Vaclik: We didn’t play what we are capable of. After the game he was in the locker room with Ronaldo

Tomas Vaclik has been a regular fixture and mainstay of the Czech national team, but he, like the whole team, did not do well in the duel with Portugal. He scored four goals and almost broke Cristiano Ronaldo’s nose.

The Czech team knew it needed a miracle to beat a strong Portugal. And a superhuman performance by goalkeeper Tomáš Vaclík. But it didn’t come, with the Olympiacos goalkeeper letting four of his five shots on target go behind his back, especially Dalot’s first one which went unluckily through his legs.

It was a big difference from the June meeting. The Czechs could not adapt to the high tempo of the Portuguese and the difference between the two teams was huge.

“We couldn’t come close to the performance we showed in the Nations League in June – either individually or as a team. We can‘t compare it at all,” Vaclik said after the match.

“I think that as a team we are capable of much, much more, we are capable of playing much better matches even against the best teams in the world and in Europe. But the performance didn’t match it at all,” added the Czech goalkeeper sadly.

A photo of Cristiano Ronaldo with a bloodied face has been circulating on the internet. It was Vaclik who caused it in an aerial duel.

“I think I hit him with my palm. There was a high ball, I played the ball first and then we collided. I hope I didn’t break his nose because it was bleeding quite a lot. But mostly I’m glad we were both able to finish the game because we fell down pretty bad,” Vaclik recalled of the situation.

“I talked to him right after the collision and after the game I was still in the locker room to ask him how he was doing. He said he was fine…,” said the goalkeeper of the Czech national team.

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