Oblak, the captain of the Slovenia national team, has faced a challenge due to his position as a goalkeeper. Before Euro 2024, UEFA implemented new rules aimed at reducing dissent towards referees.

As part of these rules, only the captain from each team is allowed to speak to the referee about decisions made during the game. Since Oblak is often far from the incidents on the field, Slovenia has had to nominate an outfield player as their intermediary with the referee.

Prior to the start of Euro 2024, Slovenia manager Matjaž Kek selected center-back Jaka Bijol to take on this responsibility. Kek expressed his belief that Bijol will effectively communicate with the referees, emphasizing that their behavior on the field has been respectful thus far.

Despite acknowledging that emotions can run high in football, Kek highlighted the importance of upholding the standards of the game, especially during a prestigious event like Euro 2024. During a match against England, Udinese defender Bijol had a strong performance but received a yellow card for a foul on Kane in the second half.

He celebrated enthusiastically after their third successive draw, securing qualification for the last-16. The team is pleased with their performance and qualification.

Kek stressed that their efforts are not solely for the benefit of referees or the UEFA Referees Committee, but rather for the game of football, its image, and the future generation. He also mentioned that the interactions and discussions with the teams regarding the new rules had been productive, with the players showing satisfaction with the open dialogue approach.

Lastly, the text includes an unrelated part about community members being treated to special offers, promotions, and advertisements, along with an invitation for those curious to read the privacy notice.