WARSAW, Poland — Tensions between the Czechs and Russians have largely evaporated in the decades since Soviet troops led a Warsaw Pact occupation of Czechoslovakia in 1968.
But they live on in sporting arenas — particularly ice hockey rinks — and will be renewed tomorrow at Wroclaw’s Municipal Stadium, just hours after Group A rivals Poland and Greece kick off the European Championship in Warsaw.
Czech Republic team manager Vladimir Smicer has fond memories of the countries’ last meeting at a European Championship, in 1996. He scored a final-minute goal to salvage a 3-3 draw that was enough to put the Czechs through and eliminate Russia from a tournament where the Czechs finished runners-up.
If the Czechs are to reproduce that run to the final at Euro 2012, coach Michal Bilek will need striker Milan Baros to be fully fit.
The Galatasaray star strained a muscle in training Tuesday and is struggling to be ready for his team’s opener, although a scan yesterday showed no major muscle damage for the 30-year-old Baros, who has scored 41 international goals.
“He doesn’t have to train,” Czech Republic goalkeeper Petr Cech said. “If he plays and scores, that’s fine.”
Baros, Cech and captain Tomas Rosicky, who has recovered from a calf injury, are the undisputed stars of a young Czech team that is rebuilding after the retirement of several long-serving internationals, including all-time leading scorer Jan Koller and midfielders Pavel Nedved, Karel Poborsky and Smicer.
Cech must be hoping 2012 will never end after helping his Chelsea team beat Liverpool to win England’s FA Cup and following up with the Champions League title so long coveted by owner Roman Abramovich.
Warsaw Pact, Milan Baros, Vladimir Smicer, Petr Cech, WARSAW, Poland, Warsaw.Czech Republic, Czech Republic, European Championship, Michal Bilek, Pavel Nedved, Tomas Rosicky
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