(foto: Getty Images)
Nogomania previews a packed Saturday featuring Manchester United, Inter, the German Super Cup and Real Madrid’s first league match under Jose Mourinho.
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A packed football Saturday brings major matches from the Premier League, Serie A, Germany and La Liga. Nogomania will follow the most important action throughout the day, with several Slovenian players and football figures involved.
HULL CITY - MANCHESTER UNITED, 13:30
Manchester United begin their new Premier League campaign away to newly promoted Hull City. The Red Devils return to the Champions League this season, but their first domestic assignment presents an immediate test at the MKM Stadium.
Benjamin Šeško has returned to training after recovering from a shin injury that kept him out of the entire pre-season programme. The Slovenian striker is available for selection, although he is unlikely to start after such a long absence.
Hull are back in the Premier League after winning promotion from the Championship. The club owned by Turkish businessman Acun Ilicali will immediately test its ambitions against one of England’s biggest teams.
NOTTINGHAM FOREST - LEEDS UNITED, 16:00
The second Premier League match of interest also carries a Slovenian connection. Former Slovenia international Miran Pavlin continues to work as a consultant at Nottingham Forest, while defender Jaka Bijol represents Leeds United.
Bijol will hope to begin the new campaign with a strong performance against Forest, while both clubs enter the season with ambitions of establishing themselves in the upper half of the Premier League table.
INTER - MONZA, 18:30
Reigning Italian champions Inter open their Serie A title defence at San Siro against newly promoted Monza.
The Milan giants completed the signing of English midfielder Curtis Jones from Liverpool shortly before the start of the season. The 25-year-old signed a contract until June 2031 and adds another option to Inter’s midfield.
Young Slovenian midfielder Luka Topalović completed the entire pre-season programme with Inter’s first team and featured in friendly matches. His immediate future is still uncertain, with a loan move considered the most realistic option if Inter want him to play regularly.
BORUSSIA DORTMUND - BAYERN MUNICH, 20:30
Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich meet at Signal Iduna Park in the Franz Beckenbauer Supercup, with the first trophy of the German season at stake.
Dortmund enter the match under Niko Kovač, but defensive injuries have complicated their preparations. Nico Schlotterbeck and Emre Can are unavailable, leaving the hosts short of experience at the back.
Serhou Guirassy and Samuele Inacio are expected to provide the main attacking threat, while Felix Nmecha and Jobe Bellingham should play important roles in midfield.
Bayern arrive as favourites after scoring a record 122 league goals last season. Vincent Kompany’s side also won five of their six summer friendlies and will look to carry that form into the first competitive match of the campaign.
Jamal Musiala will miss the match, while Harry Kane is not expected to be ready for a full 90 minutes. Luis Díaz, Arijon Ibrahimović and Ismael Saibari are among the leading candidates for roles in Bayern’s attack.
Recent history also favours the Bavarians. Bayern are unbeaten in their last eight away matches in Dortmund, winning seven of them. Dortmund recorded three wins, one draw and two defeats during pre-season, but the home crowd and the chance to claim an early trophy should provide extra motivation.
ESPANYOL - REAL MADRID, 21:30
The evening concludes in Barcelona, where Espanyol host Real Madrid in La Liga. The match represents Real Madrid’s first league appearance of the season and the beginning of Jose Mourinho’s second spell in charge.
Slovenian defender Vanja Drkušić is now part of the Espanyol squad. His involvement remains uncertain, but he will experience the atmosphere of a major La Liga occasion and could immediately come up against Kylian Mbappé and Real Madrid’s collection of attacking stars.
Mourinho has included Mbappé, Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham in his squad, while Endrick, Rodrygo and Éder Militão are among the unavailable players.