Although unused in UEFA EURO 2012 qualifying, Marek Matějovský is an experienced and skilful midfielder who has been enjoying a revival as club captain at AC Sparta Praha and could be recalled for a second UEFA European Championship finals. He played two matches for the Czech Republic at UEFA EURO 2008.

• Started out in the second tier with FK Mladá Boleslav and returned to the club in January 2003 after failing to make grade in the top flight with FK Jablonec 97.

• Promoted with Mladá Boleslav in 2004, he scored his first 1. Liga goal against SK Slavia Praha in March 2005 and captained the club to a second-place finish in 2005/06 but lost in the UEFA Champions League third qualifying round against Galatasaray AS; reappeared in the UEFA Cup and helped eliminate Olympique de Marseille.

• Played in his second UEFA Cup campaign in 2007/08 for Mladá Boleslav before joining English Premier League side Reading FC in January; made his debut versus Manchester United FC and scored his only Premier League goal against Liverpool FC.

• First capped by the Czech Republic in February 2007 against Belgium in a Brussels friendly, he enjoyed a memorable first start in a competitive international – a UEFA EURO 2008 qualifier against Germany in Munich in which he scored his maiden international goal to help his team to a 3-0 win; went to the finals and started against Portugal and Turkey.

• After two seasons with Reading in the Championship (second division), he returned to his homeland to join Sparta in summer 2010 and skippered them to the top of the 1. Liga table in 2011/12.