Armin Bačinović

Armin Bačinović

Personal information
Full name	Armin Bačinović
Date of birth	24 October 1989
Place of birth	Maribor, SFR Yugoslavia
Height	1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)[1]
Playing position	Defensive midfielder
Club information
Current team	Virtus Lanciano
Number	8
Youth career
	Železničar Maribor
2002–2007	Maribor
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps^†	(Gls)^†
2007–2010	Maribor	79	(6)
2010–2014	Palermo	54	(2)
2012–2013	→ Verona (loan)	17	(1)
2014–	Virtus Lanciano	30	(1)
National team^‡
	Slovenia U20
2008–2010	Slovenia U21	10	(1)
2009–	Slovenia	13	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 05:43, 24 May 2015 (UTC). † Appearances (goals) ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 7 February 2013

Armin Bačinović (born 24 October 1989 in Maribor)^[1] is a Slovenian football midfielder who plays for Virtus Lanciano.

Club career

Early career in Slovenia

Bačinović started his career at Železničar Maribor and was later transferred to NK Maribor youth sides. He signed his first professional contract in 2007. Bačinović made his first team debut on 7 July 2007 as a late substitute in an Intertoto Cup tie with Hajduk Kula.^[2] His first start came later that season in PrvaLiga match, a 1–1 draw with Nafta Lendava. Managers Milko Gjurovski and Branko Horjak established him in Maribor first team that season.

On 14 August 2010 he has made his 100th appearance for Maribor.^[3]

Palermo and loans

On 27 August 2010 it was confirmed that Palermo had acquired Bačinović and teammate Josip Iličić from Maribor in a permanent move; the move was finalized the very next day after Palermo had eliminated Maribor from the 2010–11 UEFA Europa League in a 5–3 aggregate win, which was also the latest appearance for both players in purple jersey.^[4] Despite his young age and lack of experience in Italian football, Bačinović immediately established himself as a key player in the Sicilians' midfield line in a 4–3–2–1 scheme together with Antonio Nocerino and Giulio Migliaccio, and scored his first goal for Palermo on 17 October 2010 against Bologna.^[5]

In April 2011, Bačinović was quoted as saying he wanted to play in the Premier League, with Chelsea and Liverpool both rumoured to be interested in signing him.^[6] On 20 June he signed a new 5-year contract.^[7]

Bačinović failed to repeat his performances in his second season at Palermo, mostly due to recurring injuries and lack of confidence from the three head coaches of the season (Stefano Pioli, Devis Mangia and Bortolo Mutti, respectively). A move on loan to Serie B club Padova did not materialize in January 2012 after he failed a medical, thus forcing the Slovene off the pitch for the remainder of the season, except for a very few occasional appearances (mostly as a substitute). On 9 July 2012, Palermo announced to have agreed a loan deal with Serie B club Verona.^[8] He played only a handful games during the season and left Verona by the end of the season to come back at Palermo. After a disappointing first half of season at Palermo, he was deemed surplus to requirements and excluded from the squad list after the club failed to sell him during the 2014 winter transfer window.

Virtus Lanciano

On 21 August 2014 it was confirmed Bačinović had mutually rescinded his contract with Palermo, thus ending a four-year spell with the Sicilians.^[9] Later on the same day, Serie B club Virtus Lanciano announced to have signed him as a free transfer on a three-year deal.^[10]

International career

He made 10 appearances for Slovenia U21 and scored 1 goal. On 12 August 2009, Bačinović made his full international debut for Slovenia at the Ljudski vrt, Maribor in a 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification match against San Marino.^[11]

Career statistics

As of 30 December 2012

Club performance			League		Cup		Continental		Total
Season	Club	League	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
2007–08	Maribor	PrvaLiga	22	2	2	0	1	0	25	2
2008–09			26	1	3	0	–		29	1
2009–10			28	3	4	0	5	0	37	3
2010–11			3	0	0	0	6	0	9	0
Total	Slovenia		79	6	9	0	12	0	100	6
2010–11	Palermo	Serie A	33	2	2	0	0	0	35	2
2011–12			13	0	0	0	1	0	14	0
2012–13	Verona	Serie B	17	1	3	0	0	0	20	1
Total	Italy		63	3	5	0	1	0	69	3
Career total			142	9	13	0	13	0	169	9

See also

• Slovenian international players
• NK Maribor players

References

1. "Reprezentančna izkaznica: Armin Bačinovič" (in Slovenian). SIOL.net. 12 July 2009. Retrieved 14 February 2011.
2. "Vijoličasti zasluženo zmagali s Hajdukom iz Kule" (in Slovenian). NK Maribor. 7 July 2007. Retrieved 10 August 2009.
3. "Bačinović stotič oblekel vijoličasti dres" (in Slovenian). SiOL. 14 August 2010. Retrieved 17 August 2010.
4. "ILIČIĆ IN BAČINOVIĆ V PALERMO, REP IZ CELJA V MARIBOR" (in Slovenian). NK Maribor. 27 August 2010. Retrieved 27 August 2010.
5. "Reprezentančna izkaznica: Armin Bačinovič" (in Italian). gazzetta.it. 17 October 2010. Retrieved 17 October 2010.
6. "Liverpool FC and Chelsea FC target Armin Bacinovic keen on move". CrunchSports.com. 3 April 2011. Retrieved 3 April 2011.
7. "INSIEME FINO AL 2016". US Città di Palermo (in Italian) (ilpalermocalcio.it). 20 June 2011. Retrieved 22 June 2022. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
8. "BACINOVIC IN PRESTITO AL VERONA" [BACINOVIC ON LOAN TO VERONA] (in Italian). US Città di Palermo. 9 July 2012. Retrieved 9 July 2012.
9. "RESCISSIONE CONSENSUALE PER BACINOVIC" (in Italian). US Città di Palermo. 21 August 2014. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
10. "Altro colpo di Mercato: ingaggiato Bacinovic: Per il calciatore sloveno contratto triennale" (in Italian). SS Virtus Lanciano 1924. 21 August 2014. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
11. "San Marino lažje ogrevanje za Poljake" (in Slovenian). RTV Slovenia. 12 August 2009. Retrieved 13 August 2009.

External links

• Player profile at PrvaLiga (Slovene)
• Player profile at NZS