Gregor Balažic

Gregor Balažic (born 12 February 1988) is a Slovenian professional footballer who plays for Cypriot club Enosis Neon Paralimni FC as a central defender.

Gregor Balažic
Balažic with Ural in 2017
Personal information
Full name Gregor Balažic[1]
Date of birth (1988-02-12) 12 February 1988[1]
Place of birth Murska Sobota, SFR Yugoslavia
Height 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)[1]
Playing position(s) Centre back
Club information
Current team
 Enosis Neon
Number 33
Youth career
0000–2005 Mura
2005–2007 Benfica
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2005 Mura 1 (0)
2007 Espanyol B 0 (0)
2007 Águilas 2 (0)
2008–2010 Gorica 72 (2)
2011–2014 Karpaty Lviv 79 (7)
2015–2016 Partizan 38 (1)
2017–2019 Ural Yekaterinburg 48 (2)
2020– Enosis Neon 8 (0)
National team
2004 Slovenia U17 3 (0)
2006 Slovenia U19 3 (0)
2007–2010 Slovenia U20 6 (0)
2007–2010 Slovenia U21 19 (0)
2013–2014 Slovenia 2 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 7 March 2020

In his country, he played for Mura and Gorica. He had spells abroad in Spain, Ukraine, Serbia, Russia and Cyprus, notably having a five-year spell with Karpaty Lviv in the Ukrainian Premier League and winning the 2014–15 Serbian SuperLiga with Partizan.

Balažic represented Slovenia at all youth levels, and made his senior debut in 2013.

Club career

Early career

Born in Murska Sobota, Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Balažic came through the youth academy of NK Mura, who went defunct in 2004. He made his first-team debut in a 2–1 home league win against NK Zagorje on 30 April 2005, aged 17, during the club's last competitive season.

In the summer of 2005, Balažic was transferred to S.L. Benfica of Portugal. Until his departure two years later, he played exclusively for their youth sides.[2][3]

Spain

In June 2007, Balažic moved to Spain and signed with RCD Espanyol, being initially registered for the reserves.[4] However, two months later, he left for Águilas CF also in the country's Segunda División B.[5]

Balažic suffered a knee injury early into the campaign,[6] which resulted in the termination of his contract in December 2007.[7]

Gorica

In the winter transfer window of 2008, Balažic returned to his country and signed for ND Gorica from the Slovenian PrvaLiga. He scored his first goal as a senior on 5 December 2009, helping to a 1–1 home draw against NK Olimpija Ljubljana.

Balažic contributed with 29 games in 2009–10, helping his team finish in third position and qualify to the UEFA Europa League.

Karpaty Lviv

In January 2011, Balažic signed with FC Karpaty Lviv in the Ukrainian Premier League, penning a four-year deal for €400.000 in what was the club's most expensive transfer ever.[8] On 6 March he made his competitive debut, netting in a 2–2 draw at FC Arsenal-Kyiv.[9]

In the first round of 2014–15, Balažic scored in a 2–2 away draw to FC Hoverla Uzhhorod.[10] He scored a career-best four goals during that season, in only 13 matches.

Partizan

On 4 February 2015, Balažic signed a two-year contract with FK Partizan.[11] On 28 February he made his first appearance, featuring the full 90 minutes in a 0–0 home draw against FK Radnički Niš.

On 25 April 2015, during the Eternal derby against Red Star Belgrade, Balažic was fouled in the area by Vukašin Jovanović in what should have been a penalty for Partizan, but referee Milorad Mažić did not concede it.[12] A week later, against FK Vojvodina, this time it was Balažic who brought down an opponent but, again, nothing was awarded; later, he admitted he did commit the infraction.[13][14]

During his debut campaign, Balažic partnered compatriot Branko Ilić as central defender [15]– after the departure of the latter in the summer, he started alongside Brazilian Fabrício. He scored his first official goal for the team on 22 August 2015, helping to a 3–1 away victory over FK Borac Čačak.[16]

Ural

On 30 December 2016, Balažic signed for two and a half years with Russian Premier League club FC Ural Yekaterinburg.[17] On 7 June 2019, he left upon the expiration of his contract.[18]

International career

Balažic made his senior debut for Slovenia on 19 November 2013, in a 1–0 exhibition game win against Canada in Celje.[19] His second cap came on 7 June of the following year in another friendly, a 0–2 loss to Argentina in La Plata.[20]

Style of play

Balažic is a quick and strong player, technically gifted and with passing ability.[21] Oleg Kononov, his coach at Karpaty, described him as a "very intelligent player" with a "great potential".[22]

