Believe, Work, and Gild. Moments of the Year 2023
The second half of the 2022/2023 season opened with a New Year’s reflection on the experiences of the previous equally eventful year. A flawless preparation in Portugal´s Algarve, a dominant start to the spring, and Jan Bořil´s return after 687 days hinted at radiant tomorrows. ´Two years on an emotional rollercoaster. I heard that I wouldn´t make it in elite football, that I´m slow, old... but I bit back. I told myself I´d give it my all. I´m back and I´ll keep fighting,´ said the Slavia captain after the victory over Baník Ostrava, a sentiment echoed by the entire team.
But let´s rewind a few months back, amid the fierce battle for the league title. Apart from that, Slavia had their sights set on the domestic cup, marching unwaveringly until the semifinals against Bohemians. It was a matter of seconds, and the May celebration was within reach. However, it once again illustrated the importance of fighting until the last breath. Ondřej Lingr, whose performance earned him a subsequent move to the famous Feyenoord, equalized just before the final whistle, pushing Slavia into extra time. It was the later league top scorer Václav Jurečka who decided the match, and all eyes turned to the unforgettable epilogue at Letná.
Across the river, thousands of determined Slavia fans, clad in unified white shirts, stormed the rival´s territory, dominating both on the field and in the stands. The stitched invasion onto the rival´s ground was the sweetest punctuation mark for the story of their 25th domestic cup trophy. Choreographies that circled the world, goals that kept the red-and-white family rejoicing for weeks.
´I enjoyed it immensely. I´m a loyalist; I´ve been with the club for so long. The final was absolutely phenomenal. What we created here with the fans is unforgettable,´ reminisced Ondřej Kolář after conquering Letná, extending his unbeaten streak in derbies to fourteen consecutive matches.
The current season began with Slavia donning new jerseys and a clear goal – to qualify for European tournaments for the seventh consecutive time. Ukrainian teams Dnipro-1 and Zorya Luhansk stood in their way but fell to Jindřich Trpišovský´s team, displaying their strength and experience on the European stage.
They entered Group G in grand style, defeating Servette FC away and recording a historic 6-0 victory against Sheriff Tiraspol at a packed Eden Stadium, the highest ever in European group stage matches. The match in Rome didn´t yield points despite all efforts, but it marked the largest ever away trip of Slavia fans in history.
The vengeance in Prague was a different story. The wolves, led by world football stars, couldn’t stand a chance against Slavia, and the frenetic stadium witnessed another breathtaking evening. A valuable scalp for coach Trpišovský, outwitting his idol – the legendary José Mourinho.
The coaching staff also achieved two significant milestones this year. Firstly, reaching two hundred league matches on Slavia´s bench against Slovácko, then celebrating an additional hundred competitive matches with a victory in Olomouc.
´I contemplate how we even managed to survive that (laughs). I´ve said before that I´m starting to pay more attention to such statistics as we approach historic numbers. I sense that a hundred matches in European tournaments aren´t far, which would be a fantastic achievement. Three hundred matches on the bench of a single club, consecutively, is a huge number, and we take immense joy from it. Working for such a great club like Slavia is something we tremendously value,´ said Jindřich Trpišovský.
The defining hallmark and stamp of the year 2023, aside from the MOL Cup trophy, was the journey in the Europa League. Slavia topped Group G with fifteen points and an impressive scoreline of 17:4, leaving behind a renowned challenger from the Italian capital without hesitation. Eden once again proved to be an impregnable fortress, and with an impeccable defense led by Aleš Mandous, they didn’t concede a goal, not even in qualifiers, as Slavia, for the first time in history, progressed directly from the group stage to the Europa League Round of 16.
Simultaneously, they concluded a highly successful five-year period, now ranking among the top fifteen clubs based on their coefficient. It´s not just AS Roma observing Slavia from a distance in this statistic. Chelsea, Manchester United, Barcelona, Juventus, Borussia Dortmund, Arsenal, Napoli, and Atlético Madrid. Slavia has surpassed all of these in the last five years, representing Czech football proudly and gracefully in their red-and-white colors.
Speaking of representation, Slavia players also left an indelible mark in the national team, contributing to its qualification for the upcoming EURO. Former and current players, united under the five-pointed star.
And the qualifying goal? It was David Douděra´s debut strike in the Czech jersey!
The sweet conclusion to the past year was the final autumn match on Baník Ostrava´s heated turf. Jan Bořil, the toiler, fighter, and possessor of an indomitable character, netted the winning goal, his first in 1,121 days. It closed a renaissance chapter in one season, where he first returned to the field against Baník after a severe injury and then triumphed against them a few months later. ´We went for morale,´ said the stitched captain after the game in Vítkovice.
That´s a summary of the football year 2023. Despite unique challenges, it was primarily the desire emanating from the stitched hearts that spread unyielding joy across all stadiums, bringing enduring happiness to the Slavia nation. So, apart from health and happiness, the wish for the year 2024 can be only one thing – may it be at least as stellar as the previous one.
