The second to last match in the league phase of the Champions Leage sees VfB return to Bratislava after fourteen and a half years. We talked to Slovan podcast My sme Belasí about the current situation of the Slowakian title holder and record champion.
With the Red Stripe: Hello and thank you for taking your time to answer our questions. Could you first introduce yourself to our readers?
My sme Belasí: Hello, we are the first-ever podcast dedicated to our beloved club ŠK Slovan Bratislava, and for the third season now, we’ve been creating podcasts about everything related to Slovan.
This season, Slovan reached the group or league stage of the Champions League for the first time. How important was that for the club and the fans?
This is the greatest success in the club’s modern history (since the move to the new stadium), and for years, it was a shared dream for all Slovan fans. So, it was absolute euphoria—a dream come true for fans and everyone in club.
Are you disappointed about the results in the Champions League so far while being on course to another Slowakian championship at the moment?
Honestly, no, we expected it. Of course, everyone wants to see their club win, but we’re playing in the Champions League for the first time, so when you look at the quality of the squad and the lack of experience, it makes sense. The club is simply adapting to something unfamiliar. The positive thing, however, is that the performances are continuously improving.
The Niké Liga doesn’t start again until February, while Stuttgart has already played three games. Do you think this is an advantage or a disadvantage for Slovan?
It’s definitely an advantage. We have an older squad, so a shorter break was beneficial. The players got some rest, and on the other hand, they had a very high-quality training camp, so match readiness should be fine.
When we were thrashed in Belgrade, we could see that it is not easy to play a team that is used to winning in the league and has nothing to lose internationally. Are the situations of Slovan and Cvrena zvezda comparable?
These comparisons can be quite extensive. They might hint at something, but we don’t think it’s the most important factor working in Slovan’s favor.
The two clubs met before in 2010 in the qualification for the Europa League, overshadowed by clashes between the fans in the first leg. Do you have any recollections of these games?
Honestly, it’s been so long that we haven’t even thought about it.
Do you expect any reactions from the Slovan fan scene regarding the game at the Pasienky back then or is that mostly forgotten?
We don’t think there will be anything directly aimed at this, but we do expect some tension since both clubs have good and emotional ultras supporters.
Back to the presence: Slovan only lost narrowly 2–3 against Milan. What worked well for Slovan in this game?
The biggest advantages worked. Emotion, team spirit, and team performance. Combined with the fans, the players can push themselves into an incredible trance and deliver excellent matches even against significantly stronger opponents. It’s a state where the fans and especially the players give 200%, fighting not for themselves but for everyone. Against AC, we were in such a trance, and we weren’t far from a miracle.
What’s the style of play of Slovan in the Champions League and where do you see your team’s strengths and weaknesses?
Most of the time, we try to play from a solid defense and use deadly counterattacks. Our biggest weakness is simply the inexperience of the players at this level and occasional unnecessary individual mistakes. Our strengths are definitely counterattacks. We have many players with brilliant football IQ and passing skills, and we must mention our goalkeeper, who can do miracles on the line.
Which player should we look out for?
It’s very hard to pick just one, but the most interesting personality and player is undoubtedly our captain, Vladko Weiss Jr.
For Stuttgart fans visiting Bratislava, is there anything you would recommend they should see?
The city center is beautiful. We definitely recommend visiting Bratislava Castle or the area around the Danube. But for as, as a Slovan fan, the most beautiful place is Tehelné pole, logically.
What is your guess for the starting eleven of Slovan and the result?
This is very difficult because we regularly alternate between two playing systems. However, we’ll take a guess at a 3–4‑3:
Takáč – Bajrić – Kashia – Wimmer
Blackman – Savvidis – Ignatenko (if fully fit) – Medvedev
Barseghyan – Strelec – Weiss
And the result… well, we want to stay positive, so we’ll say 1–1. We’re improving, and the players are getting better, so why not surprise?
Picture: © Christian Hofer/Getty Images