Former Hapoel Kiryat Shmona Player Martins Sends Slovan Bratislava to Champions League Group Stage

Christian Martins, who previously played for Hapoel Kiryat Shmona, scored a decisive goal in the 100th minute to secure Slovan Bratislava's qualification for the UEFA Champions League group stage. The Slovakian club defeated Zilina 3-2 on aggregate after a 1-1 draw in the first leg and a thrilling second leg at Zdala Stadium in Slovenia on August 26, 2026. Martins' late goal, assisted by Nino Marseli, earned Bratislava a 2-1 victory in the match and a lucrative 18.62 million euro prize for advancing.

Martins transferred to Slovan Bratislava for approximately 700,000 euros following a strong World Cup performance where he was named man of the match against Croatia. He has started every game since joining, contributing both goals and assists, including a key assist in the first leg against Zilina. Bratislava dominated the match with seven shots on target compared to Zilina's six but had to wait until extra time for the winning goal.

Slovan Bratislava has a history of competing in European tournaments and previously faced Maccabi Haifa in Champions League playoffs. This will be their second appearance in the Champions League group stage, having participated in the 2024/25 season, where they lost all their matches with a goal difference of 7-27. The club now looks forward to improving on that performance in the upcoming group stage.