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Slovan Bratislava’s management is not considering a coaching change despite a difficult run of results, according to sporting director Róbert Vittek.
The club remains committed to the vision of head coach Yaya Touré, who has been in the role for four months.
“Every club can have a plan B, for example, changing the coach, but we are not considering that,” Vittek said in the club’s podcast, NA TEHELNOM POLI, as reported by Šport.sk. “Yaya Touré has our trust and support; we believe in the process and his vision.”
The current pressure on the club follows a successful summer start. Under Touré’s leadership, the team went on a ten-game unbeaten streak (8-2-0) and secured a place in the UEFA Champions League group stage. This achievement was viewed as exceeding the club’s original goals for the season, which had targeted the Europa League.
However, momentum has faded. Since a home loss to Michalovce (1:2), the team has struggled to string together consecutive wins. In the Champions League, the club has lost all four matches, recording a goal difference of 1:17. In the domestic Niké Liga, the gap between Slovan and league leaders DAC has grown to 10 points.
The team’s recent form has drawn criticism from analysts, including former player Michal Pančík. Speaking in the club’s podcast, Vittek suggested that the current dip in performance is partly due to the changes and process under Touré.
Vittek acknowledged the downturn but attributed it to a combination of factors. He noted that after the excitement of reaching the Champions League, some players likely felt that success would continue without the same level of effort.
“The guys in the team thought it would go by itself and we would continue to ride the same wave as in the summer,” Vittek told the club’s podcast. He emphasized that the club is undergoing a generational change and lowering the squad’s average age.
Addressing the team’s defensive vulnerabilities, Vittek admitted that the club failed to strengthen the roster as intended during the summer window. The sporting director specifically identified the right-back position as a priority that remains unaddressed.
“We didn’t manage to cover the right-back position,” Vittek said. “We feel that we have a leader at the back in Kenan Bajrič, but we are missing a player who will be more vocal and act as a leader in that regard.”
The club is already working on recruitment for the winter transfer period. Vittek confirmed that Slovan is actively scouting for a center-back and a right-back, specifically looking for players who are strong during set-piece situations, an area where the team has conceded frequently. Despite the current 10-point deficit in the league, Vittek expressed confidence that the team can fight for titles in the spring once the squad is reinforced.
Slovan Bratislava continues its season with upcoming fixtures in the domestic league and the remaining matches of the Champions League group stage.
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