Beginning of the last third of championship, only 11 teams left, Korotan was expelled from the league, because they did not show on two championship games.
Deep crisis also in Ljubljana (they owe money to players, other clubs, FA), Mura (players were on strike this week) and Rudar (they play with a very young and inexpirienced team because of lack of funds).

So in such conditions, our league is becoming a farse.
Still, there are clubs, which give hope on better times, especially Publikum, a well managed, tallented side, fighting for championship, Olimpija, a traditional team, who got back some attendances they had decades ago, Maribor, who are always on or near the top and are traditional oponent to Olimpija and perhaps Koper.

Publikum v Dravograd
This should be another win for home side, Dravograd being more oriented on cup tie between the two, which takes place on Wednesday. Publikum are much stronger team, in form, 4-2-0 in last 6, 6-5-0 at home. Dravograd are 2-2-7 away and a kind of B team of Publikum, so there should not be a problem for a home win. 9/10 IMO, odds over 1.40 would be superb.

Maribor v Gorica
Teams met some weeks ago and Gorica won the tie 3-2, with 90th minute goal. So this is an opportunity for a revenge for a team from my home town Maribor.
Unfortunately, The Violets are struggling this year and I am afraid of every game they play, home or away.
You wont get good odds on this one, so perhaps you should skip it.

Koper v Rudar
Koper entered campaign with intention to qualify for Europe for the first time in their history and they are doing quite well, but their third place is in danger after some worse performances they had recently.
Their form is 1-2-3 only, Koper was always a stronghold (6-2-2 this year) and Rudar (1-2-8 away) should have no chances here. Home win. 8/10

Smartno v Mura
If this game takes place (Mura are on strike

), it may be a chance for surprise.
Smartno are a kind of village team, they sometimes had more spectators on the match, then there are people living in this place. Slovenias coach Prasnikar was born in Smartno and he is also in clubs presidency (it is kind of funny because he was coaching Maribor for years and was also a member of precidency in Smartno). So, Smartno should fight for Europe, but I dont think they really want to enter competition they have no infrastructure to play in. I mean, imagine Gretna Green playing against Barcelona or Something...
So this game could be a turning point for Mura in their fight for survival, if they get (got) money. They are a kind of traditional club here in Slovenia, they are not used of playing in 2nd division and I think they will start surprising.
So for all those, who would bet on Smartno, beware, this could be a mine...


I know there are people out there interested in betting on our league, so hope this will be of any help.
My bet (look at my thread Weekend bets) of the day would be Publikum to win on all kinds of bets (HT/FT, handicape, over...)

Good luck!!

Talking about tradition, there are 6 teams, that never left 1st division (since it is played- 1991/92). So they are kind of special here in Slovenia.

Olimpija 1-1-1-1-2-5-5-6-7-2-4 (2)
Maribor 2-2-3-2-4-1-1-1-1-1-1 (3)
Gorica 4-12-5-3-1-3-3-2-2-7-5(9)
Mura 7-3-2-4-3-7-2-4-10-4-7(11)
Publikum 9-10-4-6-5-4-6-7-6-5-6(1)
Rudar 12-9-9-7-7-8-7-3-3-8-8 (10)

(league positions in previous 11 seasons and this year in bracketts).

I made a slight mistake on my preview, Koper are not 3rd but 4th now, 1 point behind Maribor.
As you can see, two traditional sides are in danger this year, Mura and Rudar.
in old Yugoslavia, only three Slovenian teams competed in first division (since 2nd WW), Nafta (in 1946)- they are in 2nd division now, Maribor (in seventies) and Olimpija (for about 20 years in seventies and eighties). Slovenian football was poor then, thats the reason, why we have such a catastrophic infrastructure here, not one stadium with over 9000 seats (they are making one in Celje now, but it should not be finished in full capacity until who knows when). Olimpija play on 60+ years old stadium, which is a kind of national monument here and guly as hell with no roof or whatsoever, Gorica, Smartno, Primorje (playing next to graveyard) play on pitches english football clubs from 6th or 7 th rank would be ashamed of (I am not exagarating), only Maribor have a pitch which is partly OK, still with only 8000 seats still.
There was a TV show last week on this problem, but it looks that noone (politics) does not really care about this, so it looks gray for the future, too.

Anyway, I was carried away a bit, again.
Hope it was useful of a kind...