Plzen Preview
So here we are again! FCK are in front of the last door to the group stage of the UEFA Champions League, where last year it was a team of Norwegians who had to be defeated. This time Czech Republic side FC Viktoria Plzen are in the Lions’ way of a successive return to European action.
by Joe Short
In 1911 the first stone for Viktoria Plzen was laid, although the club was then called SK Viktoria Plzen. The name stuck for 40 years, at which point it changed to Sokol Škoda Plzen. In subsequent years name changes were apparently in vogue for Tuesday's opponents as they also came to be called Sokol ZVIL Plzen, DSO Spartak LZ Plzen and TJ Spartak LZ Plzen until 1965 when club renamed as TJ Škoda Plzen – a title which was retained until 1993 when the present name – FC Viktoria Plzen – then came into use.
So many club names, but not so many titles. FC Copenhagen and Viktoria Plzen meet in the so-called ‘champions path’ to qualification for the group stage of the Champions League, so it goes without saying that Plzen are the reigning Czech champions. The title is their first and was won in their centenary year.
Besides the single championship, Plzen also won the Czech Cup in 2009/10 and the Czech Super Cup this year when they beat FK Mladá Boleslav after extra time and a penalty shootout.
Furthermore, Plzen also won the Czech Cup in 1970/71. The victory gave the club a place in the Czechoslovak Cup Final, where they met the cup winner from the Slovak part of Czechoslovakia. In the final Plzen played Spartak Trnava, but the Slovaks turned out a 2-1 victory in the first match and a 5-1 win in the return leg, to be somewhat stronger than Plzen.
The first championship for FC Viktoria Plzen
Plzen’s first championship was won by a single point over Sparta Prague. Plzen managed 69 points during the 30-game season, and it was just enough to take home the title ahead of Sparta.
Tuesday's opponents proved throughout the season to be worthy champions. The club had best home and away records in the league, though Sparta gathered as many points at home as Plzen. The season's 15 home matches in the Gambrinus Liga resulted in 11 wins and four draws. Away from home Plzen lost just three games. The other 12 away matches ended with 10 wins and two draws.
Plzen’s most dangerous player is Daniel Kolar, their top scorer from last season where he bagged 13 of Plzen’s 70 goals. This season, Kolar has not scored in the league, but has netted four times in four European matches.
FC Viktoria Plzen this season
The top division in the Czech Republic, the Gambrinus Liga, is similar to the Danish Superliga in that it has already been underway for some weeks. But while FC Copenhagen are well underway in the defence of their title, it's not gone quite so well for Plzen, who have recorded a win, a draw and a defeat in their opening three games, which sees them in eighth position in the table.
Plzen however, could be back on track after beating FC Templice 2-0 at the weekend, which offers the Czech side the same form as Copenhagen going into the tie, as FCK beat FC Midtjylland 2-0 on Saturday.
While the Lions have come through one qualifying round, Plzen have played two, as they entered the tournament in the second round. They played Armenian opponents FC Pyunik and came through with no great difficulty, progressing with a 9-1 aggregate score.
In the third qualification round they met Rosenborg BK, and again Plzen played solid football to progress. In the first leg in Trondheim, the Czechs won 1-0, and a week later they secured a spot in the playoff round with a comfortable 3-2 scoreline.
