Czech footballers are looking for at least a draw against world and European champions Spain in Prague on Friday night to keep the pressure on Scotland in the battle for a second place spot in the qualification group.
The Czechs have a two point advantage on the Scots after a highly controversial draw at Hampden Park, Glasgow, and even with one point on Friday will still probably have to look for a win in their last away game against Lithuania to be sure of the second spot and a play-off place for the 2012 European Championships.
The Scots should get a guaranteed three points against minnows Liechtenstein on Saturday but then travel to Spain for their last, decisive, fixture.
Spain arrived in Prague on Thursday with a formidable squad, weakened slightly by injuries to Cesc Fabregas and Andrés Iniesta, and the clear target of doing no favors to the Czechs or Scots in a bid to win the group with a maximum eight wins and 24 points. Spain has already booked its place for the championships in Poland and Ukraine next year.
“It’s a question of prestige for them in Prague and they will certainly seek success whatever form the team takes, they will above all play in a relaxed manner given that they are already certain of qualification,” said Czech and Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Čech.
‘They certainly will not be weaker. We will have to attack more than we did in Spain.’
The Czech manager is expecting no real bonus from the Spanish absences. “They have so many other quality players that it will not affect them,” commented Michal Bílek. “They certainly will not be weaker. We will have to attack more than we did in Spain.”
“For us the main thing is to have everything in our own hands for the last game against Lithuania. That means at least a draw against Spain so that we still have an advantage [in the group],” Bílek added.
The March meeting of the two sides ended in a 2:1 victory for Spain with the home team coming back after going a goal down. A similar type of match with the Czechs trying to close down the free-flowing Spaniards and hit them on the counterattack or from set pieces can be expected on Friday night.
The Czechs go into the game with Čech between the posts again after injury and captain Tomáš Rosický also fit. But the Arsenal midfield player’s preparations have been clouded by the miscarriage of his five-month pregnant long-time girlfriend. Sparta Prague midfielder Marek Matějovský, impressive in the recent Prague derby game against Slavia Prague, is out of the squad through injury.
The Spaniards’ arrival, for what is being billed as the footballing event of the year, has attracted almost unprecedented coverage and expectations.
The Spaniards’ arrival, for what is being billed as the footballing event of the year, has attracted almost unprecedented coverage and expectations. Hundreds of Czechs turned up for the Spanish training session at Sparta’s Letná stadium on Thursday night. The occassion was also covered live on public broadcaster Czech Television’s (ČT) sports channel in a one-hour build-up to the big match.
The Sport daily reminded its readers on Friday that its more than 19 years since football’s reigning world champions played in the country. On that occasion in April 1992, Czech manager Bílek was part of the team that held Germany to a 1:1 draw. A similar result on Friday night would suit him down to the ground.
In the event of a Czech victory against both Spain and Lithuania in their final fixtures, the Czechs still have a chance of automatic qualification for Euro 2012 as the best runner up team in all the qualification groups. But they still must hope for slip-ups from other teams who are also targeting that spot.
