Review of Czech Fortuna Liga 2021/22 season at the Winter Break

December 27, 2021

The Czech 2021/22 season reached it winter break after the completion of round 19 on December 19^th, with the resumption scheduled for February 5, 2022.

 After their triumphant season in 2020/21, where Slavia Prague when through the whole season unbeaten and won the league by 12 points, this season has been a much closer affair. Although the top three were the usual suspects, Slavia went into the break only one point ahead of Viktoria Plzen and three points ahead of Sparta Prague.

After their domestic and European success last season, Slavia Prague lost a few major players during the close season. Centre-back David Zima moved to Torino, Abdullah Sima was signed by Brighton and Hove Albion and then loaned out to Stoke City, Petar Musa moved to Boavista and Simon Deli returned to Club Brugge at the end of a loan spell. Among the incoming replacements were strikers Ivan Schranz from Jablonec and from PAOK Salonika, ex-Viktoria Plzen’s Michael Krmencik.

Despite the turnover withing their squad, Slavia Prague started the season as they carried off from the previous year, winning their first 4 matches of the season, but then surprisingly drew 3-3 at lowly Karvina, conceding a last minute equaliser. However, the season was thrown wide open in round 10 when they fell to their first league defeat for over 18 months with a 0-1 defeat at Sparta in front of just over 17,000 spectators, after being reduced to 10 men after 40 minutes. More points were dropped in round 12 when after falling 0-2 behind at Ceske Budejovice, they recovered to 2-2 but were unable to take advantage of an extra man for the last 15 minutes.

Slavia then continued on their winning ways until their final match before the break, when they played a remarkable game at Banik Ostrava. After leading 2-0 at half-time, Banik pulled a goal back and then Oscar Dorley saw red for Slavia. With a player advantage, Ostrava levelled the scores, and then took the lead after Jan Kuchta was sent-off for punching the ball of the line and Almasi converted the penalty. Remarkably, the 9 men of Slavia managed to score an equaliser in the 88^th minute via a free-kick from Holes, but the drama wasn’t over, as Banik missed a penalty in added on time. Almasi’s weak kick was easily saved by Mandous.

After a dismal season in 2019/20, when only a good run after Christmas saw them climb from 9^th at the winter break to eventually finish 5^th, Viktoria Plzen have made a much better fist of this season. They actually won their first 5 league matches, before slipping to an unexpected 0-1 reverse at newly promoted Hradec Kralove. They immediately bounced back with a 3-2 home win over Sparta Prague which was the start of 6 consecutive victories before a 0-2 loss at Slavia, in which they were reduced to 8 men. Draws at home to Sigma Olomouc ( 0-0 ) and at Banik Ostrava ( 2-2 after being 2-0 ahead ) followed, although they ended the year with four straight wins.

 Sparta Prague started with three wins before being held to a 1-1 draw at Bohemians. Two more victories followed after which they lost at Plzen. A 1-1 home draw with Jablonec followed, and after 4 more wins, including the momentus 1-0 victory over Slavia, they were held to a 2-2 draw at Banik, and then they fell to an embarrassing 0-4 defeat at Slovacko. An unbeaten run over the last 4 games brought them back in touch with the leaders.

This year’s surprise package are FC Slovacko, who after their 4-0 victory of Sparta in round 15 sat in second place just three points adrift of Slavia. Unfortunately, they then suffered a 2-3 loss at Ceske Budejovice after leading 2-0 and with their opponents down to 10 men, and then fell to a 1-2 defeat at home to Viktoria. They were then reduced to 10 men after leading 1-0 at Hradec, but after falling 1-2 behind managed to salvage a draw. A final day win at home to Jablonec meant they were 9 points adrift of leaders Slavia. A 5-3 win at Mlada Boleslav was another highlight of their season to date.

