Mainz, Germany – Sigma Olomouc’s improbable run in the UEFA Europa Conference League ended Thursday with a 3-0 defeat to Bundesliga side Mainz 05, a result that underscored the significant gulf in resources and experience between the Czech and German leagues. Despite a promising campaign that saw them overcome Lausanne and reach the Round of 16, the Olomouc players acknowledged the tie proved a step too far.
“Right now, disappointment prevails, but looking back on our journey, we had some stunning matches,” defender Sigima Olomouc defender Jakub Šláma said after the match. “It was a great experience, because with a few exceptions, none of us had played in matches like these before. We went into the second leg against Mainz with the determination to pull it off, but unfortunately, it didn’t happen.”
Šláma attributed the defeat to the higher quality of play in the Bundesliga. “The Bundesliga is the Bundesliga. I don’t think we have anything to be ashamed of. We wanted to play, although I felt we were a little intimidated in the first half. We should have gone for it right from the start, but then it became difficult. The home side defended well, and the goal really calmed them down. They didn’t let us do anything, and then they focused on defense. When we went down to ten men and conceded a second goal, we all felt it was beyond us.”
The atmosphere at the MEWA Arena did not unduly affect the team, Šláma insisted. “I don’t think so. I think we were perhaps afraid of conceding a goal right away. I would say the atmosphere helped everyone, it draws you into the match and you don’t think about the game. But now we are all smart. As I said, we had a wonderful journey and we must only take the positive from it. We experienced how nice Europe is. Now we need to focus on the Czech league and win matches in it so that we can play matches in Europe again.”
Šláma emphasized the progress the club has made in recent seasons. “Definitely. I’ve been at the club since I was ten years old, and I dreamed of playing in matches like these. A year and a half ago, we couldn’t have imagined playing them. Coach Janotka arrived with a major rejuvenation. No one even expected such success. The goal was more to build a squad. And suddenly, the cup was won, and the Conference League came along. It’s a huge experience for the team.”
He highlighted the team’s ability to compete with European opponents. “We’ve shown that we can play with teams like Raków, Lausanne, Mainz and others. We outplayed them at times. We drew 0-0 at home against a Bundesliga team, which I think is a great result. We wanted to build on that here, but unfortunately it didn’t happen. That’s football. We have to admit that it’s still beyond our capabilities at the moment.”
Looking ahead, Šláma anticipates a more competitive fight for places in the starting lineup as the club adjusts to increased expectations following a change in ownership. “Competition is part of football. With the new owner, the demands and ambitions have increased. This is a natural development for the club. Football brings arrivals and departures. But a player doesn’t think about that, he goes all out in every training session. Everyone wants to give their maximum.”
The team now turns its attention back to the Czech league, with the next match scheduled after the international break.
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