Sporting challenge for Chrudim

Challenge awaits
Hosted by Czech title-holders FK Era-Pack Chrudim, the Group 3 matches will be played today, tomorrow and Sunday. The team that finishes top will complete the Group A lineup in the next stage alongside Spanish holders Boomerang Interviú FS, perennial Belgian entrants Action 21 Charleroi of Belgium and KMN Litija of Slovenia.

Sporting chance
While many will see Chrudim as favourites to progress given their home advantage, there is sure to be a strong challenge from their rivals. Chief among them will be Sporting Clube de Portugal but Armenian side Politekhnik Yerevan and Moldovan challengers FC Camelot Chisinau could also be tough to beat.

Meller class
Chrudim were surprise Czech champions last season, especially as their squad is not littered with internationals. Indeed, only goalkeeper Tomáš Meller has been involved with the national squad preparing for the forthcoming FIFA Futsal World Championship in Chinese Taipei next month.

Young talent
However, the club's coach Ota Stejskal has some gifted young players at his disposal including the likes of Marek Ryba, Pavel Formánek and Filip Pechácek. Stejskal is also pinning his hopes on experience with former international Petr Vladyka back at his disposal for the mini-tournament.

International experience
The coach admitted he knew little about his opponents, except for the obvious threat posed by Sporting. "We know that the Portuguese team are the tournament favourites as they have five international players and three Brazilians in their squad," Stejskal said. "We will try to stop them in the last game." Indeed, most neutral observers expect that final Group 3 match at 19.30CET on Sunday night to be the decisive action in the round-robin event.

Final ambition
Sporting have a unique place in UEFA Futsal Cup history, hosting the inaugural finals in the 2001/02 season, when the latter stages were played as an eight-team tournament rather than the current format. This is the first time since then that Sporting have qualified for the competition but the likes of Gonçalo Alves and Eduardo Fernandes will hope the 2002 semi-finalists can go one better this time around.