Draw for millions — Žilina chasing historic European League spot

Slovakia’s last remaining representative in European competition plays tonight in Bilbao, knowing that a draw will secure a place in the main stage of the Europa League.

They reached this point thanks to last-second drama — eliminating Ukrainian side Poltava with a goal in the final seconds, and a week ago producing a fairytale comeback against favourites Athletic Bilbao, sealed with an injury-time winner. Now, coach Adrián Guľa’s side can create another shock in European football. A draw in Spain would be enough for progression and would bring the club €2.4 million from UEFA — about 70 percent of its entire season budget.

“We are aware of the significant financial bonus at stake. But despite the first-leg win, the favourite is clearly Bilbao,” Žilina sporting director Karol Belaník told the Economic Daily.

Žilina are underdogs for good reason. The Spanish side’s budget is nearly 15 times larger, and Bilbao’s annual wage bill of €35 million could keep Žilina running comfortably for a decade. “If we manage to go through, given the objective facts, it would be a huge football miracle,” Belaník admitted. Many of Žilina’s young players have never experienced the kind of atmosphere expected tonight at Athletic’s new €173 million, 50,000-seat stadium, where even Barcelona recently suffered a 0–4 defeat.

Regardless of the outcome, Žilina have already earned €680,000 for passing through three qualifying rounds — enough to cover travel and participation costs for matches in Northern Ireland, Moldova, Ukraine, and Spain. Even if the €2.4 million reward slips away, Žilina could profit in another way. “Strong performances increase players’ market value. They are more visible, and team success directly impacts individual prices,” sports analyst and football agent Jozef Tokos told the Economic Daily.

In recent weeks, the player most linked with foreign interest has been Croatian striker Matej Jelič. With the transfer window closing in most leagues on September 1, scouts and agents have been watching closely — many attended the first leg against Bilbao and could be at tonight’s match as well. While no concrete offers have been made, several players have been noticed by foreign clubs, meaning moves could happen later in the season. Tokos compares Žilina’s last-gasp heroics to Artmedia Petržalka’s run 11 years ago. “Back then, Pavol Staňo scored in added time in the first qualifying round. They then went on to eliminate Celtic and Partizan Belgrade, representing Slovakia all the way to the Champions League,” he recalled.