Slavia Prague and FC Barcelona, over 100 years of history

Slavia Prague v FC Barcelona, to be played this Wednesday 21 January, is not just any match, but a highly symbolic encounter. The Czech and Catalan sides share a relationship that spans more than a century. Their first meeting took place on 16 March 1920, in a friendly match played at the Carrer Indústria ground, which ended in a 3–2 victory for the blaugrana.

Seven more friendlies

After that initial clash, the two teams faced each other on seven further occasions between 1920 and 1934. All of these matches were friendlies and were played in Barcelona, at the Carrer Indústria ground and at Les Corts. Of the eight encounters in total, four were won by Barça, three by Slavia, and one ended in a draw.

85 years later

They did not meet again until the 2019/20 season, when they were drawn in the same Champions League group. Barça won 1-2 in Prague and the return in the Catalan capital ended 0–0.

1923 print

Beyond the sporting precedents, this relationship has another notable highlight: a commemorative print sent by the Czech club in recognition of Joan Gamper, on the occasion of the tribute paid to him on 25 February 1923 at the Les Corts stadium. The print features a photograph of the Slavia team and a message in German “Dem verehrten Freunde und Sportkameraden” (“To the esteemed friend and sporting companion”), reflecting the bond of respect and fraternity between the two institutions. 

It is also signed, among others, by prominent figures from the Czech club: Aug. Navrátil; Josef Loos, an Olympic medallist who represented Czechoslovakia in ice hockey at the 1920 Antwerp Olympic Games; and Josef Laufer, a Czech editor and sports commentator who was the first European to broadcast a live sporting event and is regarded as a founding figure of Czech radio sports journalism and sports commentary.

The prints in honour of Gamper, dedicated by Catalan, Spanish and European clubs, are preserved in four luxurious albums in the Historical Archive of the FC Barcelona Documentation and Studies Centre.