ALKMAAR, Netherlands – Brian Priske, Sparta Prague’s manager, was visibly frustrated on the touchline during Thursday’s UEFA Europa Conference League Round of 16 first leg against AZ Alkmaar. The Czech side fell 2-1 at the AFAS Stadion, and Priske didn’t shy away from criticizing his team’s passive play. “We took a step back in intensity and ended up just defending passively,” Priske stated after the match.
The Danish coach’s ire was evident throughout the second half, as he repeatedly gestured and shouted instructions to his players. The performance clearly didn’t meet his expectations, and he was quick to point out the areas needing immediate improvement.
“We didn’t play well. There were several things that bothered me. I didn’t like the football we played,” Priske explained. “We had moments, especially in the beginning of both halves, where we looked decent, but that’s not enough. It’s clear we need to play better. This won’t be sufficient.”
Priske pinpointed ball retention and defensive solidity as key areas for improvement. “We need to keep the ball more; it felt like we gave it away too easily. And of course, we need to improve our defending. We were often pushed back to our own goal, under siege. We haven’t conceded so many chances to AZ for a long time. But it’s not just about the defense. The attack also needs to do better at holding the ball and combining more effectively.”
Dvakrát skvělý Jakub Surovčík! ????????#NovaSport | #UECL pic.twitter.com/pQOVRNbKjp
But, amidst the criticism, Priske was quick to praise the performance of goalkeeper Jakub Surovčík. “I think it’s quite clear that we only conceded two goals thanks to him. He did a great job,” Priske said, acknowledging Surovčík’s crucial role in keeping the tie alive.
The manager conceded that the team could have offered more support to their goalkeeper. “That’s definitely one of the things we’ll focus on after the match.”
Peter Vindahl, another goalkeeper on Sparta’s roster, remained on the bench. Priske explained that Vindahl is still recovering from an injury and isn’t yet fit enough to start. “He’s still returning from injury and isn’t at a stage where he can play yet. We hope he’ll be back soon, and we’ll have two excellent goalkeepers available.”
Priske also addressed the halftime substitution of Filip Panák, who was making his return to the squad after a lengthy absence. “First of all, I want to emphasize that it wasn’t easy for me to capture Pany off, and it wasn’t easy for him either. He didn’t deserve it for his performance; he played solidly, but we needed to change something. In both defense and attack, we wanted to obtain an extra player into the midfield to hold the ball more and avoid losing possession. It worked quite well for the first 15 minutes of the second half.”
Srovnáno! Matyáš Vojta byl přesně tam, kam mířila rána Irvinga, a dopravil balon do sítě! ✔️????#NovaSport | #UECL pic.twitter.com/2oewWxMErI
However, the positive impact of the change was short-lived. “For some reason, we lost intensity. We weren’t good enough on the ball, and it became increasingly difficult for us, effectively just defending,” Priske lamented. “As I said, it worked well for the first 15 minutes. We played reasonably well, equalized, but then we started to struggle again. Several factors came into play. Ševínský had to finish the game with an injury, Sonne was moved to the wing… We improvised a lot, but we need players to get used to different roles and provide their best. We wanted to win here, and that’s why I’m disappointed with the course of the game and the result.”
Despite the defeat, Priske believes the result could have been worse. “Definitely. Thanks to our goalkeeper, we go into the second leg with a chance of progressing. We know what European nights at Letná can be like, so we must believe One can experience another magical night at our stadium. I think it will be a different game, especially from our side. We need to release the handbrake and go for it.”
Looking ahead, Priske emphasized the need for both mental and physical improvements. “It won’t just be about the mental side, but primarily the physical one. Some players are injured, struggling a bit, and it seems like some are running on empty. But these are the moments and games when great players show themselves. They need to step up and demonstrate their quality. We’ll put together a team of eleven players who are ready to give everything.”
Priske also provided updates on the fitness of Matěj Ryneš and Adam Ševínský. Ryneš had to leave the field for a doping control, and Priske didn’t have detailed information about his condition. “I honestly can’t say right now as he had to go for doping control, so I don’t have detailed information. I just know that he’s been feeling pain in his Achilles tendon or calf in recent weeks. He’s been struggling with it a bit. We’ll have to wait and observe how he is.” Ševínský also had a minor problem that limited him during the match. “We have a few more injuries, and we need to cope with that.”
Finally, Priske addressed the performance of Garanga Kuola, who didn’t make the desired impact after being given an opportunity. “I don’t know if ‘again’ is the right word, but today wasn’t his night. He didn’t deliver the performance I expected. We were hoping for more. He’s a player with certain abilities, good technique, so we hoped he would make an impact. But he struggled. He’s still a young player who has a lot to learn and gain experience. Games like this will only toughen him up.”
Sparta Prague will look to overturn the deficit in the second leg at the Letná Stadium on [Date of second leg – to be verified and added]. The match promises to be a tense affair, with the Czech side needing a strong performance to keep their Conference League hopes alive. Fans will be hoping that Jakub Surovčík can replicate his heroics and that the team can find the attacking spark needed to secure a positive result.
This article was originally published on Livesport Zprávy.
