Top scorers & top talents: the Bratislava players FCB must stop

A childhood dream came true for Dominika Škorvánková as a teenager when she joined one of the very first women's teams at Slovan Bratislava. The 125-time international later went on to become a nine-time Footballer of the Year in her home country, played in Austria, in Germany for FC Bayern for three years and in France before joining FC Como Women in Italy's top flight in 2023. A conversation about Munich, her love for FC Bayern and Slovan Bratislava, and the tiny chance of causing a sensation in the Champions League.

Dominika Škorvánková on FC Bayern vs. Slovan Bratislava

In the late afternoon of 1 July 1990, Vladimir Weiß spent the entire match at the Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on the bench. He will do so again on Wednesday evening when Slovan Bratislava face FC Bayern in their final league phase game in the Champions League. Back then, in the quarter-final defeat to eventual World Cup winners Germany, Weiß was still an international for what was then Czechoslovakia. 35 years later, he's head coach of the Slovakian serial champions. As captain, his son Vladimir is his father's extended arm on the pitch and his namesake - but Slovan Bratislava have long since been eliminated after seven defeats in seven Champions League matches.

"It's still been fun to watch this team develop from game to game, despite the defeats," says Dominika Škorvánková. The 33-year-old made more than 125 international appearances for Slovakia and was named Footballer of the Year nine times in her home country. The midfielder played for FC Bayern from 2017 to 2020 (50 appearances, two goals). She currently plays in Lombardy for FC Como Women, an all-women football club founded in 2019. "FC Bayern is still close to my heart, I mainly follow the women's team in the league and Champions League." However, she doesn't come to Munich that often anymore, not even for the upcoming men's Champions League match: "Unfortunately, I have training and can't take two days off," says Škorvánková. At the weekend, FC Como face Lazio.

Fervent enthusiasm for Športovy Klub Slovan

Like Škorvánková, a large part of Slovakia is very passionate about Športovy Klub Slovan: the club from the capital have been champions 14 times, having previously won the Czechoslovak title eight times. Bratislava have lifted the domestic cup ten times and, above all, won the European Cup Winners' Cup in Basel in 1968/69, beating Barcelona 3-2. "Every boy and girl who plays football dreams of playing for Slovan one day," says Dominika Škorvánková: "That was my dream too." Her dream came true when she was 12 years old, and she stayed in Bratislava for over seven years, studying at university while playing football and attending ice hockey and football matches - "if at all, then only for Slovan".

In August 2024, on home leave so to speak, she experienced the play-off second leg up close when Slovan beat Danish champions Midtjylland 3-2 and qualified for what is now the league phase of the Champions League for the first time ever. "The excitement and passion were incredible," says Škorvánková. Bratislava had previously defeated Struga from North Macedonia, Slovenian side NK Celje and Cypriot champions APOEL Nicosia before it was all or nothing against Midtjylland. What followed was the club's greatest European success in a very long time - between 2004 and 2006, Slovan had even briefly slipped down to the second division. MŠK Zilina, with its youth academy threatened to leapfrog the club with the long tradition - but Slovan are currently back at the top of the league with a three-point lead.

From Mak to Strelec to Marcelli - lots of exciting names

When the Slovakian serial champions meet FC Bayern in the Allianz Arena on Wednesday, there will be lots of exciting names in the attack. Robert Mak (33) played against FC Bayern three times during his time at 1. FC Nürnberg (two defeats, one draw). This season, Mak has scored eight goals in all competitions. Only the Armenian Tigran Barseghyan (31) and David Strelec (23) have been more effective. Strelec has already scored 15 goals, Barseghyan an impressive 17. Strelec is a product of the Slovan youth system and found his way back to Bratislava via Italy. Nino Marcelli (19) was also trained in the Slovan youth programme. According to Transfermarkt.de, the top talent's market value is around €5m - he scored with a wonder strike from distance against AC Milan. FC Bayern will need to contain Marko Toli in Bratislava's fast transition game: With 15 assists, the 28-year-old Croatian is the visitors' best provider. At the back, Austrian Kevin Wimmer already has previous with the German record champions, having already played four times against FC Bayern with 1. FC Köln and Hannover 96. His record: 2:13 goals, zero points.

A little better game by game

Škorvánková doesn't think Bratislava stand much of a chance against FC Bayern. "The greatest period on the international stage was a long time ago, back in the days of Czechoslovakia," says the professional footballer. She hopes that qualifying for Europe's premier club competition for the first time after two years in the UEFA Conference League will be a big step towards a new era for Bratislava - a picturesque city of over 500,000 inhabitants on the Danube, famous for its impressive architecture and a historic 18th-century town centre that is only accessible to pedestrians.

"We've been able to see, game by game, what gaining experience in the Champions League means," says Škorvánková: "Slovan have improved game by game." However, she also says that it will most likely not suffice against the big favourites from Germany - also because the Slovakian league is still on its winter break until 8 February and Bratislava first have to find their competitive mode again. However: "If I was a Slovan player, I would know that every game starts at 0-0. And there are not many games more exciting than at the Allianz Arena - this is our last Champions League game of the campaign: you have to enjoy it and give it absolutely everything you've got.

The facts on the match between Bayern and Bratislava: