Czech Republic first up for holders Spain
Friday, January 1, 2016
Article summary
Having relinquished the FIFA World Cup in 2014, Spain will look to keep their hands on the UEFA European Championship trophy as they kick off against the Czech Republic.
Article top media content
Article body
Defending champions Spain will hope their opening match goes according to form, with UEFA EURO 2016 Group D opponents Czech Republic yet to defeat La Roja since independence.
Previous meetings
• Spain are unbeaten in four games against the Czech Republic since independence (W3 D1). They have won the sides' last three meetings.
• Spain's 12 encounters with Czechoslovakia ended W4 D1 L7 (W2 L3 in competitive games).
• Spain qualified for the 1998 FIFA World Cup at the Czechs' expense. The only goal in their two qualifiers was a penalty converted by Fernando Hierro; Raúl González won the first of his 102 caps in Prague in October 1996.
• The teams also met in UEFA EURO 2012 qualifying. David Villa scored twice for Spain in a 2-1 win in Granada, with Juan Mata and Xabi Alonso on target in the Iberian nation's 2-0 away victory.
• Jaroslav Plašil's strike in that 2-1 loss is the Czech Republic's lone post-independence goal against Spain.
EURO facts – Spain
• This is Spain's sixth consecutive EURO. They are bidding to triumph for the third time in succession, having become the first side to win two in a row at UEFA EURO 2012.
• Spain and Germany/West Germany are the most successful EURO sides having won three editions each.
• Spain qualified with a W9 D0 L1 record. They come to the finals on an eight-game competitive winning streak, during which they have not conceded a goal.
EURO facts – Czech Republic
• The Czech Republic have qualified for every final tournament since Czechoslovakia split in 1993.
• They won the competition as part of Czechoslovakia in 1976 and reached the final in their first appearance as the Czech Republic in 1996, losing to Germany.
• The Czech Republic qualified with a record of W7 D1 L2.
• The only Czech side to have previously played a UEFA game in Toulouse is Sparta Praha, who beat the home side 3-2 in a 2007/08 UEFA Cup group stage fixture. Current internationals Michal Kadlec and David Limberský were on the winning side in that game.
Coach and player links
• The game is taking place the day after Spain midfielder Bruno Soriano's 32nd birthday.
• Have played together:
César Azpilicueta and Juanfran (Spain) & Jaroslav Plašil (Czech Republic) – Osasuna 2007–09
César Azpilicueta (Spain) and Petr Čech (Czech Republic) – Chelsea, 2012–15
Cesc Fàbregas (Spain) & Petr Čech (Czech Republic) – Chelsea, 2014–15
