Sparta signing Brunes again goalless despite several chances

Sparta striker Jonatan Brunes, a cousin of Manchester City's Erling Haaland, arrived in the summer from Poland's Raków Częstochowa for big money, but has so far scored just one goal in official matches. Against Pardubice he again created several chances and again went without a goal.

It is a big topic at the club. The base transfer fee was set at around €5 million (roughly CZK 121.5 million), with bonuses on top. Brunes came with a reputation as a goalscorer, but so far he is not living up to it.

What the coach says

“It was noticeable even before the international break. In Olomouc, for example, he was angry that he wasn't getting on the end of chances. The break helped him: he rested and scored in a friendly against Jihlava and in a game with the second team,” said coach Priske.

Against Pardubice, Brunes provided the assist for John Mercado's first goal, getting to the ball ahead of goalkeeper Vladimír Neuman after a defensive error by the visitors. Then he had plenty of opportunities to score himself. His first header went wide, Neuman saved the next, and the follow-up was off target.

In the second half he was in the thick of the action when the ball was finally knocked away by his teammate Daniel Smékal, who got in the way of the quickly reacting goalkeeper. Late on, in the 83rd minute, Brunes was in a good position to shoot and went over the bar. In added time Neuman saved both his first shot and the follow-up. His hunger for a goal was enormous, but he failed to make himself and all of Letná happy.

“Now he's really getting into a lot of chances. He needs to score, that's what he's here for. Maybe he needs a bit of luck too,” Priske reflected.

“Everyone feels a bit sorry”

Haaland recently admitted that he follows Sparta because of Brunes. So he also sees how his cousin is unable to open up. His teammates would love to see him score. “In other games he works hard, helps the team, and doesn't get to the chances. This time there were enough of them. Everyone feels a bit sorry when a striker struggles like this. Matěj Vojta was in a similar situation. He couldn't score, and when he finally did, VAR disallowed three of his goals,” said Sparta defender Jaroslav Zelený.

He described how the dressing room handles the weight pressing on Brunes: “It's not that everyone pats him on the shoulder and says it will be fine. He has experience, he doesn't need that. He knows how to deal with it himself. But a goal would do him good. He runs a lot when we press and when we have the ball. He gives everything but doesn't get rewarded. We hope he breaks this run soon and the goals start going in.”

Competition for a place in the side

For now Brunes remains in the starting lineup, but Matěj Vojta, who this season has scored only a hat-trick in the cup against Viktoria Žižkov, is after his spot. “Vojta's job is to work hard, put pressure on him and convince me that he deserves to play. He has to show me that in training and in matches so that I put him in ahead of Jonatan. Everyone has to show me what they can do,” Priske noted.

On Thursday Sparta are already at home in a Europa League match against Lillestrøm. It is hard to guess who will get the chance up front.

Around Prague, based on reporting by sport.cz