“Tigran must stop eating McDonald’s”: Slovan boss makes sharp statement about Barseghyan

Armenian midfielder Tigran Barseghyan remains an important figure for Slovan Bratislava, but his situation at the club could change after the departure of Vladimír Weiss Sr. A new stage is beginning at the team, and the management has made it clear that the old concessions will no longer apply.

Slovan’s general director Ivan Kmotrík Jr., commenting on Barseghyan’s situation, said that with the arrival of a new head coach, all players will start from scratch and will have to prove again that they deserve a place in the team.

“As for the wings, we still count on Tigran. But with the arrival of a new coach and new energy, everyone starts from zero. Everyone will have to fight for their place. I will put it this way: Tigran must stop eating McDonald’s and start training at full intensity in order to impress the new coach,” Kmotrík said on the Na Tehelnom poli podcast.

According to the official, the phrase about McDonald’s was partly made in a joking tone, but the issue itself is well known inside the club. Weiss Sr. had previously admitted that Barseghyan really had a habit of visiting McDonald’s before matches, but the coach turned a blind eye to it because the Armenian player often delivered results for the team.

“In the new regime, there will be no room for any concessions or special treatment. Everyone knows this was a topic. Tigran had a very close, even special, relationship with coach Weiss,” Kmotrík noted.

At the same time, the Slovan executive stressed that he highly values Barseghyan’s football qualities, but expects more consistency from him. According to him, the Armenian midfielder can be a fantastic player when he works properly and is fully focused on the game, but the club needs professionals who are ready to give their maximum in every match, not only when they are in the right mood.

The story of Barseghyan’s “ritual” has long become part of his image in Slovak football. Weiss Sr. previously said that managing Tigran was not easy, but at the same time called him an irreplaceable player for Slovan. The player himself has also often spoken with humor about his special approach to the training process.

Barseghyan is one of the brightest and most controversial players in the Slovak league. He loves emotions, gestures, provocations and often turns football into a real show. At the same time, he knows how to decide big matches, score important goals and take responsibility in key moments.

In the 2025/26 season, the Armenian midfielder played 37 matches, scored 11 goals and provided 6 assists. In the final part of the league campaign, he found good form, scored in three of the last four rounds and helped Slovan in important matches against Spartak Trnava and Dunajská Streda.

A year earlier, Barseghyan had one of the best seasons of his career. In the 2024/25 campaign, he scored 24 goals in 48 matches, while in the Slovak league he shared the top scorer award with David Strelec after scoring 20 goals.

Tigran Barseghyan joined Slovan in January 2022 from Astana as a free agent. Since then, he has gone through different periods at the club — from criticism from fans and the coach to the status of a hero who scored decisive goals and helped the team achieve major results.

Now a new challenge begins for Barseghyan. After Weiss Sr.’s departure, the Armenian footballer will have to prove his value again at Slovan, this time in front of a new coaching staff. The club is making it clear that nobody doubts Tigran’s talent, but talent alone will not be enough in the new project.

Barseghyan’s contract with the club runs until 2027, but it is likely that he could leave the team this summer, while Slovan will try to earn at least some money from his transfer.