Czech Republic’s Uefa Nations League campaign got off to a poor start.
Santi Denia’s men hosted Croatia at the Fortuna Arena in Prague over the weekend. Luka Modric opened the scoring for Slaven Bilic’s side. Adam Karabec fired Czech Republic level 10 minutes into the second half. However, Marco Pasalic netted what proved to be the winning goal in the 77th minute.
And things don’t get much easier for Czech Republic on matchday two. Indeed, they face England in the capital on Tuesday night as they seek to avoid a second successive Nations League defeat.
While the Three Lions themselves fell to defeat, losing 3-2 to 2026 World Cup winners Spain, Thomas Tuchel’s team should have what it takes to claim three points in midweek. Of course, Czech Republic won’t make it easy for the World Cup bronze medallists. They’ll hope to maximise home advantage.
Should Czech Republic secure a result against England, then it will have been down to Pavel Sulc and his creative qualities to pry Tuchel’s side apart.
In this article, we’ll cover:
Importance of Sulc
Admittedly, the 25-year-old wasn’t great in Czech Republic’s 2-1 loss to Croatia. The midfielder created two chances, but failed to have a shot, complete a take-on, or make a tackle or interception. Even so, he’s a player who Denia will look to in order to break down backlines.
Sulc’s greatest quality is his ability to provide for others. While he has only started three of Lyon’s opening five league games this season, the Czech star ranks top for chances created per 90 minutes (2.4) for the French giants. Only Toulouse man Cristian Casseres (four) has registered more assists than Sulc (three) in the 2026/27 Ligue 1 campaign.
It’s a continuation of his commendable showings in his debut year in France, where he scored 11 goals and provided three assists, this despite starting just 17 league matches under Paulo Fonseca.
How Sulc can hurt England
Of those 11 goals, 10 were inside the penalty area. He’s a box-crashing attacking midfielder who knows how to time his runs to perfection. This is something England need to be wary of. Karabec and Lukas Ambros, who started on the left and right, respectively, against Croatia, offer alternative attacking outputs that a player like Sulc can capitalise upon.
The former is more of a creator. The latter is the dribbly winger, able to beat a man and put the ball into dangerous areas. Both have the capability to maximise Sulc’s late runs into the box. The Lyon man has what it takes to tuck these chances past opposition goalkeepers.
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Sulc’s style of play also suits Denia, handing the 52-year-old additional tactical flexibility. While best-suited as a No.10, he is able to play as a No.8, which suits the Spaniard. Indeed, Denia favours a 4-2-3-1 setup, but with Sulc able to play a couple of roles in the middle of the park, the Czech Republic boss can switch to a 4-3-3 to add an extra body in midfield.
Work-rate vital
The added benefit is that Sulc is a handy operator out of possession. For an attacking player, a return of 1.7 tackles per 90 this season is commendable. It’s an increase on his 1.4 tackles per 90 last season. Meanwhile, Sulc is also committing 1.4 fouls per 90 in the 2026/27 Ligue 1 campaign.
He’s hugely effective at disrupting opposition play. This will be important against England in the week, with Tuchel’s side fully expected to dictate the tempo. Sulc, among others, will need to work tirelessly off the ball to ensure England are unable to build up any rhythm as both sides look to build upon matchday one defeats.
What’s more, it’s a real chance for Sulc to really put himself in the shop window. The midfielder has previously been linked with a Premier League switch. By showcasing his talent against England, this will inevitably lead to further interest from England’s top sides.
Lyon would be reluctant to cash in on Sulc, who penned a four-year deal when he joined from Viktoria Plzen last year. While he hasn’t necessarily consolidated a starting spot for Lyon, he’s still evidently a key player for Fonseca.
It’ll be a real test for Sulc and Czech Republic against England. The former’s midfield quality means they have a chance of upsetting the odds this week.