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Czech clubs are fine-tuning the last details before the European Cups
“Ajax is a giant, it has a lot of interesting players in its squad. For all of us and for the people, this is one of those matches and opponents that we wanted to get here. We are looking forward to it, we want to win the matches at home,” said Slavist coach Jindřich Trpišovský.
His charges confirmed the role of favorite a week ago in Razgrad and entered the main stage victoriously. After the cup format was changed in the new, league phase of the Europa League, all 36 teams created one common table. Eight matches against different opponents await all teams, the first eight teams advance directly to the round of 16. Clubs in ninth to 24th place await the opening round of the knockout stage.
“We knew that it was an extremely important match for us against Razgrad, we needed to score points. We have a hugely demanding program ahead of us. That’s why I’m glad that we took away an important victory from Bulgaria and we can go into the next matches with a calmer head,” he praised Trpišovsky.
More about Slavia in the new episode of the Football focus podcast:
“The table is now made up of 36 teams, so it will change very quickly. It will depend on each match and we just have to go match by match. We have built a good foundation with the win over Ludogorets,” pointed out striker Mojmír Chytil.
The Slavists suffered only one defeat in 14 competitive matches of the season. With Sunday’s smooth 4-0 victory at the Bohemians 1905 Stadium, they jumped three points ahead of second-placed Sparta ahead of the upcoming derby. “Of course it’s a boost, but now we have to focus only on Ajax. I believe that if we play like we have so far, we will beat anyone,” said striker Tomáš Chorý.
Mojmír Chytil
source: Reuters author: Stoyan Nenov
Ajax has not won in six cup matches on Czech soil so far, with three losses and a draw. However, he is currently in good form, just like Slavia. He has not lost six competitive matches in a row, he won 2-0 in the home league on Sunday at Waalwijk and with two postponed duels he is fifth in the table.
“The team plays patiently and is able to wait for the right moment to attack. The last wins take us another step forward,” said Ajax’s Italian coach Francesco Farioli, whose men lead the Europa League table thanks to the best score after the first round.
Last season’s fifth team of the Dutch top flight went to Prague without several injured players. The representative striker Wout Weghorst and probably the biggest star Jordan Henderson, who were absent from today’s morning training, also dropped out. The coach, on the other hand, called up Jan Faberský, an eighteen-year-old Pole from the junior team, to the first team for the first time.
Estimated lineups:
Slavia: Kinský – Holeš, Zima, Bořil – Douděra, Prebsl, Oscar, Diouf – Jurásek, Lingr – Chytil.
Ajax: Pasveer – Rensch, Šutalo, Baas, Hato – Hlynsson, Van den Boomen, Taylor – Rasmussen, Brobbey, Godts.
Pilsen unexpectedly drew 3-3 in Frankfurt a week ago and wants to confirm the surprising point with a home win against Ludogorets Razgrad, which would increase its chances of promotion. The Bulgarian champion lost at home to Slavia 0:2 at the start of the league phase and will be led by new coach Igor Jovičević at the Doosan Arena. In 2016, Ludogorets knocked out Pilsen in the Champions League qualification, but this time Viktoria is the favorite.
“The draw in Frankfurt was certainly a great result, but now we need to follow it up at home. We are facing a tough opponent, but we are very much looking forward to the match and we will want to succeed with the support of the fans,” said offensive all-rounder Pavel Šulc, who scored once in Frankfurt.
After an unexpected result from Germany at the weekend, Viktoria only drew 1:1 with Mladá Boleslav, they did not win in the domestic league for the second time in a row, and they are already seven points behind the leader Slavia after nine duels from third place.
Miroslav Koubek
source: Reuters author: Jennifer Lorenzini
The West Bohemians have won only one of the last five competitive matches, but they can rely on an excellent cup record before the match with Ludogorets. In UEFA competitions, they have not found a winner in the regular season for 21 games and they have not lost or conceded ten times in a row at home.
“We have regenerated and we are getting ready for Ludogorets. We know that they have changed the coach. They will get a new impulse, it will be an unpleasant opponent. We have to prepare as much as possible and try to handle it,” said one of the Pilsen captains, Lukáš Kalvach.
After the defeat with Slavia, Ludogorets resorted to a coaching change. Temporary coach Zahari Sirakov was replaced by Crovat Jovičevič, who previously led Dinamo Zagreb and Shakhtar Donetsk. His new charges won the Bulgarian league at the Botev Vraca Stadium 2-0 at the weekend and share the lead in the table with a game to spare.
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Pilsen is going to Razgrad in EL
Estimated lineups:
Pilsen: Jedlička – Dweh, Markovič, Jemelka – Kopic, Červ, Kalvach, Havel – Šulc – Vašulín, Adu.
Razgrad: Bonmann – Witry, Kurtulus, Verdon, Son – Pedro Naressi, Piotrowski – Caio Vidal, Duah, Rick – Rwan.
Mladá Boleslav footballers are returning to the main competition of the European Cup after 17 years, their opponents are waiting for the premiere. Armenian Noah progressed from the first preliminary round and on his way also defeated favored rivals AEK Athens and Ružomberok.
“It’s a bit of an unknown, the matches also follow quickly and we can’t look too far ahead. But we have enough time to prepare for Noah,” said Mladá Boleslav coach Andreas Brännström after Sunday’s 1:1 league draw in Pilsen. “We showed a much more organized performance against Victoria than in previous matches. This is exactly how we have to play in European cups, especially away from home,” added the Swedish coach.
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Mladá Boleslav will start the Conference League in Armenia against Noah 00:00:51
The Yerevan club was founded only in 2017, and during its short existence, it finished second in the Armenian league three times. Portuguese coach Rui Mota relies mainly on his compatriots and Brazilians on the field, there are also other foreigners in the team. A minimum number of local footballers start.
“Personally, I have no experience with Armenian football. We have to prepare as best as possible in order to handle the match against an unknown opponent. In such a case, the main thing is to play and fulfill the tasks as the coach wishes. I don’t want to judge our ambitions and the opponent’s strength, every team that tests in the qualifying preliminary rounds, they must have quality,” pointed out captain Marek Matějovský.
Estimated lineups:
Noah: Čančarevič – Ferreira, Muradjan, Silva, Thórarinsson – Sangaré, Gamboš – Cinari, Manveljan, Pinson – Gregório.
M. Boleslav: Trmal – Donát, Suchý, Králik – Kostka, Oydra, Sakala, Fulnek – Kušej, Ladra – Jawo.
