Mateo Barać (Croatian pronunciation: [matěo bǎra:tɕ];[2][3] born 20 July 1994) is a Croatian football defender who plays for Kazakhstani club Aktobe.

Mateo Barać
Barać with Krylia Sovetov in 2022
Personal information
Date of birth (1994-07-20) 20 July 1994 (age 30)
Place of birth Sinj, Croatia
Height 1.94 m (6 ft 4 in)[1]
Position(s) Centre back
Team information
Current team
Aktobe
Number 44
Youth career
2004–2011 Junak Sinj
2012–2013 Hajduk Split
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2013–2014 Junak Sinj
2014 Wohlen 0 (0)
2014–2015 Hrvatski Dragovoljac 3 (0)
2015–2016 Šibenik 24 (3)
2016–2018 Osijek 50 (1)
2018–2021 Rapid Wien 57 (3)
2021–2022 Sochi 10 (0)
2022Krylia Sovetov Samara (loan) 6 (1)
2022–2024 Krylia Sovetov Samara 14 (0)
2023Oostende (loan) 6 (0)
2024– Aktobe 16 (1)
International career
2017– Croatia 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 16 November 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 12 August 2017

Club career

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Early career

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Born and raised in Sinj, Barać started his youth career at the local Junak Sinj. At the age of 17 he joined the Hajduk Split youth academy, winning the national U-19 championship with the club, but did not receive a professional contract at the end of his academy period, so he returned to third-tier Junak.[4]

Following his first senior-level season playing in his hometown, he signed a three-year contract with the Swiss second-tier team FC Wohlen in July 2014,[5] but his contract was rescinded the following month as Barać couldn't get a Swiss work permit.[6]

Barać then moved back to Croatia, signing with second-tier Hrvatski Dragovoljac for the remainder of the season, but missed most of it due to injury.[7]

NK Šibenik

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Barać joined second-tier Šibenik in the summer of 2015, which was at the time coached by Mirko Labrović, his fellow native from Sinj, playing regularly and almost qualifying for the first tier.[8][9]

Osijek

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On 1 July 2016, Barać joined Osijek for an undisclosed fee. Impressive display in the first half of the Prva Liga earned him a call-up for Croatian A team for 2017 China Cup. On 3 August 2017, Osijek defeated the Dutch giants PSV Eindhoven in the third qualifying round of the 2017–18 UEFA Europa League with a 2-0 aggregate win. Many labeled Barać as the key member of the historic victory and Ajax eventually made a 2.5 million euros transfer bid. Osijek and Barać accepted, however the transfer was stopped due to Barać's heart issues revealed on the medical tests.[10]

Rapid Wien

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On 12 July 2018, he joined Rapid Wien for a fee of €1,300,000.

Sochi

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On 19 June 2021, he moved to Russian club Sochi as a free agent.[11]

Krylia Sovetov Samara

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On 19 February 2022, he was loaned to Krylia Sovetov Samara until the end of the season with an option to buy.[12]

On 31 May 2022, Barać moved to Krylia Sovetov on a permanent basis and signed a two-year contract.[13]

Loan to Oostende

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On 31 January 2023, Barać joined Oostende in Belgium on loan until the end of the season, with an option to buy.[14]

Aktobe

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On 9 February 2024, Krylia Sovetov announced Barać's transfer to Aktobe in Kazakhstan.[15]

Career statistics

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Club

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As of 31 October 2023
Club Season League Cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Hrvatski Dragovoljac 2014–15 Druga HNL 3 0 3 0
Šibenik 2015–16 Druga HNL 26 3 2 0 28 3
Osijek 2016–17 Prva HNL 24 1 4 0 28 1
2017–18 Prva HNL 26 0 1 0 7[a] 0 34 0
Total 50 1 5 0 7 0 62 1
Rapid Wien 2018–19 Austrian Bundesliga 12 0 4 0 9[a] 0 25 0
2019–20 Austrian Bundesliga 18 3 2 1 20 4
2020–21 Austrian Bundesliga 27 0 2 0 6[a] 0 35 0
Total 57 3 8 1 15 0 0 0 80 4
Rapid Wien II 2020–21 2. Liga 1 0 1 0
Sochi 2021–22 Russian Premier League 10 0 0 0 4[b] 0 14 0
Krylia Sovetov Samara (loan) 2021–22 Russian Premier League 6 1 6 1
Krylia Sovetov Samara 2022–23 Russian Premier League 8 0 4 0 12 0
2023–24 Russian Premier League 6 0 6 0 12 0
Total 14 0 10 0 0 0 0 0 24 0
Oostende (loan) 2022–23 Belgian Pro League 6 0 0 0 6 0
Career total 173 8 25 1 26 0 0 0 224 9
  1. ^ a b c Appearances in UEFA Europa League
  2. ^ Appearances in UEFA Europa Conference League

References

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  1. ^ "Mateo Barać" (in Russian). PFC Krylia Sovetov Samara. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  2. ^ "Màtej". Hrvatski jezični portal (in Serbo-Croatian). Retrieved 19 March 2018. Matèo
  3. ^ "Bartolòmēj". Hrvatski jezični portal (in Serbo-Croatian). Retrieved 19 March 2018. Bàrać
  4. ^ Mateo Barać otkrio kako mu je propao transfer u Ajax te priznao: Drago mi je kad Hajduk pobjeđuje - osim protiv Osijeka at Slobodna Dalmacija
  5. ^ FC Wohlen rüstet auf: Geissmann bleibt definitiv, Barac und Xhema kommen at Aargauer Zeitung
  6. ^ Schönenberger und Barac verlassen Leader Wohlen at Aargauer Zeitung
  7. ^ SAMO JE JEDNOM NASTUPIO ZA VATRENE, A SAD JE PONOVNO NA NASLOVNICAMA! Velika nada briljira u susjedstvu, a za SN otkriva kako mu je propao transfer... at Sportske Novosti
  8. ^ "FOTO: Na Šubićevcu počelo 'pumpanje' za drugu ligu". Retrieved 12 August 2017.
  9. ^ Mateo Barać otkrio kako mu je propao transfer u Ajax te priznao: Drago mi je kad Hajduk pobjeđuje - osim protiv Osijeka at Slobodna Dalmacija
  10. ^ "Barać ne ide u Ajax, vraća se u Osijek". Retrieved 12 August 2017.
  11. ^ "Хорватский защитник Матео Барач пополнил состав "Сочи"" (in Russian). PFC Sochi. 19 June 2021.
  12. ^ "Матео Барач переходит в "Крылья Советов"" (Press release) (in Russian). PFC Krylia Sovetov Samara. 19 February 2022. Retrieved 19 February 2022.
  13. ^ "Матео Барач переходит из "Сочи" в "Крылья Советов"" (in Russian). PFC Krylia Sovetov Samara. 31 May 2022. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
  14. ^ "NIEUWE VERDEDIGER TEKENT OP DEADLINE DAY" (in Dutch). K.V. Oostende. 1 February 2023. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
  15. ^ "Матео Барач покидает «Крылья Советов»" (in Russian). FC Krylia Sovetov Samara. 9 February 2024.
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