Gregor Balažic

Gregor Balažic

Balažic with Karpaty Lviv in 2013
Personal information
Full name Gregor Balažic
Date of birth (1988-02-12) 12 February 1988
Place of birth Murska Sobota, SFR Yugoslavia
Height 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)
Playing position Centre back
Club information
Current team
 Partizan
Number 6
Youth career
2004–2005 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– Partizan 38 (1)
National team‡
2004 Slovenia U17 3 (0)
2005–2006 Slovenia U19 8 (0)
2007–2010 Slovenia U21 10 (0)
2013– Slovenia 2 (0)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 2 October 2016.

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 7 June 2014

Gregor Balažic (born 12 February 1988) is a Slovenian professional footballer who plays for Serbian club FK Partizan as a central defender.

Balažic represented Slovenia at under-17, under-19 and under-21 levels, making his senior debut in 2013.

Club career

Early career

Born in Murska Sobota, SFR Yugoslavia, Balažic came through the youth academy of NK Mura, who became extinct in 2004. He made his first-team debut in a 2–1 home league win over 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 its youth sides.[1][2]

Spain

In June 2007, Balažic moved to Spain and signed with RCD Espanyol, being initially registered for the reserves.[3] However, two months later, he left for Águilas CF also in the country's Segunda División B.[4]

Balažic suffered a knee injury early into the campaign,[5] which resulted in the termination of his contract in December 2007.[6]

ND Gorica

In the winter transfer window of 2008, Balažic returned to his country and signed for ND Gorica from the 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.[7] On 6 March he made his competitive debut, netting in a 2–2 draw at FC Arsenal-Kyiv.[8]

In the first round of 2014–15, Balažic scored in a 2–2 away draw to FC Hoverla Uzhhorod.[9] 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.[10] On 28 February he made his first appearance, featuring the full 90 minutes in a 0–0 home draw against FK Radnički Niš.

During his debut campaign, Balažic partnered compatriot Branko Ilić as central defender. After the departure of the latter in the summer, he started alongside Brazilian Fabrício.

International career

Balažic made his senior debut for Slovenia on 19 November 2013, in a 1–0 exhibition game win over Canada in Celje.[11] His second cap came on 7 June of the following year in another friendly, a 0–2 loss to Argentina in La Plata.[12]

Style of play

Balažic is a quick and strong player, technically gifted and with passing ability.[13] Oleg Kononov, his coach at Karpaty, described him as a "very intelligent player" with a "great potential".[14]

Career statistics

As of 30 November 2014[15]

Club

Club Season League Cup Continental Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Gorica 2007–08 90000090
2008–09 1803020230
2009–10 2913020341
2010–11 1613020211
Total 7229060872
Karpaty Lviv 2010–11 51000051
2011–12 1904020250
2012–13 1712000191
2013–14 2512000271
2014–15 1342000154
Total 79710020917

International

As of 7 June 2014[16]
Slovenia
YearAppsGoals
201310
201410
Total20

Honours

Partizan

References

  1. ↑ "Eslovenos a caminho" [Slovenes on their way] (in Portuguese). Record. 26 June 2005. Retrieved 6 November 2015.
  2. ↑ "Anderson de volta aos treinos" [Anderson back to training] (in Portuguese). Record. 15 November 2006. Retrieved 6 November 2015.
  3. ↑ "Balazic, internacional eslovè, fitxa pel "B"" [Balazic, Slovenian international, signs for "B"] (in Catalan). RCD Espanyol B. 7 June 2007. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
  4. ↑ "Balazic, última incorporación" [Balazic, last addition] (in Spanish). La Actualidad. 30 August 2007. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
  5. ↑ "Balazic lesionado" [Balazic injured] (in Spanish). Águilas Noticias. 19 October 2007. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
  6. ↑ "Balazic se marcha del Águilas CF" [Balazic leaves Águilas CF] (in Spanish). Águilas Noticias. 20 December 2007. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
  7. ↑ "Ігор Дедишин: «У Димінського диктаторський склад характеру»" [Igor Dedishin: «The outline of Dyminsky's dictatorial nature»] (in Russian). Tribuna. 22 September 2015. Retrieved 26 March 2016.
  8. ↑ "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.
  9. ↑ "Hoverla Uzhhorod 2:2 Karpaty". Soccer Vista. 27 July 2014. Retrieved 16 July 2015.
  10. ↑ "Gregor Balažic stigao u Humsku" [Gregor Balažic arrived at Humsku] (in Serbian). FK Partizan. 4 February 2015. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
  11. ↑ "Slovenia 1–0 Canada". UEFA.com. 19 November 2013. Retrieved 27 March 2016.
  12. ↑ "Argentina 2–0 Slovenia". BBC Sport. 7 June 2014. Retrieved 27 March 2016.
  13. ↑ "«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.
  14. ↑ "«Балажіц може суттєво зміцнити нашу оборону»" [«Balažic can improve our defenses dramatically»] (in Ukrainian). Karpaty Lviv. 23 January 2011. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
  15. ↑ "G. Balažic". Soccerway. Retrieved 7 June 2014.
  16. ↑ "Gregor Balažic". European Football. Retrieved 6 November 2015.
  17. ↑ "G. Balažic – Trophies". Soccerway. Retrieved 6 November 2015.


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