# 2016–17 NK Maribor season

The 2016–17 season was Maribor's 57th season of football, and their 26th consecutive season in the Slovenian PrvaLiga, Slovenian top division, since the league establishment in 1991 with Maribor as one of the league's founding members. The team participated in the Slovenian PrvaLiga, Slovenian Football Cup, and UEFA Europa League. The season covers the period from 1 June 2016 to 31 May 2017.

## Slovenian League
### Standings

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Maribor (C) | 36 | 21 | 10 | 5 | 63 | 30 | +33 | 73 | Qualification for the Champions League second qualifying round |
| 2 | Gorica | 36 | 16 | 12 | 8 | 48 | 39 | +9 | 60 | Qualification for the Europa League first qualifying round |
| 3 | Olimpija Ljubljana | 36 | 17 | 9 | 10 | 49 | 35 | +14 | 60 | Qualification for the Europa League first qualifying round |
| 4 | Domžale | 36 | 16 | 8 | 12 | 63 | 45 | +18 | 56 | Qualification for the Europa League first qualifying round |
| 5 | Celje | 36 | 15 | 10 | 11 | 48 | 39 | +9 | 55 | |
* 1 2 Gorica ahead of Olimpija on head-to-head record: Olimpija–Gorica 1–0, Gorica–Olimpija 1–1, Olimpija–Gorica 1–2, Gorica–Olimpija 1–0
* ↑ Domžale qualified for Europa League first qualifying round by winning the 2016–17 Slovenian Football Cup.

#### Results summary

| Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away |
Last updated: 27 May 2017. Source:

#### Results by round

| Round | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 |
| Ground | H | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | A | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | H | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | A | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H |
| Result | W | W | D | D | L | L | W | W | W | W | D | W | W | W | D | W | W | W | W | W | L | W | W | W | D | W | D | D | W | W | D | D | L | L | D | W |
| Position | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |

### Matches

Colour key: Green = Maribor win; Yellow = draw; Red = opponents win.

#### Notes

* ^ The match was originally scheduled on 4 March 2017, however, it was postponed to a later date because of poor weather conditions and waterlogged pitch.

## Slovenian Cup

Colour key: Green = Maribor win; Yellow = draw; Red = opponents win.

## UEFA Europa League
### Play-off round

Colour key: Green = Maribor win; Yellow = draw; Red = opponents win.

#### Notes

* ^ Gabala played their home match at Bakcell Arena in Baku, as their own Gabala City Stadium did not meet UEFA criteria.

## Friendlies

Colour key: Green = Maribor win; Yellow = draw; Red = opponents win.

## Squad statistics
### Key
#### Players

* No. = Shirt number
* Pos. = Playing position
* GK = Goalkeeper
* DF = Defender
* MF = Midfielder
* FW = Forward

#### Nationality

* = Bosnia and Herzegovina
* = Brazil
* = Croatia
* = France
* = Israel
* = Macedonia
* = Nigeria
* = Senegal
* = Serbia
* = Slovenia

#### Competitions

* = Appearances
* = Goals
* = Yellow card
* = Red card

#### Designations

* ‡ The player was selected in the official 2016–17 Slovenian PrvaLiga team of the season

