Under-21 Group B: Czechia vs Germany facts

For the second successive UEFA European Under-21 Championship Czechia and Germany meet on Matchday 2 – this time at the DAC Aréna in Dunajská Streda in Group B.

Germany are level with England on three points after both won their opening fixtures, Nick Woltemade's hat-trick giving the former a 3-0 win against Slovenia in Nitra. Czechia, meanwhile, went down 1-3 to holders England in Dunajska Streda despite Daniel Fila pulling it back to 1-2 early in the second half.

Previous European U21 Championship meetings

Matches 9
Czechia wins 2
Germany wins 4
Draws 3
Czechia goals 8
Germany goals 13

An 87th-minute Martin Vitík goal gave Czechia a 2-1 Group C win against Germany at the Batumi Arena on 25 June 2023, Václav Sejk's 33rd-minute opener having been cancelled out 20 minutes from time by Germany's Angelo Stiller.

Goals either side of half-time from Max Meyer (44) and Serge Gnabry (50) earned Stefan Kuntz's Germany a 2-0 win against Czechia in Tychy on Matchday 1 of the 2017 finals. Germany went on to finish second in Group C behind Italy and ultimately lifted the trophy; Vítězslav Lavička's Czechs were fourth in the section on three points.

The teams drew 1-1 on Matchday 3 of the 2015 finals in Prague, Nico Schulz giving Horst Hrubesch's Germany a 55th-minute lead before Ladislav Krejčí replied 11 minutes later for a Czech outfit coached by Jakub Dovalil. The draw was not enough for the Czech hosts, however, who came third in Group A – a point and a place behind their opponents.

Czechia had prevailed against Germany – then the holders – in qualifying for the 2011 tournament. Michael Rabušic got both goals in a 2-1 Czech away win in September 2009 before a 1-1 home draw in Mladá Boleslav in the penultimate round of fixtures. The Czechs topped Group 5, ten points and two places above eliminated Germany.

That Wiesbaden defeat in September 2009 was Germany's first against Czechia or Czechoslovakia; they had won three and drawn one of the previous four matches.

Denis Višinský scored Czechia's first goal in a 2-2 Under-20 friendly draw against Germany on 16 November 2022, cancelling out Paul Nebel's opener; Nick Woltemade got Germany's second goal.

Woltemade had come on to score Germany's clinching second goal in a 2-0 U20 friendly victory away to the Czechs on 2 September 2021.

Paul Wanner scored Germany's fourth goal in a 5-2 UEFA European Under-17 Championship elite round win against Czechia on 29 March 2022.

Form guide

Czechia

This is Czechia's tenth final tournament appearance, and a fifth in six editions of the competition. Semi-finalists in 2011 and runners-up in 2000, they were champions in 2002, beating France on penalties in the final with a team including Petr Čech, Zdeněk Grygera, Tomáš Hübschman and Milan Baroš.

In addition, Czechoslovakia were losing quarter-finalists on six occasions.

Czechia's last four finals appearances have all ended in the group stage, Jan Suchopárek's side finishing third in Group C at the 2023 tournament behind eventual champions England and Israel but ahead of Germany, who they had beaten 2-1 on Matchday 2.

That is Czechia's only victory in eight finals matches (D2 L5).

Suchopárek's team were second in Group I behind Denmark in qualifying for these finals, picking up 14 points from their eight games (W4 D2 L2) before being Belgium 3-1 in a two-legged play-off (2-0 a, 1-1 h).

Václav Sejk was Czechia's top scorer in qualifying on four goals.

Germany

This is Germany's 11th appearance in the final tournament and a seventh in succession. They reached the semi-finals or better in four successive tournaments between 2015 and 2021.

Germany claimed their third U21 title in 2021, when they equalled Italy's record of reaching a third successive final, having also lifted the trophy in 2009 and 2017.

Two years ago a team coached by Antonio Di Salvo – in charge since 2021 – failed to progress beyond the group stage for the first time since 2013, finishing bottom of Group C behind England, Israel and Czechia having not won a game (D1 L2).

Germany were unbeaten in qualifying for these finals (W8 D2), finishing four points above runners-up Poland in Group D.

Matchday 1 ended Germany's run of five U21 EURO group matches without victory (D3 L2).

Youssoufa Moukoko was Germany's top scorer in qualifying on six goals.

Links and trivia

Adam Karabec joined Hamburg from Sparta Praha on 4 July 2024, scoring three 2. Bundesliga goals in 31 appearances in 2024/25.

Nicoló Tresoldi scored in Hannover’s 2-2 draw against Karabec's Hamburg in the 2. Bundesliga on 2 February.