Czech Republic v Montenegro:GOALKEEPER PETR Cech has tried out a specially-designed mask to protect his broken nose and allow him to try to play for the Czech Republic in their Euro 2012 play-off against Montenegro tonight.
The Chelsea player, however, was not completely confident of being ready for the first leg. “If the game was today I would not be able to play,” Cech, who broke his nose against Blackburn Rovers last Saturday, said yesterday. “The mask will protect me from further injury but if I will be 100 per cent I do not know.”
Czech coach Michal Bilek, already without suspended midfielder Tomas Hubschman, said of Cech: “I hope he will be ready; his presence on the pitch is very important for us because he is one of the best goalkeepers in the world.”
If Cech cannot play, Bilek will turn to Hamburg SV’s Jaroslav Drobny who started in the country’s 2-2 draw with Scotland in qualifying.
Montenegro, aiming to reach their first major tournament since splitting from union with Serbia in 2006, also face injury worries, with defender Marko Basa nursing a shoulder problem.
Coach Branko Brnovic has included DC United midfielder Branko Boskovic, who should add depth in the playmaking department even though the 31-year-old player was sidelined for almost a year with a serious knee injury.
The addition of Boskovic, who replaces Olympiakos’s Petar Grbic, is the only change to the squad for the game in which Montenegro will be looking to slow down Czech Republic’s Arsenal playmaker Tomas Rosicky. “We analysed them and noticed Rosicky is a real leader in midfield,” Brnovic said. “If we neutralise him we have more chance.”
Montenegro, having registered just one win in 10 games on their debut in 2010 World Cup qualifiers, have impressed in their campaign, especially in a pair of draws with group winners England.
Central defender Miodrag Dzudovic said the team would have to repeat those performances if they are to reach next year’s finals in Poland and Ukraine.
PROBABLE LINE-UPS
CZECH REPUBLIC: Cech, Gebreselassie, Sivok, Rajnoch, Kadlec, Jiracek, Rezek, Rosicky, Kolar, Pilar, Baros.
MONTENEGRO: Bozovic; Savic, Basa, Dzudovic, Jovanovic; Pekovic, Zverotic, Bozovic, Vukcevic; Jovetic, Vucinic.
