Northern Ireland v Slovakia

SLOVAKIA SQUAD

Words Liam Blackburn

GOALKEEPERS

MAREK RODAK FULHAM

DOMINIK GREIF SLOVAN BRATISLAVA

ADAM JAKUBECH KORTRIJK

Age Caps 4 Goals 0

23

Age Caps 1 Goals 0

23

Age Caps 2 Goals 0

23

Bratislava-born stopper who has spent his entire career with hometown club Slovan, who have won the previous two top flight titles in Slovakia. After two appearances in friendlies in 2019, Greif started Nations League games in September and October, though he is yet to keep a clean sheet.

Rodak joined Fulham’s academy permanently in 2013 and had spells on loan with Farnborough, Welling United, Accrington Stanley and Rotherham United. He made his Premier League debut in the season-opening 3-0 loss to Arsenal in September and saved Alan Browne’s penalty in the play-off semi-final shootout win over the Republic of Ireland.

Jakubech is currently on loan with Belgian cub Kortrijk from French side Lille and he has made 12 league starts this season. Formerly of Spartak Trnava, the goalkeeper’s first call-up to Slovakia’s senior squad was in January 2017 when the nation played friendlies in Abu Dhabi against Uganda and Sweden.

DEFENDERS

PETER PEKARIK HERTHA BERLIN

TOMAS HUBOCAN OMONIA NICOSIA

MILAN SKRINIAR INTER MILAN

Age Caps

34 94

Age Caps

35 65

Age Caps

25 33

Goals 2

Goals 0

Goals 0

A right back who is currently fourth on the list of most capped Slovakia players, having debuted in 2006. Pekarik started three of the four games in his country’s only World Cup campaign in 2010. His honours include a Bundesliga title, which he won while with Wolfsburg in the 2008- 09 season.

Hubocan has come out of international retirement to make this squad, having initially made a farewell appearance in October 2019. Between 2008 and 2014 Hubocan played for Zenit St Petersburg in Russia, replacing compatriot Martin Skrtel, and he later had spells in France with Olympique Marseille and Turkey with Trabzonspor.

Considered to be one of the best young centre backs in Europe, Skriniar joined Inter from Sampdoria in 2017 and reached 100 appearances – all of them starts – for the Serie A club last year. He played every minute of the eight matches Slovakia had in the group stage for Euro 2020 qualification.

NORBERT GYOMBER SALERNITANA

DAVID HANCKO SPARTA PRAGUE

ROBERT MAZAN MLADA BOLESLAV

Age Caps

28 26

Age Caps

22 12

Age Caps

26 10

Goals 0

Goals 1

Goals 0

Plays his club football in Italy with Serie B side Salernitana, having previously featured for Catania, Roma, Pescara, Bari and Perugia. A centre back who can also play as a defensive midfielder, Gyomber was named in Slovakia’s squad at Euro 2016 and made two appearances in the run to the last 16.

Two years ago Hancko was included on a UEFA list of the most promising talents for 2018 alongside Milan Skriniar and was being compared to Italy great Paolo Maldini. Hancko moved to Italy that year, joining Fiorentina, though he is currently on loan with Sparta Prague in the Czech top flight.

Left back Mazan plays his domestic football in the Czech Republic, having joined Mlada Boleslav in September after a three-year spell with Celta Vigo in which he only played three times in La Liga. Won his first international cap in 2017 but has struggled to nail down a regular spot in the team.

LUBOMIR SATKA LECH POZNAN

MARTIN VALJENT MALLORCA

LUKAS PAUSCHEK SLOVAN BRATISLAVA

Age Caps 9 Goals 0

24

Age Caps 8 Goals 0

24

Age Caps 5 Goals 0

27

Previously captained Newcastle United’s Under-21s but only made one senior appearance for the Magpies and, after returning to Slovakia three years ago, he now plays his club football in Poland. Represented his country at various youth levels but it is over a year since he won his last cap.

Valjent, who can play at either centre back or right back, is a regular with Mallorca in Spain. He started 36 of their 38 La Liga games in 2019-20 and has continued to feature for them following their relegation. Has played in all five of Slovakia’s games this season, starting in four of them.

Returned to Slovan in 2019, having started his career there. A winner of three Slovak league titles and a trio of Slovak cups, Pauschek won his first international cap in 2012, though it has been four years since he last pulled on his national shirt in a senior game.

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