The most important game of the season, I wouldn’t go for a penalty in the shootout, says Holeš

On Thursday, Slavia will face a rematch of the Conference Europa League playoffs, which will decide whether or not they will be in the cups this season. Against Raków Czestochowa they will be chasing one goal, what did Tomas Holeš say before the home game?

The Slavs won three times and drew once on their way to the last preliminary round. First, they clearly eliminated Gibraltar amateurs St. Joseph’s, then outscored Greek side Panathinaikos Athens by two goals on aggregate.

In Poland, they lost for the first time. Ivi López scored first, then Holeš equalised in the 60th minute, but a minute later Fran Tudor restored Raków’s lead. The Seškis were clearly inferior and have something to change in the rematch.

“Mainly in the approach. It must look different than in Poland, our performance there was also so timid. We have to play differently at home, like we did against Pardubice at the weekend,” Holeš told the club website.

The Red and Whites have struggled in key qualification battles in recent years. The year before last it was Midtjylland in the Champions League play-offs, last year first Ferencváros for the Champions League and then Legia in the Europa League play-offs.

But last year even two losses were enough to reach the group stage of the Conference League, while this year a failure against Raków would mean the complete end in Europe. It is for this reason that this is perhaps the most important game for Slavia in the autumn.

“There have been many important games here, but at the moment it is probably the most important game of the season. It’s a big deal, we are all aware of that,” continued the national midfielder.

Holeš doesn’t have the best memories of Polish football, because last year in a rematch with Legia he fouled badly in the third minute and saw a straight red card. Susians lost 1:2 in ten and were relegated to the Conference League.

This year, Slavia has the advantage of a home rematch, which is a big plus. Given the 0:1 score from the first game, there may even be an overtime, in which the home fans always come in handy. And who knows, it might even get to a penalty shootout.

“We didn’t practice it en masse, the boys practice it on their own. I don’t kick penalties myself, I don’t know the last time I played one. If I didn’t have to, I probably wouldn’t go. But today I will definitely kick a few penalties,” added Holeš.

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