Czech midfielder Sadilek misses Euro over cycling crash

Czech Republic midfielder Michal Sadilek will miss Euro 2024 after injuring his shin in a cycling accident in Austria, the national team said on Monday.

The 25-year-old Twente Enschede player suffered the injury during the Czech national team’s training camp in the mountain resort of Schladming on Saturday.

“Michal Sadilek had an unfortunate crash during a bicycle ride and suffered a lacerated wound on his shin,” national team spokesman Petr Sedivy said on the Czech FA’s website.

The Sport daily said however that Sadilek fell while riding a tricycle down a hill in Schladming, where an Alpine skiing World Cup event is held every year.

It added that Sadilek, Sparta Prague defender Ladislav Krejci and Hoffenheim defender David Jurasek had rented tricycles to descend from the Planai mountain.

Sadilek hit a hole, crashed and an ambulance was called at once, Sport said, adding the injury required 65 stitches.

The Czech team had a day off on Saturday, a day after beating Malta 7-1 in a pre-Euro friendly.

Sedivy declined to confirm the tricycle accident but apologised for misleading the media by referring to a bike crash at first.

“It was a mistake that the national team did not provide complete information,” he told AFP.

“The accident occurred during the player’s free time… he did not violate the team rules or any other internal agreements,” Sedivy added.

Coach Ivan Hasek has yet to decide whether he will call up a replacement for Sadilek, who has so far scored one goal in 24 international games.

The Czechs are due to take on North Macedonia in the last pre-Euro friendly in the Czech city of Hradec Kralove later on Monday.

They face Portugal in their opening match on June 18 before playing Georgia and Turkey.