Interview with Czech journalist about the Euro U21 2025 about the Czech and Slovak team

BRATISLAVA. Czech footballers entered into European Championship under 21 losing (1: 3) with England. In the group they still have matches with Germany and Slovenia.

« The goals must be the biggest. The coach and players say from the beginning that it is a group’s advance. The procedure should be the goal of everyone. If it does not advance, it will be disappointment, » says the journalist from Sport.cz in an interview Tomáš Mach.

How do you evaluate the Czech Republic match with England (1: 3)?

Everyone knows about the quality of the English team. But it is a tournament that can always be surprised, as Finnish against the Netherlands (2: 2). I expected to play from the seized defense with three trackers and two players in the regions. But I was pleasing to how the Czech team was presented.

The guys played boldly in places, they were not afraid. When it was played in the middle of England, they shook highly, attacked the opponent’s pass. However, the difference in quality was confirmed. The productivity was on the English side. They deservedly won. But if the goalkeeper caught better or we were more lucky, we could succeed. Several factors must meet in such a match.

Was it surprise that Adam Karabec stayed on the bench?

I assumed he would start. It is already the third European championship for him, which makes him the most experienced player. In Hamburg he showed the quality where he fought the procedure. They want to keep it for Bundesliga. His transfer is solved.

Adam is a great, creative player, but there is not much to defend. I understand that coach Suchopárek did not want to build an offensive line -up with (Kryštof) Daněk and Karabc.

At the post -match press conference, he noted that Karabec was not a center player. So they had to play Patrik Vydra with Vojtěch Stránský there. The coach had to decide only between Daněk and Karabc.

Daněk was probably better in training, so he started. But we will see how it will be against Germany, as Karabec knows the second German competition very well.

Czech fans created a great atmosphere in Dunajská Streda. Did you expect such support?

I go to national team matches under 21 years. I know that Czech flag bearers work great. Given that it is played in Slovakia, I expected enough people to come.

They created a great atmosphere, fans supported their team throughout the match. At least five, six thousand people go to Hradec Králové for matches 21 regularly. The atmosphere in these matches is always great.

How would you describe the generation of the current Czech team? Are there supports of the A-team in the future?

This championship is played by the guys who won it. The team’s skeleton is built on them. The senior national team always takes precedence.

Did not come (Martin) Vitik, (Adam) Hložek. But it is understandable, no one is surprised. We take it as a finished thing.

There are several players in the current cadre who are on the verge of representation under 21 and A-team. For example, Lukáš Horníček, goalie unit of Portuguese Braga.

It has a great future ahead. There are also others, Karabec, Daněk, they are all skilled guys who need confidence. When they get it, they can show up. They don’t miss the talent.

Where does the Czech team pushing the most?

Jaroslav Hurušťák dropped out before the tournament. We don’t have a real wing-back. Matěj Hadaš came up against England, but often burned in the match. But the Olomouca player wasn’t easy against the English stars. So he can’t blame him much.

Daniel Fila recently scored in the Juventus network in the Italian Serie A. Slavia apparently collected up to four million for him, and this played only four competition matches. How is it possible?

Fila confirmed the quality in Teplice for a long time. He scored goals, he was one of the best attackers in the league. When he returned to Slavia, he didn’t get much space. However, he continued to enter the representation under 21. There was a goal in it. But when you start even once for Slavia, your price tag is growing.

On Thursday he was a little frustrated from his substitution.

If you score England and will replace you right away, it will annoy you. It shouldn’t be serious. Surely they talked about it and solved it. Daniel said nothing so serious. It was just to see he wanted to continue the match.

Why did he actually alternate?

The coach wanted to send a carabiner there. He didn’t want to put Daněk down. Václav Sejk in the duo was well attacked, winning the balls. When pressing more than Fila. He is a tireless worker who unlocks the match. Fila is more in the offensive pair to think of something and is a goal, and needs service.

Goalkeeper Antonín Kinský is not in the nomination under 21 years, nor in the A-team of the national team. He said he preferred preparation in the club. Why?

Kinský did not work out a qualifying match with Denmark (0: 5). Lukáš Horníček was given more space from the next match. Meanwhile, Kinský went to the A-team of representation. Horníček caught a great qualification, became a unit in Brain. There was no reason to trust him further.

Paradoxically, the goalie post is so great that we can choose. Kinský knew he needed a better position in Tottenham for the new season. Maybe he knew that he would probably not get priority over Horníček anyway in the tournament.

Horníček against England did not perform well.

I hope you have missed all bad luck for a longer period (laugh). As I mentioned, in a match against an opponent like England, there must be a number of factors if you want to succeed. Unfortunately, this did not happen.

Lukáš Horníček did not hold the team as usual. But it makes no sense to blame him. He has to focus on the next match and may hold us against the Germans.

How would you describe coach Jan Suchopárk?

He’s a pragmatist. He knows how to succeed with the team. He is often criticized for the style of football and I do not know what. But with the team he can find the way to success. He got it three times on the euro.

He has had a good coaching crew. He’s a former tracker. Its strength is the defensive. The team can defend well under his leadership. As for personality, he’s a guy. He likes to joke (laughs).

What is the Czech team of ambitions and goals in the tournament?

After three years we are facing England and Germany again. The goals must be the largest. From the beginning, the coach and players say that it is the progress of the group. The procedure should be the goal of everyone. When it does not advance, it will be disappointment.

Sebastián Negla, Dominik Hollý, Tomáš Frühwald and Tomáš Rigo from the Czech highest competition, are in the Slovak selection. Do you know them?

You have named guys who have a good position in the Czech league. Hollý transferred to Sparta, which is proof of its quality. Tomáš Rigo was one of the key players of Baník Ostrava this season. He talks about his transfer, perhaps to Slavia.

Dominik Javorček transferred to Slavia a few days ago. What will be the position on the team?

Malick diouf is likely to leave. He has a great season. He is a young player who is interested in England. It was against England that played a great meeting in preparation for the winning of Senegal. His transfer is probably falling. We’ll see how much it will be. Personally, I think Slavia will ask more than twenty million euros. It would be a record of the Czech league. It’s a lot of money, it depends on who reaches for him.

Slavia needs a wide cadre for the next season. She is waiting for the Champions League League. At the same time, he cannot cough up for the home competition, because the league victory will again mean advancement to the Champions League. Javorček will certainly get space. I can be wrong but I think there will be no number one choice.

But if he shines in preparation, the coach Trpišovský likes opportunities for young players. But he is primarily a player for the future. The coach will want to prepare it for the next season. He will gradually get used to the Czech league.

What were the reactions to the Slovak match with Spain in the Czech Republic?

People were dealing with it. We also played with Spain, but in preparation (2: 2). Teams like England, Spain, Germany, etc. are of great quality. Our guys, from the Czech Republic and Slovakia, are always going to deal with them with far more inflammation and taste.

It is a home championship, so it was not even a surprise for me that Slovakia played a balanced game with Spain. Czech hockey players rolled everyone a year ago at the home championship of everyone. This was mainly due to the audience support.