Up to the quarterfinals: Staropramen accepts the role of favourite against Olomouc

The key stage of the Superleague season is here! The playoffs begin next week. Olomouc missed out a year ago, Staropramen Prague dropped out in the quarter-finals. And it is these rivals who will face each other in the battle for promotion to the top four of the current season.

A look at the tables after the regular season of the national competition speaks in favour of the Prague team, which was the only one not to lose in the regular season and won the western group. The Olomouc Mighty Ducks finished fourth in the eastern group.

“We are definitely willing to accept the role of the favourite. However, since the division of the competition we don’t see some teams all year round and I don’t even remember the last time we played Olomouc. In the winter, we had dinner in Brno after the tournament with Patrik Levčík and Dominik Kunicky, who raved about Olomouc, saying that they thought they were the best team in the East in terms of play and prospects.

I was surprised that they lost their first two games in the spring, but the players are still good. It is said that theeastern group is usually a little stronger than the western one, so I guess the chances of promotion are sixty to forty for us, I wouldn’t dare to do more than that,” Prague coach Václav Socher estimated.

The Mighty Ducks have already fulfilled their goal by qualifying for the playoffs, but they have a chance to succeed in the two quarterfinal games. They will host the first game on Monday at 7:30 p.m. in Hněvotín. “The duel with Staropramen is open, so I would say the chances are fifty-fifty. Unlike our opponent, we have already played tough matches in the season, especially against Brno and Blansko,” said Olomouc coach Tomáš Zeman.

Now that the Hanaks have reached the top eight teams, they are looking for the next step. “I hope I speak for everyone that we would be satisfied with a medal around our necks at the end of the season. So we have to take that first step right away in the home game on Monday,” urged Zeman.

While Olomouc’s squad is free of long-term injuries, the Prague players have struggled with the absence of some mainstays since the start of the spring season. “Compared to the autumn, we had a lot of breakdowns, five people got injured, of which we didn’t have our three best scorers, but now we will have both Jindra Novotný and Standa Mařík finally recovered,” Socher was pleased. He will miss Tomas Bezstarosti, David Podzimek, Frantisek Hakl and Miroslav Verner.

Prague captain Mařík was gathering information in the Czech national team’s preliminary match against Olomouc, but Staropramen has to adjust its tactics. “We had a plan, but we based it on certain types of players, but they won’t go for the first game, so we have to set a different plan,” Socher said.

The Hanaks have a young team, with captain Jan Tögel, who has already donned the national team jersey, among the most experienced. David Lost’ák and Vojtech Pazdera have silver from last year’s U23 World Championship in Kiev, Ukraine.

“They have maybe four left-handed players, which is very special. In a squad of 12, it’s a third of the players, so that’s an interesting weapon for them. I wouldn’t name the individualities, it’s pointless to single them out unless they take a team approach. Lately I’ve abandoned that, I’m dealing more with defence and teamwork, that’s how I look at the opponents, we don’t target anyone in particular,” Socher said.

Prague has a number of players with national team experience in its squad, led by world and European champion Stanislav Mařík, while Pavel Šultes and Jiří Sodoma also hold European titles, while Jindřich Novotný, Tomáš Jelínek and goalkeeper Lukáš Vít have silverware from the Under-23 World Championship.

“The opponent has a great number of great players, it’s hard to single out just one of them. We will keep tactical things to ourselves and we will not reveal what style we want to present in the play-offs,” the Olomouc coach noted.

Staropramen has renewed its squad after last year’s unsuccessful season and is eager for a medal reward this year.

“We have built almost seventy percent new team and before the season I said that it would be great if we fight for any medal, I would not be disappointed even with the fourth place. Although we are always the favourite in the competition according to tradition, I was pleasantly surprised by our results, we didn’t lose in the regular season. After a season like this, it would be terribly sad if we didn’t finish in the top four. We respect the strength of the opponent, but I want a medal, otherwise I will be disappointed,” added Socher.

Baník Ostrava wanted to make the playoffs. “I wanted it because of the atmosphere. I experienced the Ostrava fans twice at the Champions League and it was amazing. We have a lot of young guys in the squad who have never experienced such an atmosphere,” the Prague coach pointed out.

Author: Jaroslav Kára