Slovan Bratislava v Young Boys background
Sunday, November 9, 2014
Article summary
Eliminated ŠK Slovan Bratislava are the only side yet to score in this season's group stage as they take on BSC Young Boys, who still have hope in Group I.
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ŠK Slovan Bratislava are no longer able to qualify for the UEFA Europa League round of 32, but they could take BSC Young Boys down with them in the event of a Group I win.
Form guide
• Although they lost 5-0 at Young Boys on matchday one, Slovan have won all three of their previous home games against Swiss sides without conceding, while Young Boys lost their only previous match in Slovakia.
• Slovan and FC Metalist Kharkiv are the only teams to have lost all four of their group stage games this season. Slovan have conceded more goals than any other club (14) and are the only side in the group stage yet to score.
• Young Boys are without a win in three European away fixtures (D1 L2).
Trivia and links
• Slovan goalkeeper Dušan Perniš turns 30 the day after the Young Boys game.
• Young Boys defender Scott Sutter can make his 50th UEFA club competition appearance.
• Slovan are the only Slovakian side to have won a major European trophy – the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in 1968/69 – and seven of their players featured in Czechoslovakia's victorious 1976 UEFA European Championship squad.
• Slovan's only previous group stage campaign was in 2011/12, when they picked up just one point from six games. As for Young Boys, this is their third tilt at this group stage: they made it to the round of 32 in 2010/11 but narrowly missed out in 2012/13 despite picking up ten points.
The coaches
• Slovan's František Straka became the first coaching casualty of the 2014/15 UEFA Europa League when he was dismissed on 6 October, the Slovakian champions having won only once in their previous ten games.
• Slovan's new coach is Jozef Chovanec. The former Czechoslovakia defender played over 300 games in three spells at AC Sparta Praha, representing PSV Eindhoven during a stint abroad as well. Chovanec has also coached Sparta on four separate occasions, and led the Czech national team from 1998 to 2001.
• A one-time central defender, Young Boys coach Uli Forte is enjoying his first foray in Europe. Having moved into coaching as player-manager at FC Red Star Zürich, he took charge of FC Wil 1900, FC St Gallen and Grasshopper Club before taking command at Young Boys in 2013.
