Czechia vs Germany facts

There will be a familiar air to the second round of Group C games at the UEFA European Under-21 Championship as Czechia take on Germany at the Batumi Arena – the third time in the last five tournaments the teams have met in the group stage – with both hoping to improve on their Matchday 1 results.

Czechia conceded twice to lose 2-0 to England in their opening fixture at the same venue, while holders Germany were held 1-1 by Israel in an eventful encounter at the Shengelia Arena in Kutaisi. Israel took the lead after Youssoufa Moukoko had had a second-minute penalty saved, though Germany captain Yann Bisseck levelled in the 26th minute. Germany had a numerical advantage for the entire second half after Israel were reduced to ten men shortly before the break and won another penalty with ten minutes left but this time substitute Jessic Ngankam's kick was saved.

While Germany have reached the final in the last three editions – lifting the trophy in 2017 and 2021 – Czechia have failed to progress from the group stage on their last three appearances.

Previous meetings

Germany have won four of the sides' eight competitive fixtures, losing only one. They have scored 12 goals, with the Czechs managing six.

Goals either side of half-time from Max Meyer (44) and Serge Gnabry (50) gave Stefan Kuntz's Germany a 2-0 win against Czechia in Tychy on Matchday 1 of the 2017 finals. Germany went on to finish second in Group C behind Italy and ultimately lifted the trophy; Vítězslav Lavička's Czechs were fourth in the section on three points.

The teams drew 1-1 on Matchday 3 of the 2015 finals in Prague, Nico Schulz giving Horst Hrubesch's Germany a 55th-minute lead before Ladislav Krejčí replied 11 minutes later for a Czech outfit coached by Jakub Dovalil. The draw was not enough for the Czech hosts, however, who came third in Group A – a point and a place behind their opponents.

Czechia had, however, prevailed against Germany – then the holders – in qualifying for the 2011 tournament. Michael Rabušic got both goals in a 2-1 Czech away win in September 2009 before a 1-1 home draw in Mladá Boleslav in the penultimate round of fixtures. The Czechs topped Group 5, ten points and two places above eliminated Germany.

That Wiesbaden defeat in September 2009 was Germany's first against the Czech Republic or Czechoslovakia; they had won three and drawn one of the previous four matches.

Noah Atubolu was in the Germany side that drew 1-1 against Czechia in an Under-17 friendly on 8 November 2018. Václav Sejk and substitute David Pech featured for the Czechs.

Form guide

Czechia

This is Czechia's ninth final tournament appearance, and a fourth in five editions of the competition. Semi-finalists in 2011 and runners-up in 2000, they were champions in 2002, beating France on penalties in the final with a team including Petr Čech, Zdeněk Grygera, Tomáš Hübschman and Milan Baroš.

In addition, Czechoslovakia were losing quarter-finalists on six occasions.

The Czechs' 2021 campaign failed to extend beyond the group stage, a side coached by Karel Krejčí finishing third in Group B after 1-1 draws against Italy and co-hosts Slovenia were followed by a 2-0 defeat against Spain.

This time round, with Jan Suchopárek having replaced Krejčí as head coach, Czechia finished second behind England in Group G, winning seven of their ten matches and losing only away (1-3) and at home (1-2) against the section winners. That sent them into a play-off against Iceland, the Czechs winning 2-1 in the away first leg and holding on to progress by the same aggregate score.

Daniel Fila, Adam Karabec and Sejk were Czechia's joint top scorers in qualifying with four goals each.

Czechia have now gone five games at the U21 finals without a win (D2 L3), since a 3-1 victory against Italy on Matchday 2 of the 2017 tournament. Indeed their last two wins at the finals have both come in their second group game, the other a 4-0 defeat of Serbia in 2015.

Germany

Germany claimed their third U21 title in 2021, when they equalled Italy's record of reaching a third successive final, having also lifted the trophy in 2009 and 2017.

This is Germany's ninth appearance in the final tournament and a sixth in succession. They have reached the semi-finals or better in each of the last four.

Two years ago, Kuntz's side finished second in Group A on goals scored in a three-way head-to-head also involving section winners the Netherlands and eliminated Romania.

Germany went on to beat Denmark 6-5 on penalties after a 2-2 draw in the quarter-finals before Florian Wirtz's double saw off the Netherlands in the last four (2-1), Lukas Nmecha subsequently scoring the only goal of the final against Portugal.

The holders won nine of their ten qualifiers for the 2023 finals – Antonio Di Salvo succeeding Kuntz two games in – to finish eight points clear of runners-up Israel at the top of Group B.

Germany's sole defeat was a 4-0 reverse at home to Poland on 12 November 2021 in which they were reduced to ten men after 19 minutes. It was their heaviest ever qualifying defeat and their biggest U21 loss since they went down 5-0 to Portugal in the 2015 semi-finals.

Jonathan Burkardt, who is not in the final tournament squad, contributed seven of Germany's 32 qualifying goals to finish as the team's leading scorer – one more than Moukoko, who scored on all four of his appearances.

Germany are undefeated in their last nine group games at the U21 finals (W5 D4), losing just one of their last 14 (W7 D6) – 1-0 to Italy in 2017. Furthermore, they have also lost just one of their last 14 in the tournament overall (W7 D6), the 2019 final against Spain (1-2).

Links and trivia

Czechia coach Suchopárek made 23 2. Bundesliga appearance for Tennis Borussia Berlin in 1999/2000.

Suchopárek was in the Czechia side beaten 2-1 by Germany in the final of EURO '96.

Has played in Germany:
Vasil Kušej (Dynamo Dresden 2015–21)

Germany's Eric Martel played 90 minutes as Köln beat Slovácko 4-2 at home in the UEFA Europa Conference League group stage on 15 September 2022. Martel and Denis Huseinbašić helped Köln to a 1-0 win in the return fixture in Czechia on 28 October.