What was it like for you when you went into the game quickly after Lukáš Haraslín’s injury?
On the one hand, it was very difficult because the unfortunate complication caused me to go to the field earlier than planned. I had to jump into it quickly, grab hold, get a light balloon. My second or third touch was an assist, which was important.
You are often used to conquering your opponents. Were you satisfied when Hradec had to open the game and you went to breaks?
In some phases it’s easier for me, but I’m an attacking type of attacker, at the same time I can play against a closed defense. And the goal? The stoppers didn’t catch me, I took a touch and tried to put it in the goal the way I did. I think it was spot on.
Did you not remember the goal for the national team against Spain, which was very similar?
My teammates picked on me right away during the substitution. They knew that I sometimes try it in training. They are joking, I told them that I would score a goal like that in Sparta. Now it’s out. When I get a good touch and the keeper is out, that’s my first thought. I have such a solution in my head and I think I have a very good one. When the goalkeepers are climbing, I will lob them like this.
???? KITCHEN | “The boys made fun of me and teased me a bit that I could do this and put it in the toolbox like that. I showed it today in Sparta too, and I’m glad that the goal helped us.”
Jan Kuchta scored a goal for Hradec and added an assist ⚽️????️ #acsparta
➡️ https://t.co/zrOcGFcb9u pic.twitter.com/JGuzzexoIn
— AC Sparta Praha (@ACSparta_CZ) October 8, 2023
After the goal, you celebrated very emotionally even towards the fans, you were very immersed in the match, weren’t you?
I’m enjoying it. The referee set some meter. It is repeated that we feel wronged in some matches. Some players are there to handle these situations, to discuss with the referee and maybe even with the fans. Of course that’s me too. We will also make it more difficult by playing with one less player, but sometimes there are things where I can’t get my head around it. I have a lot of friends in Hradec, including my best friends who came to football. Half of the family is from Pardubice, half from Jičín, so the accessibility of Hradec is acceptable for everyone. I know a lot of people here, sometimes I even visit here with my family. I was very motivated to show up in front of friends and extended family.
Your position changed a lot during the match, didn’t it?
I knew what position I would have until the suspension. I go in there (on the wing) when the coaches need me and they see that I could be useful there for the team. But my primary position is a number nine (striker). I play where the coaches see me best. They even ask me how I feel. Both I and they have feedback. It is no longer unknown to me. After the expulsion, the ranks completely regrouped. We had to adapt to get the three points here. I think you could see it, we dominated in some phases of the match. Hradec even made it easier for us in some situations.
What did you think of the performance of Adam Karabec, who scored two goals in Hradec Kvarner after an unconverted chance against Betis?
Kara is very intelligent and a soccer player. Sometimes he has a different solution than his peers. We didn’t tease him for that chance at Betis, maybe some gunner would have been happy for this opportunity and would have handled it differently. But Kara is not used to these situations. However, he can play different things than other attackers. I’m glad how it turned out for him. He needed it for his self-esteem. He showed that he was rightfully in the foundation and that he can continue to be in it.
A representative break awaits you. Will it come in handy?
Yes, the players will relax and look forward to seeing each other. After the last national team break, we were looking forward to each other. We even got messages that the coaches didn’t even experience this, how we welcomed each other and wanted to be together. After training in Strahov, we stayed together for an hour and a half or even two and played various games, Playstation and so on. Those of us who are going to the national team will then have some time off. But then we get right into our mode. We know what we’re playing for. We have more difficult matches ahead of us. We want to handle it like here.