Fifth placed Banik Ostrava have had a typically frustrating season where again they have demonstrated their capability of taking points off the best sides but can slip up against the lesser lights. They lost 0-1 on the opening day at Jablonec, and were hammered 0-4 at Slavia in round 5. Slovacko became the only side to win at Banik, recording a 2-1 victory in Ostrava, but they ended the season with 8 games unbeaten, including draws with Sparta, Viktoria and Slavia to be 10 points clear of 6^th place.

 6^th to 10^th are separated by 4 points in the middle of the table. Mlada Boleslav’s highlight of the season so far was probably knocking Viktoria Plzen out of the Czech Cup. 

Newly promoted Hradec Kralove are having to play their home matches in Mlada Boleslav whilst their own stadium is being redeveloped, but they have made their adopted home ground a bit of a fortress, with only Sparta escaping with three points after a narrow 1-0 win in the final game before the break, and Plzen were overcome 1-0. They also progressed to the last 8 of the Czech Cup after a 2-1 victory at Banik.

 After a tough season in 2020/21, Ceske Budejovice have fared much better this time around, thanks to a 7-1-2 home record, with only Banik and Hradec winning in Ceske Budejovice and Slavia only capable of drawing.

 

Slovan Liberec were expected to be challenging for a place in Europa so will be disappointed to currently be in 9^th place, 12 points off 5^th place.  However, after picking up just 2 points from their opening 7 games of the season they have at least been heading in the right direction up the table, and have won 6 of their last 9 matches, with the defeats being to Slavia, Sparta and Viktoria.

Sigma Olomouc are also underachieving to lie in 10^th place. After a promising start of just one loss in their opening 8 matches ( 2-3 at Sparta on the opening day ), the wheels have fallen off their wagon to some extent, with 6 losses in their 11 league matches. A 0-0 draw at Viktoria Plzen probably represented their best result, although they missed three good chances in the final minutes to have snatched the win.

In the bottom 6 of the table, Karvina have had a disastrous season. After drawing 4 of their opening 7 matches, including the spirited 3-3 draw with Slavia, they have lost their last 7 matches, and taken just one point from the last 11 games to sit 11 points away from safety.

Teplice have normally expected to be in the top half of the table, but after a disappointing 15^th place finish last season, their poor form has continued to lie in 15^th place again, with only 11 points from 19 matches. Only 3 wins have been recorded, two of which have been in their last three matches ( Zlin 4-1 at home and Jablonec 2-1 away ).

Perhaps the biggest surprise of the season has been the performance of Jablonec. After finishing in third place last season, they now lie 3^rd from bottom after a run of 12 games with one win. They did manage a 1-1 draw at Sparta and had a reasonable campaign in the Europa Conference ( see below ). They are clearly struggling to replace striker Ivan Schranz, who moved to Slavia during the close season. 

Pardubice are now undoubtedly suffering from second season syndrome after their unexpected 7^th place finish last season, with having to continue to play in Prague at Bohemians’ Dolicek stadium rather than their own ground in Pardubice also having an impact. Three wins and two draws in their last 8 matches has seen them move away from the bottom places though. 

Zlin would have expected to have been solid mid-table, but a run of one win in 11 mid-way during the season pushed them towards the nether regions, but 9 points from their last 6 matches saw them moving in the right direction.

Bohemians are another side who would have expected to have done better than 5^th from bottom. Dolicek has not turned out to be its usual stronghold with a 4-1-4 record, but a 1-2-7 away record is the major cause of their struggles. Their best result of the season was probably the 1-1 draw at home to Sparta in August.

 

Jean-David Beauguel, Viktoria’s veteran French striker and Slovacko’s Vaclav Jurecka are the league’s top scorers with 10 goals each. Slavia’s Jan Kuchta ( rumoured to be subject to a 4M Euro bid from Lokomotiv Moscow ) and Ceske Budejovice’s Nigerian striker Fortune Bassey have 9 goals a piece, whilst Banik’s Slovak forward Ladislav Almasi has 8 goals. Midfielder Ondrej Lingr and Ivan Schrantz both have found the net 7 times for Slavia, the same number Matej Pulkrab for Sparta.

