There’s a crucial question in the air about the Czech Republic’s new top-flight season: after Sparta Prague ended their nine-year wait for the league title, is this the start of a new era for the country’s most successful club, or was it just a flash in the pan, with Slavia Prague and Viktoria Plzen set to reassert their authority as the teams to beat again?
In November, Sparta will celebrate their 130th birthday and would like nothing better than to mark their anniversary season by adding to their collection of trophies. Last season’s title was their 13th in the Czech First League, in addition to the 21 that they won before the dissolution of Czechoslovakia, making them the most decorated club in the country by far. Yet it took the arrival of Danish head coach Brian Priske, a title winner in his home country with Midtjylland back in 2019-20, to end the recent dominance of Slavia and Plzen, and the reality is that the 2023-24 season will probably be a three-way battle.
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der August 2023-Ausgabe von World Soccer.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent ? Anmelden
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der August 2023-Ausgabe von World Soccer.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent? Anmelden
Going for Gold in Paris- There are plenty of candidates vying for the Olympic gold medal in the women's football tournament this summer
There are plenty of candidates vying for the Olympic gold medal in the women's football tournament this summer
Face to face - Tom Sainfiet- The final goal is to reach the World Cup and write history - The Belgian coach speaks to World Soccer
The well-travelled Belgian coach speaks to World Soccer after taking charge of the Philippines-his 11th international coaching role
Inter cruise to title number 20
Simone Inzaghi's Internazionale shrug off all challengers before sealing the Serie A title in style against their biggest rivals
HAT-TRICK HERO
Ademola Lookman wrote his name into European football's history books with a hat-trick in the Europa League final
GOING UP
The story of Sweden striker Viktor Gyokeres' career has been one of upward trajectory - and there's plenty more to come from the Sporting superstar
Palau soldier on alone
The isolated Pacific nation faces a long and lonely battle to improve football on the island
Brazilian clubs eye Copa number six
As the Copa Libertadores group stage concludes, a sixth consecutive Brazilian winner is looking likely
AI Hilal sweep to another Saudi crown
The first edition of the Saudi Pro League's glamorous new era ends with a familiar title winner
Disasters brewing
There is still a long way to go in World Cup qualifying, but dysfunction reigns at Cameroon, Congo and Nigeria after four matchdays in the group stage
Second round of World Cup qualifying underway
Favourites perform largely as expected, yet Cayman Islands dominate the headlines