Vladimir Weiss, the manager of Slovan Bratislava, prepares his squad for a crucial Europa League qualification final round first leg against Swiss side "Young Boys" on August 21 at Tegelne Pole stadium in Bratislava.
"We understand the importance of getting a positive result at home before traveling to Switzerland. Their artificial pitch gives them a significant advantage in the second leg," a club representative noted ahead of the matchup.
The Slovak champions enter this contest having already played seven competitive matches this season, which should give them an edge in match fitness. After drawing their domestic league opener against Presov 2:2, Slovan bounced back with convincing victories over Podbrezova (4:1) and Skalica (1:0).
Their European journey has been eventful so far. The team comfortably eliminated Zrinjski in the Champions League second qualifying round with a 4:0 home victory followed by a 2:2 draw away. However, their Champions League dreams ended in the next round when they lost to Kazakhstan's Kairat on penalties.
Interestingly, while bookmakers consider the teams evenly matched for this home fixture, they heavily favor "Young Boys" to advance from the two-legged tie with odds of 1.37 compared to Slovan's 3.10.
The Swiss side hasn't been particularly impressive domestically, though. They've collected just five points from their opening four league matches and haven't won in three consecutive games. Their recent Swiss Cup victory came against weak opposition and doesn't offer much insight into their current form.
History doesn't favor the Slovak team either. In four previous meetings between these clubs (in 2014 and 2021), Slovan has never beaten "Young Boys" – losing three times and drawing once.
Despite this record, Slovan's home advantage and better early-season form give them reasonable hope. The artificial pitch at Young Boys' stadium has always been their trump card, but they won't have that edge in Slovakia.
Can Weiss's men secure a first-leg advantage before the difficult away trip? With "Young Boys" struggling for consistency and Slovan gaining momentum from their domestic performances, the hosts have a genuine opportunity to change their historical fortunes against the Swiss opposition.