 At the start of the season, attendances were unrestricted, but since the increase in Covid case in late November, the last 4 rounds of the season saw restrictions of 1,000 imposed on matches in the Czech Fortuna Liga. Taking this into consideration, the best supported team so far is Slavia with 9,696 followed by Sparta on 6,264 then Banik on 5,936. Hradec Kralove have the lowest average on 957.

European Competitions

After the strong performances last season, it is fair to say that Czech sides have not lived up to some high expectations in Europe this season.

 After their run to the Europa League quarter finals in 2020/21, which included knocking out Leicester and Glasgow Rangers, and drawing at Arsenal, it was disappointing that Slavia were eliminated in their first Champions League Qualifier, going down 1-2 on aggregate to Ferencvaros. Dropping down to the Europa League, a 3-4 aggregate loss to Legia Warsaw was even more dispiriting. At least the Europa Conference provided some solace, and despite a moderate 2-2-2 record ( with home wins over Union Berlin and Maccabi Haifa, a home draw with Feyenoord and an away draw with Union ) it was sufficient to move forward to the knock-out play-offs where they will face Fenerbache.

In their first Champions League tie Sparta Prague managed to overcome Austria Wien 3-2 on aggregate thanks to a 2-0 home win in the second leg, but fell to Monaco 1-5 on aggregate in the 3^rd Qualifying round. Dropping down to the Europa League group stages, they came third in their group, beating Glasgow Rangers ( 1-0 ) and Brondby ( 2-0 ) at home but losses to Lyon ( 3-4 at home & 0-3 away ) and Rangers ( 0-2 away ) meant they failed to qualify to the knock-out stages.

After their 3^rd place finish last season, Jablonec qualified for the Europa League 3^rd Qualifying round, where Glasgow Celtic proved to be too strong, winning 7-2 on aggregate. Dropping down to the Europa Conference, Jablonec overcame Slovak side Zilina 8-1 over the two matches to progress to the group stages. However despite being unbeaten at home ( 1-0 Cluj, 1-1 AZ Alkmaar and 2-2 Randers ), just one away point meant elimination one point behind Danish side Randers, after a regrettable final day 0-2 defeat at CFR Cluj, who already could not qualify to the knock-out stages.

In the Conference League, Slovacko were eliminated at the first hurdle by Lokomotiv Plovdiv on penalties after two 1-0 home wins.

Viktoria Plzen initially progressed without too many alarum over Belarus side Dinamo Brest ( 4-2 on aggregate ) before falling 0-4 behind to Welsh part-timers The New Saints in the first leg of the next round and a sensational upset seemed possible. Two goals in injury time retrieved the situation a little to 2-4 and when TNS took an early lead in the second leg, Viktoria looked to be facing an embarrassing exit. However, two goals in the last five minute took the tie to extra time, and Viktoria won the penalty shoot out to break Welsh hearts. The reprieve was short-lived though as despite a 2-0 home win against CSKA Sofia, a 0-3 reverse in the second leg resulted in their exit from the competition.

Round 19

FC Slovacko 2-1 FK Jablonec ( att : 997 )

MFK Karvina 0-1 FC Viktoria Plzen ( att : 912 )

Bohemians Praha 1905 1-2 FK Prdubice ( att : 1,000 )

FC Hradec Kralove 0-1 AC Sparta Prague ( att : 1,000 )

FK Teplice 0-1 FK Mlada Boleslav ( att : 968 )

SK Sigma Olomouc 1-1 FC Fastav Zlin ( att : 1,000 )

FC Slovan Liberec 0-0 FK Dynamo Ceske Budejovice ( att : 1,000 )

FC Banik Ostrava 3-3 SK Slavia Prague ( att : 1,000 )