Slavia & Barcelona Stayed Together Against Cancer
On Wednesday, January 21, 2026, SK Slavia Prague will host FC Barcelona at Eden in what will be the biggest home match of the red-and-whites in this season’s Champions League. A sporting highlight that will draw the attention of fans and football audiences across Europe.
As the largest sports organization in the Czech Republic, Slavia has long embraced its responsibility to society and its wider community. That is why this exceptional fixture will become a platform for a powerful message—support for children with cancer and their families.
Two Clubs, Two Children. One Powerful Story
The symbol of this joint initiative will be two nine-year-old children—both oncology patients.
Dominik supports Slavia, but Barcelona also holds a special place in his heart. His greatest wish was to meet his role model, Lamine Yamal, along with other players of the Catalan giant, during the match at Eden.
Adam, the same age and a devoted Slavia fan, did not hesitate to write a motivational letter to children who are yet to begin their oncology treatment. He wrote about courage and hope. And about the fact that fear is not a weakness.
Both young fighters will appear together inside Eden on Wednesday. They will meet players and representatives of both clubs—and remind everyone that courage, solidarity, and humanity are values that unite us across colors, countries, and rivalries.
Because cancer does not choose. The match between Slavia and Barcelona will not be only about the result on the pitch. It will be about hope, solidarity, and the strength of a shared message. It will be about football standing on the side of the most vulnerable.
And about the belief that standing together against cancer truly matters.
“When I look at Adam and Dominik, I don’t see sick children. I see extraordinary courage, strength, and an immense desire to live life to the fullest. As an oncology patient myself, I know very well how hard some days can be—and how invaluable one fulfilled dream or one powerful experience can be in giving you the strength to keep going. Football has a unique ability to bring people together and to deliver hope where it is needed most. That is why I am especially pleased that Barcelona is joining us in this message. Together, we can show that football is not just a sport—it also carries humanity, solidarity, and faith that even in the most difficult moments, it is worth believing and fighting,”
says Jaroslav Tvrdík.
The Beginning of a Broader Dialogue
Slavia and Barcelona stand on the same pillars—on the belief that football has the power to reach far beyond sport, and that it can create real social impact.
Both clubs have been committed to this mission for many years. Slavia has supported pediatric oncology patients for more than two decades, with a focus on post-treatment care and prevention.
Through its foundation, FC Barcelona places social responsibility and support for vulnerable children at the very core of its identity.
This joint initiative is not a one-off gesture, but the beginning of a broader dialogue about how football institutions can cooperate, share stories, and help together those who are fighting the hardest battles of their lives.
ADAM
Adam loves flying and dreams of becoming a pilot one day. He is also passionate about football and supports Slavia, watching the team throughout his treatment as a way to take his mind off things and find relief. One day, he would love to meet his favorite player, Vasil Kušej.
At the beginning of 2025, Adam hit his head and developed a lump above his eye that did not go down even after a month. Thanks to the outstanding care of doctors at the Spořilov Polyclinic and Thomayer Hospital, Adam underwent CT and MRI scans that revealed a rare oncological disease—LCH—affecting only a handful of children per million each year.
Adam had to undergo urgent skull surgery, during which the affected part of the bone was removed and replaced with a titanium plate. After the operation, he was taken into the care of pediatric oncology specialists at Motol Hospital, where chemotherapy was initiated and a subcutaneous venous port was implanted below the collarbone.
Adam then attended intensive chemotherapy treatment for more than half a year. At the end of 2025, his treatment was successfully completed, and he is now awaiting the removal of the port in March. He will continue to be monitored long-term by the oncology department at Motol.
“We would like to thank the doctors and nurses at Motol and Thomayer Hospitals for their outstanding work and care. We are endlessly grateful that they saved our son’s life,”
says Aleš Polák, Adam’s father.
DOMINIK
Dominik, a volunteer firefighter and a passionate sports lover, is battling a rare form of cancer located in the mediastinum—an aggressive tumor between the heart and the lungs. The tumor cannot be surgically removed, which is why he is undergoing demanding chemotherapy, currently his fourth cycle.
His current physical condition is positive within the given circumstances, though psychologically it fluctuates. He is cut off from any personal contact with friends, classmates, football teammates, and even some family members. He cannot even go to the stadium to support his team.
The illness first manifested itself during a family holiday by the sea in Italy. Dominik developed a fever; medication initially worked for twelve hours, then only for four. After seeking medical help, the family was told it was a viral infection, later pneumonia. When treatment for pneumonia also failed, Dominik underwent several examinations that revealed this type of tumor.
Dominik’s greatest wish remains to be healthy one day. His second dream is to become a successful footballer—a successful athlete.
