Priske on Karabec: "I hope Rosický turns off his phone if someone comes calling"

Sparta Prague coach Brian Priske praised midfielder Ladislav Karabec after the win over Zlín, where Karabec scored the team's third goal from a penalty he had won himself. According to the coach, Karabec was Sparta's best player for the second match running, and the club is now bracing for renewed interest from other teams following such performances.

"In the last two matches, he's probably been our best player, and I'm delighted for him. I speak with sporting director Tomáš Rosický often, and I hope he turns off his phone if anyone calls about Karabec," Priske said when asked about rumours of a possible transfer for the midfielder.

The coach, however, wasn't fully satisfied with the match against Zlín itself: the team lost its shape at times, gave the ball away too often, and conceded too many set-piece opportunities. "For my taste, we were too open in places. If we'd made it 2-0 from the penalty before half-time, the match would have been settled," the coach noted.

Danish defender Asger Sørensen returned to the back line after previously being, in the coach's view, not psychologically ready to play due to transfer speculation surrounding him. "I'm happy he's back. We're sturdier at the back now, with more experience added. He got through the whole week, and I think his head was in a much better place for the game," Priske explained.

The club has also strengthened its squad with new arrivals — defender Tobias Gudmundsson [Note: keep as in source] and midfielder Roman Macek, who joined from Mladá Boleslav. According to Priske, Gudmundsson had been on the club's radar for a long time: "He's tall and physically strong, which you need in the Czech league. We have high expectations of him." Macek, meanwhile, is expected to fill a gap in midfield following Kairinen's departure, Mannsverk's injury during training camp in Germany, and Vydra's lengthy recovery. As for the injured players: Norwegian Sivert Mannsverk returned to Czechia this week and will undergo a medical consultation on 6 August — he has a moderate knee injury, and the exact return date will be confirmed later. Matěj Vydra's outlook, however, is more optimistic — according to the club, doctors have given him good news, and he could return to full training within a few weeks.

Speaking about the squad's overall condition, Priske stressed that the transfer window remains open for another month and further changes cannot be ruled out. "It would be silly to say yes or no right now. Injuries or transfers could happen, and we'll have to react. Tomáš Rosický and I discuss the state of the team every day."

The coach also commented on the appointment of Spain's Santi Denia as the new head coach of the Czech national team. "I'd like to congratulate Czechia on their new coach. This is an important and positive step for the football association. I'm looking forward to seeing what the Spanish specialist brings, and I hope to meet him soon," Priske said, adding that he'd be happy to share his own experience of working as a foreign coach in Czech football.

Around Prague, based on reporting by sport.cz