The 24-year-old Spaniard, who also won World Championships gold in Shanghai last year, heads to the Slovakian capital with a season's best score of 292.95 in the men's singles.

He also came second at the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final, losing out only to Japan's Olympic champion Yuzuru Hanyu.

His main competition could come from Russia's Maxim Kovtun, who won silver behind Fernandez at the Europeans in Stockholm last year.

He has a season's best of 236.38 points, while another Russian, newcomer Mikhail Kolyada, could be one to watch on his debut as he recorded 247.97 this term.

In the women's singles three Russians are set to headline the event, including reigning Grand Prix final champion Evgenia Medvedeva.

The 16-year-old will battle with 17-year-old compatriot Elena Radionova, last year's European silver medallist, and Anna Pogorilaya, another 17-year-old who won bronze in Stockholm.

Medvedeva tops the season's best list with 222.54 points, while the reigning champion Elizaveta Tuktamysheva, another Russian who is also the world champion, will be absent in Bratislava as she failed to qualify.

Meanwhile, Russia's Olympic Champions Tatiana Volosozhar and Maxim Trankov will be looking to regain their pairs title after sitting out of last year's competition. 

The three-time champions and 2013 world champions have a season's best of 202.89 points but only completed one short programme in the Grand Prix series.

Their team-mates, the ISU Grand Prix Final champions Ksenia Stolbova and Fedor Klimov, look set to provide their stiffest competition.

In the ice dance category, France's European and world champions Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron will be in action despite sitting out the Grand Prix season.

Grand Prix Final silver medalists Anna Cappellini and Luca Lanotte of Italy will provide a stern challenge, while Russia's 2013 European champions Ekaterina Bobrova and Dmitri Soloviev will also be in the frame.

Action will get underway tomorrow with the women's and men's short programme in the singles, with the competition concluding on January 31 with an exhibition gala.

Bratislava previously hosted the European Championships in 1958, 1966 and 2001, with 159 skaters from 33 countries set to compete this year.