Slovan Bratislava will rekindle the love affair with European competition after a ten-year hiatus as champions of Slovakia ended, unbolting the celestial passageway to the Champions League for the recipient of the 1969 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup. Revelry and celebrations were fittingly underway at the 30,000-capacity Tehelné Pole Stadion, the residence of the five-time Super Liga conquerors, after dispatching FC Nitra for a 3-0 scoreline on Wednesday night.
Repeating the continental glories of yesteryear might present itself to be an unfeasible ambition but simply reaching the top-echelon of club competition is a dream fulfilled for many in the Slovak capital, none more so strikingly than the Slovan head coach Ladislav Pecko. Luring the national title back into their grasps was not the only source of affection which Slovan followers’ have of Pecko, as he donned the equally-effective role of a one-club legend during his seventeen-year long playing career.
As a right-back with convincing attacking capabilities, the Czechoslovakia and Slovakia-capped international represented Slovan Bratislava over 430 occasions before retiring in 2005 with four Slovak title medals and additionally the penultimate championship accolade before Czechoslovakia disbanded, but those who estimated his disappearance were mistaken. Pecko was shortly appointed as the assistant manager, an ideal environment to be converted from an ex-professional to an nurtured component of the coaching staff. The transition had been completed in 2008, the year when he was promoted to the role of manager and the decision, in hindsight, appearing to be all the more astute and intelligent after halting a decade of pain by guiding the Sky Blues to championship success.
Reigning champions Artmedia Petržalka, formerly known as Artmedia Bratislava, have suffered from their mass exodus of personnel in pre-season and will finish in mid-table while MSK Zilina are widely anticipated to seize the consoling runners-up spot, thereby guaranteeing qualification for the opening season of the Europa League.
The facts and statistics wholeheartedly argue that Slovan Bratislava deserve their title triumph. With the most home and away victories, supplemented by the division's most potent attacking figures and staunchest back-line, there cannot be more laudable winners.
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