### Appearances and goals

Correct as of 27 May 2017, after the match against Krško. Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality. Only the players, which made at least one appearance for the first team, are listed.
List of Maribor players, who represented the team during the 2016–17 season, and displaying their statistics during that timeframe :
| No. | Pos. | Name | | | | | | | | |
| No. | Pos. | Name | League | League | Cup | Cup | Europa League | Europa League | Total | Total |
| 2 | DF | Adis Hodžić | 7 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| 3 | DF | Erik Janža | 16 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 24 | 0 |
| 4 | DF | Marko Šuler ‡ | 32 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 41 | 3 |
| 5 | MF | Blaž Vrhovec | 27 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 38 | 0 |
| 6 | MF | Aleks Pihler | 31 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 37 | 3 |
| 7 | DF | Žan Karničnik | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 |
| 7 | MF | Amar Rahmanović | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 |
| 8 | MF | Sintayehu Sallalich | 22 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 29 | 1 |
| 9 | FW | Marcos Tavares | 33 | 9 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 44 | 12 |
| 10 | MF | Dino Hotić | 28 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 34 | 3 |
| 11 | FW | Milivoje Novaković | 26 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 35 | 12 |
| 14 | FW | Sunny Omoregie | 14 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 18 | 5 |
| 18 | MF | Sandi Ogrinec | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 7 | 0 |
| 20 | FW | Gregor Bajde | 10 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 17 | 1 |
| 22 | MF | Dare Vršič ‡ | 26 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 35 | 11 |
| 24 | MF | Marwan Kabha | 20 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 28 | 2 |
| 26 | DF | Aleksander Rajčević | 12 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 13 | 0 |
| 28 | DF | Mitja Viler | 18 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 21 | 0 |
| 29 | DF | Matej Palčič | 17 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | — | 21 | 0 |
| 30 | MF | Valon Ahmedi | 5 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 5 | 0 |
| 31 | MF | Daniel Vujčić | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 |
| 32 | DF | Luka Uskoković | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 |
| 33 | GK | Jasmin Handanović ‡ | 32 | 0 | — | — | 6 | 0 | 38 | 0 |
| 35 | DF | Rodrigo Defendi ‡ | 25 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 34 | 0 |
| 39 | MF | Damjan Bohar | 20 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 29 | 1 |
| 44 | DF | Denis Šme | 15 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 23 | 0 |
| 45 | DF | Robert Pušaver | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 |
| 69 | GK | Matko Obradović | 4 | 0 | 5 | 0 | — | — | 9 | 0 |
| 70 | MF | Aleš Mertelj | 12 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 15 | 0 |
| 88 | MF | Dejan Mezga | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 7 | 0 |
| 90 | FW | Luka Zahović ‡ | 28 | 15 | 5 | 1 | — | — | 33 | 16 |
| Own goals | Own goals | Own goals | — | 2 | — | — | — | 1 | — | 3 |
| Totals | Totals | Totals | — | 63 | — | 5 | — | 5 | — | 73 |

### Discipline

Correct as of 27 May 2017, after the match against Krško. Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality. If a player received two yellow cards in a match and was subsequently sent off, the numbers count as two yellow cards, one red card.
List of Maribor players, who represented the team during the 2016–17 season, and displaying their statistics during that timeframe :
| No. | Pos. | Name | | | | | | | | |
| No. | Pos. | Name | League | League | Cup | Cup | Europa League | Europa League | Total | Total |
| 2 | DF | Adis Hodžić | 2 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 3 | DF | Erik Janža | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| 4 | DF | Marko Šuler ‡ | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| 5 | MF | Blaž Vrhovec | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| 6 | MF | Aleks Pihler | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| 8 | MF | Sintayehu Sallalich | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| 9 | FW | Marcos Tavares | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 10 | MF | Dino Hotić | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| 11 | FW | Milivoje Novaković | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 20 | FW | Gregor Bajde | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 22 | MF | Dare Vršič ‡ | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 24 | MF | Marwan Kabha | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| 26 | DF | Aleksander Rajčević | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 |
| 28 | DF | Mitja Viler | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 5 | 0 |
| 29 | DF | Matej Palčič | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 |
| 33 | GK | Jasmin Handanović ‡ | 2 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 35 | DF | Rodrigo Defendi ‡ | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| 39 | MF | Damjan Bohar | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 44 | DF | Denis Šme | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| 69 | GK | Matko Obradović | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 |
| 70 | MF | Aleš Mertelj | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 88 | MF | Dejan Mezga | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 |
| 90 | FW | Luka Zahović ‡ | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 4 | 0 |
| Totals | Totals | Totals | 67 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 96 | 0 |

### Foreign players

Below is the list of foreign players who have made appearances for the club during the 2016–17 season. Players primary citizenship is listed first.

#### EU Nationals

* Dejan Mezga
* Matko Obradović

#### EU Nationals (Dual citizenship)

* Rodrigo Defendi
* Marcos Tavares

#### Non-EU Nationals

* Amar Rahmanović
* Marwan Kabha
* Sintayehu Sallalich
* Sunny Omoregie

## Transfers and loans
### In

| No. | Pos. | Name | Age | EU | Moving from | Type | Transfer window | Ends | Transfer fee |
| 6 | MF | Aleks Pihler | 22 | EU | Zavrč | Transfer | Summer | 2019 | Undisclosed |
| 5 | MF | Blaž Vrhovec | 24 | EU | Celje | Transfer | Summer | 2019 | Undisclosed, alleged to be around €500,000 |
| 14 | FW | Sunny Omoregie | 27 | Non-EU | Celje | Transfer | Summer | 2019 | Undisclosed, part of Blaž Vrhovec transfer |
| — | FW | Zoran Baljak | 20 | Non-EU | Dinamo Vranje | Transfer | Summer | — | Free transfer |
| — | MF | Chris Cener | 15 | EU | Rapid Wien | Transfer | Summer | — | Undisclosed, youth transfer |
| 88 | MF | Dejan Mezga | 31 | EU | Apollon Limassol | Transfer | Summer | 2017 | Free |

### Out

| N | Pos. | Name | Age | EU | Moving to | Type | Transfer window | Transfer fee |
| 6 | MF | Welle N'Diaye | 26 | Non-EU | Free agent | Contract ended | Summer | Free |
| 10 | MF | Agim Ibraimi | 27 | EU | Astana | Transfer | Summer | Free |
| 5 | MF | Željko Filipović | 27 | EU | Mechelen | Transfer | Summer | Undisclosed, alleged to be around €500,000 |
| 14 | FW | Jean-Philippe Mendy | 29 | EU | Shijiazhuang Ever Bright | Transfer | Summer | Undisclosed, alleged to be around €2 million |
| — | DF | Žan Florjanc | 18 | EU | Aluminij | Transfer | Summer | Youth transfer |
| — | FW | Zoran Baljak | 20 | Non-EU | Retirement | — | — | Contract ended, player deceased |
| — | MF | Damjan Marjanović | 20 | EU | Retirement | — | — | Contract ended, player deceased |
| — | GK | Ljubomir Moravac | 19 | Non-EU | Retirement | — | — | Career ended |
| — | MF | Sven Dodlek | 20 | EU | Rudar Velenje | Transfer | Summer | Free |
| 7 | MF | Amar Rahmanović | 22 | Non-EU | Celje | Transfer | Summer | Free |
| 3 | DF | Erik Janža | 23 | EU | Viktoria Plzeň | Transfer | Winter | Undisclosed, alleged to be around €700,000 |
| 88 | MF | Dejan Mezga | 31 | EU | Nacional | Transfer | Winter | Free |
| — | FW | Bian Paul Šauperl | 21 | EU | Veržej | Transfer | Winter | Free |

#### Notes

* ^ Agim Ibraimi signed a two-and-a-half year contract with Kazakhstan Premier League side Astana, with the contract reportedly being worth a total of €2.25 million. Astana acquired the player as a free agent, with Ibraimi, whose contract with Maribor was set to expire in 2019, presumably buying out his contract for an undisclosed fee.

### Loans in

| No. | Pos. | Nat. | Name | Age | EU | Moving from | Type | Transfer window | Ends | Transfer fee | Source |
| 90 | FW | | Luka Zahović | 20 | EU | Heerenveen | Loan | Summer | 2017 | — | |

### Loans out

| N | Pos. | Name | Age | EU | Moving to | Type | Transfer window | Transfer fee |
| 97 | FW | Martin Kramarič | 18 | EU | Krško | Loan | Summer | — |
| 25 | MF | Ranko Moravac | 21 | EU | Krško | Loan | Summer | — |
| 72 | MF | Dejan Vokić | 20 | EU | Krško | Loan | Summer | — |
| 16 | DF | Damjan Vuklišević | 20 | EU | Krško | Loan | Summer | — |
| — | GK | Tadej Ponudič | 18 | EU | Aluminij | Loan | Summer | — |
| — | DF | Tim Vorše | 18 | EU | Aluminij | Loan | Summer | — |
| — | DF | Robert Pušaver | 21 | EU | Krško | Loan | Summer | — |
| 20 | FW | Gregor Bajde | 22 | EU | Novara | Loan | Summer | — |
| 14 | FW | Sunny Omoregie | 28 | Non-EU | Hapoel Kfar Saba | Loan | Winter | — |
| — | MF | Amir Dervišević | 24 | EU | Veržej | Loan | Winter | — |
| — | MF | Dejan Vokić | 20 | EU | Veržej | Loan | Winter | — |