Slavia Prague Goalkeeper Markovič Stuns Atalanta in European Debut
BERGAMO, Italy – A stunning performance from Slavia Prague goalkeeper Matěj Markovič secured a valuable point for the Czech side in a 0-0 draw against Italian Serie A leaders Atalanta on Wednesday, October 22, 2025. The 22-year-old, making his debut in the UEFA Europa Conference League, thwarted numerous Atalanta attacks, exceeding statistical expectations and earning praise from teammates and coaches alike.
Markovič’s emergence as a key player comes at a crucial time for Slavia, with fellow goalkeeper staněk recently returning from injury and still regaining full fitness. While Staněk traveled with the team to Italy, he remained on the bench, leaving the spotlight to Markovič, who delivered a performance that could reshape the goalkeeping hierarchy within the club. The draw leaves Slavia positioned to advance from their Conference League group, with upcoming matches holding notable weight.
Despite the positive result, markovič admitted to initial nerves and a challenging moment late in the match. “I wasn’t in a fully ideal position, I wanted to crawl a bit, he surprised me and I had to catch it. That was the hardest moment,” he said after the game. He ultimately recorded five saves, preventing Atalanta from capitalizing on an expected goals (xG) value of 2.04 – statistically suggesting they should have scored twice.
Slavia coach Trpišovský had previously indicated his intention to reintegrate Staněk into the starting lineup for their upcoming league match against Olomouc on Sunday. However, Markovič deflected questions about possibly vying for a more permanent role. “That’s not a question for me,” he smiled. ”I’m doing my job and I’m glad it worked out this time.”
Markovič’s unexpected heroics have not only secured a valuable point for slavia but also introduced a new name to the European stage, potentially altering the team’s goalkeeping dynamic for the foreseeable future. “We are happy to have a point. Everyone counts, with atalanta he is very valuable. We didn’t come here for him,more for the victory,but we knew the strength of bergamo. So we will definitely take him,” Markovič assessed.