The Czech Republic may have to do without key striker Patrik Schick in their crucial final group game at Euro 2024 against Turkey on Wednesday due to injury, coach Ivan Hasek said.
Bayer Leverkusen forward Schick hobbled off in the second half of the 1-1 draw with Georgia last time out, just nine minutes after scoring the equaliser.
“Schick was in the care of doctors, physiotherapists and masseurs for two days, the injury is getting better. We’ll see tomorrow,” Hasek said of Schick, who was joint top-scorer at Euro 2020 with Cristiano Ronaldo, on Tuesday.
“He is a key player, one of the top scorers in Europe, but if he’s not ready, somebody will have to replace him and I believe they will be ready for that.”
The Czechs were quarter-finalists three years ago, but need to beat Turkey in Hamburg to be sure of progressing from Group F this time after a 2-1 defeat by Portugal before the draw with Georgia.
A point could potentially be enough depending on results from other groups and Georgia’s match against Portugal.
“I trust the team, the boys act as a team and I believe it will be obvious on the pitch,” added Hasek, who captained Czechoslovakia to the 1990 World Cup quarter-finals.
“For me as the coach, this is the most important game. We want to advance.
“We have to play, not calculate. We’ll be going there looking for a win.
“We have come here with the goal of reaching the last 16 and it’s not as if we were just saying it. If we don’t advance, it will be a flop.”