Career statistics

Club
As of 13 May 2018[23]
Club Season League Cup Continental Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Mura 2004–05 Slovenian PrvaLiga 1000—10
Águilas 2007–08 Segunda División B 2000—20
Gorica 2007–08 Slovenian PrvaLiga 9000—90
2008–09 1803020230
2009–10 2913020341
2010–11 1613020211
Total 7229060872
Karpaty Lviv 2010–11 Ukrainian Premier League 51——51
2011–12 1904020250
2012–13 17120—191
2013–14 25120—271
2014–15 13420—154
Total 79710020917
Partizan 2014–15 Serbian SuperLiga 13030—160
2015–16 1011090201
2016–17 1500000150
Total 3814090511
Ural 2016–17 Russian Premier League 11030—140
2017–18 20200—202
Total 3123000342
Career total 2231226017026612

International
As of 7 June 2014[24]
Slovenia
YearAppsGoals
201310
201410
Total20

Honours

Partizan

References
  1. "Gregor Balazic". Eurosport. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
  2. "Eslovenos a caminho" [Slovenes on their way]. Record (in Portuguese). 26 June 2005. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
  3. "Anderson de volta aos treinos" [Anderson back to training]. Record (in Portuguese). 15 November 2006. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
  4. "Balazic, internacional eslovè, fitxa pel "B"" [Balazic, Slovenian international, signs for "B"] (in Catalan). RCD Espanyol. 7 June 2007. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
  5. "Balazic, última incorporación" [Balazic, last addition] (in Spanish). La Actualidad. 30 August 2007. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
  6. "Balazic lesionado" [Balazic injured] (in Spanish). Águilas Noticias. 19 October 2007. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
  7. "Balazic se marcha del Águilas CF" [Balazic leaves Águilas CF] (in Spanish). Águilas Noticias. 20 December 2007. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
  8. Ігор Дедишин: "У Димінського диктаторський склад характеру" [Igor Dedishin: "The outline of Dyminsky's dictatorial nature"]. Tribuna (in Russian). 22 September 2015. Retrieved 26 March 2016.
  9. Карпаты спасаются в Киеве [Carpathians flee in Kiev] (in Ukrainian). Football UA. 6 March 2011. Archived from the original on 4 June 2012. Retrieved 16 July 2015.
  10. "Hoverla Uzhhorod 2:2 Karpaty". Soccer Vista. 27 July 2014. Retrieved 16 July 2015.
  11. "Gregor Balažic stigao u Humsku" [Gregor Balažic arrived at Humsku] (in Serbian). FK Partizan. 4 February 2015. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
  12. "Štoper besan na arbitra Mažić nas je pokrao!" [Central defender angry referee Mažić robbed us!] (in Serbian). Informer. 25 April 2015. Archived from the original on 29 April 2015. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  13. "Balažic: Bio je penal, priznajem" [Balažic: It was a penalty, I admit it] (in Serbian). Vesti Online. 3 May 2015. Retrieved 3 May 2015.
  14. "Video: Da li je Vojvodina oštećena protiv Partizana?" [Video: Was Vojvodina hurt against Partizan?] (in Serbian). Vesti Online. 3 May 2015. Retrieved 3 May 2015.
  15. "Ilić i Balažic: I dalje samo od nas zavisi" [Ilić and Balažic: It's still up to us] (in Serbian). Radio Television of Vojvodina. 5 March 2015. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
  16. "Partizan osvojio prve bodove u gostima!" [Partizan won the first away points] (in Serbian). Mondo. 22 August 2015. Retrieved 22 August 2015.
  17. «УРАЛ» ЗАКЛЮЧИЛ КОНТРАКТ С ЗАЩИТНИКОМ ИЗ СЛОВЕНИИ [Ural signed a contract with defender from Slovenia] (in Russian). Ural Yekaterinburg. 30 December 2016. Archived from the original on 13 May 2017. Retrieved 30 December 2016.
  18. «Урал» покинули три футболиста [Three footballers left Ural] (in Russian). Ural Yekaterinburg. 7 June 2019. Retrieved 7 June 2019.
  19. "Slovenia 1–0 Canada". UEFA. 19 November 2013. Retrieved 27 March 2016.
  20. "Argentina 2–0 Slovenia". BBC Sport. 7 June 2014. Retrieved 27 March 2016.
  21. "Бажаю якомога швидше вийти на поле львівського стадіону" ["I wish you could enter this stadium as soon as possible"] (in Ukrainian). Karpaty Lviv. 23 January 2011. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
  22. "Балажіц може суттєво зміцнити нашу оборону" ["Balažic can improve our defenses dramatically"] (in Ukrainian). Karpaty Lviv. 23 January 2011. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
  23. "G. Balažic". Soccerway. Retrieved 7 June 2014.
  24. "Gregor Balažic". European Football. Retrieved 6 November 2015.
  25. "G. Balažic – Trophies". Soccerway. Retrieved 6 November 2015.
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