–0
League phaseGRE AEK Athens3–1align=center13th out of 36
IRL Shamrock Roversalign=center2–0
POL Legia Warsaw2–1align=center
CZE Sigma Olomoucalign=center1–2
CRO Rijekaalign=center0–3
IRL Shelbourne0–0align=center
Knockout phase play-offsKVX Drita

List of managers

  • YUG Bojan Prašnikar (1989–1991)
  • SLO Stanko Božičevič (1992)
  • SLO Janko Benčina (1992)
  • SLO Janez Zavrl (1993–1994)
  • CRO Ivan Marković (1994)
  • SLO Filip Mendaš (1994)
  • SLO Borut Jarc (1994–1996)
  • SLO Milovan Tarbuk (1996–1997)
  • CRO Stanko Poklepović (1997–1998)
  • SLO Edin Osmanović (1998–1999)
  • MKD Nikola Ilievski (1999–2000)
  • SLO Marijan Pušnik (2000–2004)
  • CRO Ivica Matković (2004–2005)
  • SLO Marko Pocrnjič (2005)
  • MKD Nikola Ilievski (2005–2006)
  • SLO Janez Žilnik (2006)
  • SLO Pavel Pinni (2007–2008)
  • SLO Slaviša Stojanović (2008–2009)
  • CRO Milan Đuričić (2009–2010)
  • SLO Damijan Romih (2010)
  • SLO Stane Bevc (2010–2011)
  • SLO Damijan Romih (2011–2012)
  • SLO Marijan Pušnik (2012)
  • SLO Miloš Rus (2013–2014)
  • SLO Simon Rožman (2014–2015)
  • SLO Iztok Kapušin (2015–2016)
  • SLO Robert Pevnik (2016)
  • CRO Igor Jovićević (2016–2017)
  • SLO Tomaž Petrovič (2017)
  • SLO Dušan Kosič (2017–2020)
  • CZE Jiří Jarošík (2020–2021)
  • SLO Agron Šalja (2021)
  • SLO Simon Sešlar (2021)
  • SLO Simon Rožman (2022)
  • UKR Roman Pylypchuk (2022–2023)
  • ESP Albert Riera (2023)
  • CRO Damir Krznar (2023–2024)
  • ESP Albert Riera (2024–present)

References

References

  1. "Klubi". [[Football Association of Slovenia]].
  2. "Zgodovina". NK Celje.
  3. (10 September 2019). "V Celju že sto let organizirano igrajo nogomet".
  4. "Slovenia – List of Cup Finals". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation.
  5. "Slovenia 2002/03". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation.
  6. (17 May 2005). "Publikum dočakal prvo lovoriko". [[RTV Slovenija]].
  7. "Slovenia 2005/06". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation.
  8. (20 February 2007). "Celjani z novim imenom po državni naslov". [[Slovenian Press Agency]].
  9. (22 July 2020). "Celjani prvič slovenski nogometni prvaki". [[RTV Slovenija]].
  10. Subotić Miličić, Dolores. (28 April 2024). "Celjani z mojstrovino Pruceva potrdili drugi naslov". [[RTV Slovenija]].
  11. (29 August 2024). "Rezervist Kučys Celje popeljal iz krize v evropsko jesen!". [[RTV Slovenija]].
  12. (13 March 2025). "Celjani v dramatični tekmi po enajstmetrovkah do zgodovinskega četrtfinala". [[RTV Slovenija]].
  13. (14 May 2025). "Celjani napolnili koprsko mrežo za drugo pokalno zvezdico". [[RTV Slovenija]].
  14. R. K.. (28 August 2025). "Celjani z odlično predstavo v Ostravi do nove evropske jeseni". [[RTV Slovenija]].
  15. (13 March 2019). "Skalna klet skozi zgodovino ter gradnja večnamenskega športnega objekta Skalna klet". ZPO Celje d.o.o.
  16. "Stadion". NK Celje.
  17. (4 July 2017). "Celjski stadion z novim imenom, odslej bo Arena Z'dežele".
  18. "Seznam igralcev". NK Celje.
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