“Pressure” increases for Nedvěd return

Several members of the Czech national football squad have added their voices to those expressing support for midfielder Pavel Nedvěd, who plays for Italy’s Juventus, to come out of international retirement. The calls come less than two months ahead of the Czechs’ start at the European football championship, EURO 2008. In the past, Nedvěd, 35, was a key player in 91 caps for the Czech side, including the World Cup in Germany in 2006. On Thursday, star keeper Petr Čech said the team was in real need of a player with similar “abilities and skills”. It is hoped that a Nedvěd return would add spark to a side currently missing its captain, Tomáš Rosický, out with injury.

AFP has cited a top Czech football official as saying he “believed” that talks between Nedvěd and the national team coach had already begun but there has been no official confirmation yet .

Author: Jan Velinger