Before attempting to upset the Euro 2024 Group C apple cart, Slovenia play their first of two warm-up friendlies on Tuesday, hosting Armenia at the Stozice Stadium. While Matjaz Kek 's side will be slogging it out with the continent's best later this month, their upcoming visitors fell short in the preliminary rounds. © Reuters Formerly spending four years in charge of the Slovenia national team from 2007 to 2011 - overseeing his nation's run to the World Cup Finals in 2010 - 62-year-old Kek returned to the helm in 2018 and now prepares to lead Slovenia into just their second Euros as an independent nation.
Eliminated in the Euro 2000 group stage without earning a single win, Slovenia's 24-year absence from the continental gathering will soon come to an end thanks to an exceptional run in qualifying, where they dropped just eight points from the 30 on offer. While Kek's side matched Denmark's 22-point tally and even bested the Euro 2020 semi-finalists on goal difference, their inferior head-to-head tally forced them to accept the runners-up spot, although they will soon reunite with the Scandinavians in Group C, where England and Serbia also reside. Preparations for another major tournament have begun in almost flawless fashion for the Slovenians, who edged out the United States in a January friendly before pitting their wits against Malta and Portugal in another pair of exhibition fixtures in March.
A 2-2 stalemate versus the former was a minor blot on the notebook, but Kek.
