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Emerging
triumphant from their qualifying Group ahead of Holland, and with
most of their players having top-flight experience in most of
Europe's best leagues, the Czech Republic at their best possess all
the flair and style of the Italians allied to the never-say-die
resilience of the Germans.
Brilliant
Nedved
Hardly surprising, as within their ranks they boast some of the
finest players in the Bundesliga and Serie A. Their most notable
talent is Juventus 's Pavel Nedved –recently voted Europe’s best
player.
Nedved was acknowledged by many to have been the
outstanding player of the 2002/03 UEFA Champions League, and his
absence through suspension from the Juventus side that lost on
penalties to AC Milan in the final was cited by many as the decisive
factor in the game.
Vintage
Midfield
Of a similar vintage to Nedved,
former Manchester United FC winger Karel Poborský can provide a
significant threat down the right, and will be hoping to emulate the
sparkling form that led the Czech Republic to the final of Euro 96
and briefly made him a household name in Europe.
The Czechs are spoiled for choice in the centre of
midfield. CSKA Moscow midfielder Jirí Jarošik did not become the
most expensive player ever to join a Russian club without good
reason.
No analysis of the Czech midfield would be complete
without a mention of Borussia Dortmund's brilliant Tomáš Rosický.
Lightning-fast and supremely composed with the ball at his feet, the
youngster was, like so many of his teammates, a graduate of the
Sparta Prague academy, and has the passing skills to turn a game.
The best of
the rest
He will certainly provide much of the ammunition
for the Czech Republic's forwards, who will be led by the giant Jan Koller. Surprisingly nimble with the ball at his feet but
unsurprisingly deadly in the air, Koller will nonetheless need to be
at his best to keep Liverpool prodigy Milan Baroš out of the first
team.
At the other end, young goalkeeper Petr Cech has
tended to be manager Karel Brückner's first choice. The Chelsea
bound keeper is one of a number of veterans of the Czech team who
surprisingly triumphed at the European Under-21 Championship along
with Baroš and defender Zdenek Grygera.
Cech has the commanding presence to preside over a
relatively inexperienced defence, which also boasts Tomáš Hübschman
- a young Sparta defender rated by many to be one of the finest
prospects in Europe.
Revenge
mission
There is a nice mixture of youth and experience in the Czech squad,
and after failing to reach the World Cup finals in 1998 and 2002
there is also a real determination to show that they are as good as
they have been hyped up to be.
With the recently crowned European Footballer of the year on their
side the Czech Republic will be looking at the omens as those that
know their history will point out the last Czech player to win the ballon d’or was Josef Masopust winner in 1962, the year the former
Czechoslovakia reached the World Cup Final! With all the recent
disappointments at the highest level the Czech’s would relish a
final opportunity at Euro 2004 and lay the ghost of Euro 96 firmly
to rest.
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