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Cech and mates: Czech Euro chances rest on Arsenal duo

Experienced goalkeeper, skipper Rosicky will be vital to side’s chances in France

Afp May 20, 2016

Rosicky and Cech are both on the wrong side of 30 and may well be playing in their last European Championship. PHOTO: AFP

PRAGUE: Czech Republic coach Pavel Vrba announced a 28-man provisional squad yesterday for Euro 2016 finals, led by Arsenal duo Petr Cech and Tomas Rosicky.

The 35-year-old Rosicky, the team captain, played only 19 minutes for Arsenal last season because of injuries and will be leaving the club after his contract ended, but he has recently managed three games for the reserve team.

“I went to London three weeks ago to make sure he’s OK and I came back happy,” the 52-year-old Vrba told reporters in Prague. “He has been a hundred per cent these last few days that we’ve spent together.”

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Missing only injured Sparta Prague midfielder Martin Frydek, Vrba has called up one newcomer, 20-year-old striker Patrik Schick of Bohemians Prague. Vrba will have to trim the squad back to 23 players by May 31, but he said he would like to do that before the team leaves for a training camp in Austria on May 25.

The team will play friendlies with Russia and Malta in Austria before taking on South Korea in Prague on June 5 in the final game before the June 10-July 10 tournament. Leaving for France on June 8, the Czech Republic will face Croatia, Spain and Turkey in Group D.

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Provisional squad

Goalkeepers: Petr Cech (Arsenal), Tomas Vaclik (Basel), Tomas Koubek (Liberec)

Defenders: Theodor Gebre Selassie (Bremen), Pavel Kaderabek (Hoffenheim), David Limbersky (Viktoria Pilsen), Marek Suchy (Basel), Michal Kadlec (Fenerbahce), Tomas Sivok (Bursaspor), Roman Hubnik (Viktoria Pilsen), Daniel Pudil (Sheffield Wednesday), Ondrej Zahustel (Sparta Prague)

Midfielders: Borek Dockal (Sparta Prague), Jiri Skalak (Brighton), Vladimir Darida (Hertha Berlin), Daniel Kolar (Viktoria Pilsen), Ladislav Krejci (Sparta Prague), Josef Sural (Sparta Prague), David Pavelka (Kasimpasa), Jaroslav Plasil (Bordeaux), Lukas Marecek (Sparta Prague), Matej Vydra (Reading), Tomas Rosicky (Arsenal), Jan Kovarik (Viktoria Pilsen)

Forwards: Milan Skoda (Slavia Prague), Tomas Necid (Bursaspor), David Lafata (Sparta Prague), Patrik Schick (Bohemians Prague)

Published in The Express Tribune, May 20^th, 2016.

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