Czechia manager Ivan Hašek has set a clear goal for his squad’s summer campaign, simply saying that “getting out of the group is success, not getting out is failure.”
With a final group stage match against Türkiye looming, Czechia find themselves third in Group F with just one point to their name, having earned in a 1-1 draw with Georgia. A narrow defeat at the hands of Portugal on opening day means that the Czech contingent has its work cut out. While a draw may be enough to lock down third place in the group, three points will be crucial if Hašek’s men are to lay claim to a playoff spot.
The challenge facing the Czechs is made all the more daunting by the loss of Bayer Leverkusen’s Patrik Schick, who left the Georgia match with a calf injury shortly after scoring a crucial equaliser. Hašek stated in a post-match interview that he was “not optimistic,” and does not seem any more confident in his striker’s return.
“Patrik Schick has been with the physios and doctors for two days, he wasn’t training, he is getting better but we will see tomorrow,” he said.
While he acknowledged that Schick is a major absence, he is confident that other players in the squad will be able to step up.
“We have different variants [of the lineup] and we had them before we came,” Hašek told reporters. “Patrik Schick is a key player, one of the best goalscorers in Europe, but if he is not able to play we must replace him. We have players who are able to replace him, and they are ready, they work hard.”
Embed from Getty ImagesWith one star player out of the picture, the onus may be on West Ham’s Tomáš Souček to make the difference. Sitting in midfield, Souček has been the primary playmaker for Czechia, dictating the pace of play and causing problems for defenders, making dangerous runs forward to create chances.
“He is the motor, the machine in the team. He creates the game, creates the rhythm, he decides if they go into a counterattack or if they calm the game down. He is a top-quality player,” said Hašek.
As good a player as Souček is, though, with 71 international caps and nearly 400 appearances at club level, he will be faced with the unenviable task of containing Arda Güler, Real Madrid’s most recent wonderkid. The talismanic 19-year-old missed much of his first season at the Bernabeu through injury, though still managed to net six times in his 12 appearances. After scoring a wondergoal against Georgia, Hašek has hailed him as one of Euro 2024’s most talented players.
“At his age, to get into a club like [Real Madrid] is amazing,” he said, obviously wary of the threat the player can pose. “He plays on the right and also has a great left foot. We don’t want to give him space, if we give him space and let him score he is very dangerous.”
Beyond Güler, Hašek acknowledges that Türkiye pose a threat across the pitch, featuring a range of experienced top-flight talents.
“I really don’t want to show our cards yet, but Türkiye has players that play in great clubs and have an Italian coach who is really great. They are tactically disciplined, they have great quality, young players who one day will be top stars in the football world, so they have a great future.”
Embed from Getty ImagesHe also noted that Türkiye have kept cards close to their chest, meaning that Hašek and his staff are unsure as to what team they might face.
“They are not saying anything about their fitness levels and availability of players. We know something, we have a possible lineup that they might start with based on players they have available for each position, but I think their lineup will be similar to the game against Georgia rather than the one against Portugal.”
Despite the challenge ahead, he is shutting out the noise, refusing to lose himself in the various scenarios which could see Czechia advance or take an early trip home.
“We just have to play, not calculate with anything,” he said, with a tangible sense of focus. “We need to go into the game wanting to win. We are not going to look at the other games.”
“This is just another game at this Euro. It is our dream to get out of the group and advance to the playoffs. We don’t look to the past, I really just want to stay in the tournament. This group of guys don’t want to go home. I have a great trust in my team. All the team plays as one man and I think we will show that on the pitch.”
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