Missing the footy today? but gives us longer to marvel over captain marvel. I love the papers poke at roons hair saying Weave done it , thatch the way to do it.... Czech Replublic v Portugal
so from the beeb here we go again for the next round.
Czech Republic captain Tomas Rosicky remains a
doubt with the Achilles injury he picked up against Greece in the second group
match.
He did return to training on Wednesday but Daniel Kolar is again on standby
to deputise, as he did against Poland.
Portugal duo Bruno Alves and Raul Meireles both appear to have overcome the
knocks picked up against the Dutch.
Head coach Paolo Bento has no other fitness concerns and will hope to name an
unchanged side.
It was this fixture, 16 years ago, where Ruud Gullit coined the term "sexy
football". He was talking about Portugal, who seduced the former European
Footballer of the Year with their attractive play in a Euro 96 quarter-final
against Czech Republic, but still crashed out after a 1-0 defeat at Villa Park,
courtesy of the famously scooped goal which earned Karel Poborsky an ill-fated
move to Manchester United
The only man from either camp
involved in that 1996 encounter is Vladimir Smicer, now the Czechs' 'sports
manager' - Michal Bilek's assistant in layman's terms, or their version of Gary
Neville. Like England's number two, Smicer enjoyed a distinguished international
career, collecting more than 80 caps. The ex-Liverpool man, in the job since
2009, has helped Bilek sift through 32 players in order to find the 23-man squad
that has taken their country to a first quarter-final in eight years.
It's perhaps not a vintage Czech side - yet. This squad boasts nine players
aged 26 or under as the country looks not only to the present but also to the
future. Smicer had a hand in discovering midfield duo Petr Jiracek and Vaclav
Pilar - who, despite possessing fewer than 20 caps between them, have shone at
this championship with two goals apiece. The Czechs surprisingly lost their
first qualifying match to Lithuania and were humbled in their Euro 2012 opener
against Russia, but on both occasions recovered, showing resilience, character
and togetherness. If Bilek, and in particular Smicer, can instill some of that
1996 spirit into this current Czech side then their journey might just continue.
Portugal have hit form at the perfect time despite alarming pre-tournament
form which saw them fail to win four matches, scoring only once. Though
evidently inspired by captain Cristiano Ronaldo, Paulo Bento's men increasingly
looked a real team unit as they emerged from the 'Group of Death' behind
Germany. Despite going behind against the Dutch in their most recent game,
Portugal's 2-1 win rarely looked in doubt, with top-class performances all over
the park. Counter-attacking penetration came from both wings, and through the
centre of midfield.
Head-to-head
- Since the "velvet divorce" with Slovakia, the Czech Republic have met
Portugal only twice - beating them 1-0 in the quarter-finals of Euro 96, but
losing 3-1 in the group stage of Euro 2008.
- Czech Republic/Czechoslovakia and Portugal have met 12 times, winning four
apiece.
Czech Republic
- The Czechs are only the second side to top a European Championship group
despite shipping five goals (after Spain in 2000).
- They also qualified from the group stage with a negative goal difference in
1996 - when they went on to reach the final.
- Michal Bilek's side lost their first match of Euro 2012 (4-1 against
Russia). In 1988, the Netherlands became the only country to win the Euros after
losing their first group match.
Portugal
- Having scored one goal in their first four matches this year, Portugal have
now scored five in two.
- Ronaldo is the first Portuguese player to score at five major tournaments.
He also scored at the Euros in 2004 and 2008, and at the 2006 and 2010 World
Cups.
- Portugal were the only country during the group stage to use the same
starting line-up in each match.
Observations from around GUILDFORD in SURREY and now Nottingham