Fortuna Football Round 9: The league will deliver two big hits. On Sunday, Plzeň and Slavia will face each other, and indeed this evening Baník will present themselves in Letná. The match promises to be very intense, if only because Ostrava is led by the last coach of Sparta, Pavel Vrba, and he also has Sergean Plavcic in the team, whose transfer between the two “S” Spartans is still considered a betrayal.
“I expect Sparta to win the match, because every loss will be upsetting and fatal not only for the team, but also for the coach,” said Spartan football coach František Straka.
He adds, “On the other hand, I am aware of the situation that Banek is going through. If they don’t take over, they will have problems too.”
The Spartans faltered in a series of four draws and fell to fourth in the table, with a six-point lead over leaders Slavia. Although Banek had a duel with last-placed Pardubice a week ago, they face a poor start to the season, and with nine points they are halfway through.
As for Sparta, Straca is convinced that if they do not beat Ostrava, then the dissolution of the position of Danish coach Brian Brysky will begin immediately. “It’s totally normal in our industry,” says Straka. “There will be a lot of debate about whether or not it’s the right move with him.”
“In the last round, Sparta missed a two-goal lead against Teplice, and this cannot happen to a team that wants to play for the title. Before that, they drew at home with Zlin. Really upset. I am not surprised that the fans are tense”, continues the last coach, who He led Leiten to the group stage of the UEFA Champions League.
On the other side stands Panik. He did not take advantage of the good opportunity, the game room is still looking for a face. Pavel Vrba’s participation did not start well, but the match in Sparta could smash him into the previous mandatory win aggregate over Pardubice.
“Panek won 3-0, but this result does not match the match they played. If Pardubice had been more efficient, they would have had big problems at home,” said Straka. He adds, “But they won and will go to Sparta with encouragement. He knows very well the situation that Sparta is in, and they will believe in themselves.”
Vrba lane duel awaits, because before Panic led Sparta, but he was released at the beginning of May this year. He reached second place in the league, played in the European League with the team, but did not achieve much success.
After leaving Prague, he admitted that he was tired of unsatisfactory results. And already at the end of the courtship he seemed to lack strength and energy.
“But I think that after he arrives with Banek, nothing big will happen in the stands. Pavel tried his best in Sparta and the fans know that. He was not a complicated coach,” says Straca.
He had his own experience with Spartan fans, having accepted a Slavia coaching offer in 2011. He heard whistles and expletives in Letna during his other league matches. According to him, nothing similar awaits Vrbu.
“There was always a fight between Sparta and Banek. I remember earlier they were incredibly intense matches. Unfortunately, I must add that they had a very different quality of football than now,” said Straka.
He admits that the whistle of the Prague fans will most likely fall on the head of Serjan Plavcic. Last year, the Serbian midfielder moved directly from Sparta to Slavia, and a few weeks ago, he also complained that he is not negotiating with the opponent.
“The fans will not forget it. He hid that he is going to Slavia, while the entire football nation knows it. He was supposed to be a reinforcement of the Slavs and ended up on loan at Ostrava. I’m not sure if he would. Banek helped. Lately he hasn’t convinced me of his performance,” Straca points out.
Last year, Plavcic’s “betrayal” was enthusiastically taken by his teammates, and in one video from the players’ cabin in Sparta, a screenshot of the Serb’s whereabouts was leaked. Plavsic’s head is crossed out in the photo and the sharp message “Mr. *ku” is written over it. Now he will meet his former teammates on the field again as opponents.
You can also watch the match, which starts in Letná at 7 pm. Across Online submission On the Aktuálně.cz website.
