Slavia Prague winless in European competition for two years: 17 games

Prague’s Slavia have not won in European competition since September 2024, when they beat Bulgaria’s Ludogorets 2–0 in the Europa League. Since then they have recorded five draws and twelve defeats. Ahead of their Champions League away game against Fenerbahce in Istanbul, the team is trying to end that run.

“The longer it goes on, the more unpleasant it gets. I used to not keep it in my head, but now it’s hard. The run is a long one. We are doing everything to end it,” says coach Trpišovský. Defender David Zima adds that the team thinks about it too, but must not give in to the pressure: “You are up against giants, and you need some luck as well.”

Is the league more important than Europe?

There are several reasons why Slavia are no longer as successful in the cups. But the experts questioned by Sport.cz do not believe the club is sacrificing Europe for the Czech league title. “Everyone at the club is weighed down by the lack of wins in Europe. I wouldn’t write them off,” says experienced coach Dušan Uhrin Jr. Another veteran coach, Vlastimil Petržela, also cannot imagine anyone at the club considering anything more important.

This is Slavia’s second consecutive season in the Champions League, where wins are extremely hard to come by, and Trpišovský has yet to win in it, even though this is the third time he has led the team there. Last week in Baku, against Sabah, the team was considered closest to a victory, but lost 0–2. Petržela noted that the atmosphere before the match was overly optimistic.

Finishing problems and striker Chorý

In Azerbaijan, Slavia paid for defensive mistakes and missed chances. It is a long-standing problem for the club: the team has no reliable goalscorer for European competition. “There is a lack of quality. The Champions League showed that Chorý is not as big a star as he is in the Czech league,” believes Petržela.

Striker Tomáš Chorý will not play for Slavia again. After the weekend, the 31-year-old forward showed the middle finger to referee Jan Všetečka in a league match against Hradec Králové (0–0) and was sent off. Trpišovský did not take him to Istanbul, and the club will apparently part ways with him in winter.

In the summer Slavia bought players who were supposed to add speed and dynamism: Emmanuel Ayaosi, Daniel Šturm, Pavel Kačor and Adonija Ouanda, who returned from loan and is currently injured. That directness helped the team in the August derby: Slavia beat Sparta 3–0 at Letná. The match against Fenerbahce could suit them on the same principle: “They will play on the counterattack, and that plays into their hands,” Petržela predicts.

Uhrin sees other reasons as well: the squad changes with every transfer window, and the players lack experience and cohesion. Petržela adds that some players were affected by fatigue after the World Cup, in particular Lukáš Provod. “Some players were overtrained and are now getting their form back,” Uhrin agrees. In his estimate, there is a chance of picking up points in Istanbul.

Around Prague, based on reporting by sport.cz