Quarter-finals Preview/Czech Republic v Denmark: Karel Bruckner's displays of tactical genius may have been among the highlights of this tournament so far but there was a suspicion the 64-year-old was starting to believe his own publicity during the past couple of days as he prepared for tomorrow's quarter-final in Porto writes Emmet Malone.
Asked about his team's next opponents, the veteran coach admitted that a mistaken belief his men would be meeting the Italians had led him to prepare almost exclusively for that eventuality. Then, going on to damn with faint praise his country's rivals for a place in the last four, he added, "but I know the Danes play straightforward football with good ball skills and I will know everything about them before Sunday."
On the strength of their displays to date, the Czechs are comfortable favourites to win the game, and should really be slightly ahead in the betting for the title itself. A powerfully constructed attacking side built around the sublime skills of Pavel Nedved in midfield, they produced probably the best display of the tournament so far when coming from two behind to beat the Dutch last Saturday.
Perhaps even more significant in the long term, however, was that Bruckner made nine changes for the game with Germany, including the introduction of several players from the recently successful under-21 side, and still his side maintained their 100-per-cent record.
For tomorrow the coach will fall back on his tried and trusted stars. Nedved and Tomas Rosicky will rejoin Tomas Galasek in midfield while Milan Baros and Jan Koller will again lead the search for goals.
Though the starting line-up contains a few less celebrated players, there is strength in every department and it is hard to see a lively, entertaining but slightly lightweight Danish side being able to get the better of their rivals over 90 minutes.
Far from hinting at any change of tactics, Danish coach Morten Olsen was clearly anticipating a very open contest.
"The Czechs play wonderful technical football, based on the Sparta school. They pick footballers in the same way we do - players who can and will play football - and I have a huge amount of admiration for their team," he said.
Olsen knows his side are underdogs but notes that when the countries last met, in the qualifying stages of the 2002 World Cup, the Danes took four points from the two games.
There are a couple of problems for the Danes ahead of the game. A thigh muscle strain suffered by Ebbe Sand in the final group game against Sweden means he will probably be replaced by Schalke 04 striker Peter Madsen.
Niclas Jensen, meanwhile, will also be absent, because of a dead leg, with PSV's Kasper Bogelund the most likely replacement.
PROBABLE TEAMS
CZECH REPUBLIC: Cech; Grygera, Bolf, Ujfalusi, Jankulovski; Poborshy, Galasek, Rosicky, Nedved; Koller, Barros.
DENMARK: Sorensen; Helveg, Laursen, Henriksen, Bogelund; Poulsen, Gravesen; Jorgensen, Tomasson, Rommedahl; Madsen.
