Martin Šroler (foto: uradna spletna stran kluba)
Martin Šroler, former Gorica player, has joined Uzbek club Bunyodkor, where he’ll reunite with ex-HNL teammates Temuri Abduholikov and Itsuki Urata, under coach Ilyas Zeytulayev.
Martin Šroler, a former Gorica player and most recently part of GOŠK Gabela, has taken the next step in his career by signing with Bunyodkor in Uzbekistan, according to Sportske Novosti. The club, famously once home to Brazilian legend Rivaldo between 2008 and 2010, finished 10th out of 14 in the Uzbek top division last season. The new league campaign is set to begin in March and will run through November.
For Šroler, 26, who had three separate stints at Gorica, this marks his first venture into Asian football. He’ll be welcomed by some familiar faces, starting with Ilyas Zeytulayev, the club’s 42-year-old head coach. Zeytulayev, a former Torino player, had a brief spell at Gorica in 2014 on loan and remains the only Uzbek player to have ever featured for the Croatian side. He spent six months at the club during Ilija Lončarević’s tenure when Gorica was competing in the Croatian second division.
In addition to Zeytulayev, Šroler will find former HNL players in the dressing room. Temuri Abduholikov, the team captain and a 33-year-old striker, played for Hajduk Split between 2014 and 2015. The squad also includes Itsuki Urata, a Japanese left-back who wore the Varaždin jersey two years ago.
This move offers Šroler a fresh challenge in a league that has seen its fair share of international talent, with Bunyodkor looking to improve on last season’s mid-table finish.