Slovan Bratislava soaking up Champions League experience

Slovakian club football has waited 14 years for a representative in the UEFA Champions League proper, following previous appearances from FC Košice (1997/98), FC Petržalka (formerly Artmedia Bratislava, 2005/6) and MŠK Žilina (2010/11). This season, Slovan Bratislava are back in the competition for the first time since 1992/93, having navigated qualifying round ties against North Macedonian side Struga, Slovenian club Celje, Cyprus's APOEL and Midtjylland of Denmark.

The club's first taste of Champions League league phase football was a bitter one – a 5-1 defeat to Scottish champions Celtic – but that hasn't dimmed the sense of excitement enveloping the club ahead of their first home game, according to head coach Vladimír Weiss.

"Our league cannot be compared to this kind of football," he said after the reverse in Glasgow. "We lost, but what is important for us is that we can experience something like the Champions League at all. For that, I have to thank the players. Remember, we maybe won't be playing this kind of competition [again] for another 20 years."

Testing yourself against the best

The Sky Blues face another tough assignment on Matchday 2 – against 2022/23 winners Manchester City.

Weiss is under no illusions as to the scale of the task but is relishing the challenge of taking on Europe's elite. "[They are] the best team with the best coach in Pep Guardiola," he said. "He understands football the most and has managed to change it for the better. It will definitely be a great game for us. Miracles are happening. Our quality, cohesion and team spirit helped us to make this dream come true."

Weiss's son, also named Vladimír, is just as excited about the prospect of facing one of the best teams in the world. The Slovakian winger has appeared in the Champions League twice already – for Rangers and Olympiacos – but doing so with his hometown club is an entirely different matter.

"I hope that the fans will drive us forward and that we can give back to them what they gave us during qualifying rounds," said the 34-year-old club captain.

The Slovan Bratislava team ahead of the match against Celtic AFP via Getty Images

New format offers exciting tests

Slovak football and its fans have had to wait a long time to be back among Europe's elite, but now Weiss's team are here there is plenty to be excited about. The new Champions League format, introduced at the start of the 2024/25 season, means more tantalising matches than ever before.

In their four home ties – each bringing valuable revenue to the club and offering fans the joy of a European matchday – they also face GNK Dinamo (5 November), Milan (26 November) and Stuttgart (21 January 2025). Away from home they take on some of Europe's most decorated clubs – Atleti and Bayern München – as well as debutants Girona.

Weiss was also the man in charge the last time a Slovakian club claimed points in the Champions League, having been in the dugout when Artmedia Bratislava finished third in a group containing Inter, Rangers and Porto 19 years ago.

"I'm happy for him, he's one of our best coaches," said winger Róbert Mak. "It was very important for him to reach the Champions League again, and he managed it. I hope we'll be able to get him a good result in this competition."

Exciting times for Slovakian football

Despite the club's qualification coming off the back of a sixth consecutive domestic league title, only nine years ago they were only 177th in the UEFA club coefficient rankings. They currently sit 60th, and their rise to the elite tier of the European game is reflective of a wider sense of momentum in Slovakian football.

Slovakia have qualified for the past three UEFA EURO tournaments, and were just moments away from defeating eventual finalists England at EURO 2024 before Jude Bellingham's spectacular acrobatic equaliser.

Next year, Slovakia will host the UEFA European Under-21 Championship, which will be played across eight venues in eight different cities (Bratislava, Trnava, Dunajská Streda, Nitra, Trenčín, Žilina, Košice and Prešov). The draw takes places in Bratislava on 3 December.