Michal Bílek Names Squad for Crucial U21 Euro Qualification Matches
Czech Republic U21 head coach Michal Bílek has announced his squad for the upcoming European Championship 2027 qualifying matches against Scotland and Gibraltar in March. The squad includes four newcomers, highlighted by defender Filip Lissah, an Englishman with Czech heritage.
Current Standings and Upcoming Fixtures
The Czech team currently sits in second place in Group B, trailing Portugal by three points. Scotland is closely behind in third, also with 10 points. Bílek’s team faces a significant challenge on March 27th with an away match against Scotland in Dundee, followed by a home fixture against Gibraltar in Chomutov on March 31st.
| Rank | Team | Played | Wins | Draws | Losses | Goals For | Goals Against | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Portugal U21 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 21 | 0 | 13 |
| 2 | Scotland U21 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 18 | 7 | 10 |
| 3 | Czech Republic U21 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 3 | 10 |
| 4 | Bulgaria U21 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 7 |
| 5 | Azerbaijan U21 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 14 | 5 |
| 6 | Gibraltar U21 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 31 | 0 |
New Call-Ups and Injury Concerns
Several players are unavailable due to injury, including goalkeeper Viktor Baier, defenders Jan Paluska and Adam Ševínský and midfielder Alexandr Bužek. The new additions to the squad are goalkeeper Adam Dvořák (Jelgava), defender Filip Lissah (Falkirk), midfielder Pavel Kačor (Karviná), and forward Radek Šiler (Podbrezová).
Coach Bílek on the Newcomers
Bílek expressed his confidence in the new players, stating that Dvořák is performing well with Jelgava, and Lissah has been highly rated at Falkirk, playing as a right defender or center-back. He also highlighted Kačor’s strong performances for Karviná and Šiler’s success in Slovakia. “Filip will pick up on something, but he doesn’t really speak Czech. Still, his quality performances speak for him, that’s why he’s here,” Bílek said. Michal Bílek also noted Lissah’s Czech heritage through his mother, and the efforts made by the team to recruit him.
Looking Ahead
Bílek emphasized the importance of the upcoming matches, particularly the away game against Scotland. “We complicated the group with the defeat in Bulgaria, so now we require to win against some tough opponent away. Ideally in Scotland, so we capture the match with them very seriously,” he stated. The top teams from each group will qualify directly for the championship, with the best runner-up also securing a spot, while other runners-up will enter a playoff.
Czech Republic U21 Squad
- Goalkeepers: Colin Andrew (Zbrojovka Brno), Adam Dvořák (Jelgava), Jan Koutný (Olomouc).
- Defenders: Ondřej Čoudek (Artis Brno), Erik Hunal (Dukla), Jan Chytrý (Karviná), Mikuláš Konečný (Pardubice), Tomáš Král (Ružomberok), Albert Labík (Karviná), Filip Lissah (Falkirk), Adam Ševínský (Sparta).
- Midfielders: Lukáš Ambros (Górnik), Tomáš Jelínek (Pardubice), Pavel Kačor (Karviná), Ondřej Kričfaluši (Ostrava), Dominik Pech (Young Boys), David Planka (Ostrava), Matěj Šín (Alkmaar), Matěj Žitný (Dukla).
- Attackers: Yannick Eduardo (Hoffenheim), Lukáš Mašek (Liberec), Matěj Mikulenka (Olomouc), Radek Šiler (Podbrezová), Matyáš Vojta (Sparta).
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