England Under-21s commence their bid for Under-21 Euro 2023 glory on Thursday evening, as Czech Republic Under-21s await at the Adjarabet Arena in Batumi in Group C.
The Young Lions are out to end a 39-year dry spell in the continental championships, while their Czech counterparts have one honour to their name from the 2002 tournament.
Match preview
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The Czech Republic and England will be renewing hostilities in Batumi after engaging in a two-horse race for top spot in qualifying Group G, where the Young Lions ultimately pipped Jan Suchoparek's men to the post and forced them to go down the playoff route.
The challenge of Iceland awaited the Czech Republic in a two-legged affair to determine who would punch their ticket to Romania and Georgia, and despite falling a goal down early on in the first leg, Suchoparek's side turned the tie around through Matej Valenta and Vaclav Sejk in a 2-1 triumph.
A goalless draw in South Bohemia four days later was therefore enough to propel the Czech Republic into the finals for the fourth time in the last five editions, but their most recent three appearances at the Under-21 Euros have ended in the group stage since a fourth-placed finish in 2011.
Champions in 2002 and runners-up in 2000, the new millennium certainly brought new opportunities for the Little Lions, but an underwhelming set of friendly results does little to suggest that they can end their recent group-stage hoodoo.
Indeed, Suchoparek's men failed to win any of their four exhibition matches with Portugal, Belgium, Norway or the Netherlands - scoring just two goals in the process - but England's preparations for Euro 2023 have hardly gone swimmingly either.
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Fending off the threat of the Czechs as well as Slovenia, Kosovo, Albania and whipping boys Andorra, England gleaned 25 points from 30 on offer in qualifying to sail through to the Euros finals, scoring 26 goals while conceding just seven along the way.
After Aidy Boothroyd failed to guide England into the knockout stages in 2021 - the fifth time in the last six editions that the Young Lions have been prematurely sent home - Lee Carsley is now the man tasked with restoring the juniors to their former glories at Under-21 level.
England remarkably got as far as the semi-finals in each of the first six editions of the Under-21 Euros - lifting the trophy aloft in 1982 and 1984 - but they have only made the last four on three occasions since, collecting the consolation prize of a runners-up medal in 2009.
Victories over Italy, Germany and France in their first three friendlies since qualification certainly caught the eye, but Carsley's men will enter the Euros on the back of successive defeats to Croatia and Japan, and the Germans will also be out for revenge as one of their other two opponents in Group C alongside Israel.
However, England marched to a pair of 3-1 and 2-1 wins over the Czech Republic during qualifying, and the Little Lions have only roared to victory once against the Young Lions - sinking Stuart Pearce's crop with a 2-1 win during the 2011 Euros.
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Team News
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Not a single player in the Czech Republic squad boasts a senior cap for their nation, although Suchoparek will therefore not have to work around jellied legs from Nations League games or Euro 2024 qualifiers, as will be the case with several of their rivals.
Only two of the Little Lions' squad ply their trade outside their homeland, including Stockport County goalkeeper Vitezslav Jaros, who should act as the last line of defence for his country.
Jan Zamburek - who represents Danish outfit Viborg - could also be given the nod in a central role, while four-goal striker Sejk is poised to operate at the tip of the attack.
Meanwhile, the England ranks boast a plethora of recognisable names from the Premier League and beyond, including Arsenal's Emile Smith Rowe, who is the sole player in the squad to have turned out for the senior team.
Smith Rowe should be granted a starting role as he aims to put a difficult domestic season behind him, while Chelsea's Levi Colwill briefly trained with the first team before boarding the plane with his youthful colleagues - a spot in defence surely awaits the 19-year-old on the back of his breakthrough year with Brighton & Hove Albion.
Eyes will also be on Chelsea's Noni Madueke, Tottenham Hotspur's Oliver Skipp and Aston Villa's Jacob Ramsey, and competition for the number one jersey is rife, but Manchester City's James Trafford could be given the nod over Josh Griffiths here.
Czech Republic Under-21s possible starting lineup:
Jaros; Gabriel, Vitik, Pojezny, Fukala; Zamburek, Cerv, Karabec; Jurasek, Sejk, Valenta
England Under-21s possible starting lineup:
Trafford; Aarons, Harwood-Bellis, Colwill, Thomas; Ramsey, Skipp, Elliott; Madueke, Gibbs-White, Smith Rowe
We say: Czech Republic Under-21s 0-2 England Under-21s
Neither the Czech Republic nor England should be brimming with confidence in the wake of a mediocre warm-up period, but the Three Lions have already asserted their dominance in this fixture and should have no trouble keeping their opponents' shot-shy attack at bay.
With plenty of talented forwards also in Carsley's ranks - some of whom have a point to prove to their clubs - we have faith in the Three Lions to start as they mean to go on with a professional performance and two-goal win.
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Top tip
Ben Knapton
Spain U21s
