Match story
- Switzerland fired more attempts (17 vs 13 shots).
- Czech Republic was more accurate in front of goal (31% on target vs 18%).
- Switzerland held more of the ball (53% possession).
Switzerland defeated Czech Republic 2-1 in the UEFA Nations League. The fixture is part of the League A - 6 stage in the 2022 season. The match was played at kybunpark in St. Gallen. Irfan Peljto, Bosnia & Herzegovina officiated the match. The full-time result capped a Switzerland vs Czech Republic meeting in UEFA Nations League with detailed post-match statistics available on Sportra. This match centre covers lineups, live events, player ratings, team statistics, xG, head-to-head history, and related news for Switzerland and Czech Republic. On Sportra you can view xG, lineups, match statistics, events, player ratings, predictions, head-to-head history, and related news for this fixture.
UEFA Nations LeagueRecorded meetings: 0 (available previous meetings, not necessarily all-time).
Switzerland defeated Czech Republic 2-1 in the UEFA Nations League. The fixture is part of the League A - 6 stage in the 2022 season. The match was played at kybunpark in St. Gallen. Irfan Peljto, Bosnia & Herzegovina officiated the match. The full-time result capped a Switzerland vs Czech Republic meeting in UEFA Nations League with detailed post-match statistics available on Sportra. This match centre covers lineups, live events, player ratings, team statistics, xG, head-to-head history, and related news for Switzerland and Czech Republic. On Sportra you can view xG, lineups, match statistics, events, player ratings, predictions, head-to-head history, and related news for this fixture.
UEFA Nations LeagueRecorded meetings: 0 (available previous meetings, not necessarily all-time).
Leeds United forward Noah Okafor played his first minutes of pre-season against Manchester United on Wednesday. Okafor said it was "amazing to be back with the team on the pitch." Speaking to BBC Radio Leeds, he said: "I was really happy to be back and now we just have to keep building, working and looking forward day by day."
Aston Villa face PSG in the 2026 UEFA Super Cup final, where they'll be without Ollie Watkins and Ezri Konsa for the season's first final. Aston Villa will be without both Ezri Konsa and Ollie Watkins for Wednesday’s UEFA Super Cup clash against PSG, with manager Unai Emery confirming the pair — along with goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez — are out of the starting lineup. Speaking at Villa’s pre-match press conference on Tuesday, Emery explained the decision directly: “They are not here – Konsa, Watkins and Martínez because they finished their season on 19th July and I gave them four weeks to rest, it’s completely necessary. They are not here tomorrow”. The trio are missing not because of injury, but because they were given time off after extending their seasons deep into the 2026 World Cup. Both Watkins and Konsa went as far as the third-place match with England, while Martínez played all the way to the final, where Argentina fell to Spain. The Villa boss acknowledged the absences will be felt on the pitch, but pointed out that PSG face a similar situation with their own World Cup contingent. “Of course, if they were here, maybe we could have more chances. But, at the same time, I think PSG are going to be in the same situation like us,” Emery said. Paris Saint-Germain vs Aston Villa in the UEFA Super Cup — IT’S MATCHDAY 🏆 pic.twitter.com/KX4DtXjlaf— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) August 12, 2026 Emery turns to the group that trained through preseason Beyond the rest-related absences, Aston Villa also has a handful of players sidelined through actual injury. Leon Bailey is out with a muscular issue, while Chrislain Manzambi and André Onana are both dealing with knee problems. With so many absences, the Spaniard coach plans to rely on the group that’s been training together over the past month, including several younger players who have featured throughout preseason. “Tomorrow we are preparing this game with the players we started, even some young players, four weeks ago. And tomorrow I expect to compete and try to face them with our capacity and our possibilities as well to beat them,” he added.
Besiktas and Hradec Kralove will meet at Tupras Stadium on Thursday evening, as the two sides continue their 2026/27 UEFA Europa League third qualifying round tie. Besiktas returns to Istanbul with a 1-0 aggregate lead after Semih Kilicsoy scored the winner in the first leg in the Czech Republic. Verdict: Besiktas to win Best odds: […] The post Prediction: Besiktas vs Hradec Kralove appeared first on SoccerNews.
Lukas Hornicek says he "can't wait to play" in front of the Newcastle United supporters after signing for the club for £25.7m. The 24-year-old goalkeeper joins from Portuguese side Braga on a five-year-deal and is Newcastle's fifth signing of the summer. "The last few days have been an emotional rollercoaster from when I first heard about the move and now I'm so happy to be here," the Czech Republic international said.
Santi Denia, who was a LaLiga winner in his playing days and coached Spain to Olympic gold in 2024, has taken charge of Czechia. The post Czechia make Denia their first foreign coach after World Cup failure appeared first on SoccerNews.
While UEFA continues to rally opposition, FIFA has now received public backing from an unexpected corner of Europe, dealing an early setback to efforts aimed at presenting a united front against the governing body’s plans. Gianni Infantino’s controversial proposal to reshape the commercial future of the World Cup has divided soccer like few governance issues in recent memory. While UEFA continues to rally opposition, FIFA has now received public backing from an unexpected corner of Europe, dealing an early setback to efforts aimed at presenting a united front against the governing body’s plans. The debate centers on FIFA’s proposal to create FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), a new commercial subsidiary that would oversee the World Cup, Club World Cup and other major competitions while selling minority stakes to private investors. With member associations facing a September 19 deadline to decide whether to support the project, the political battle surrounding soccer’s biggest tournament continues to intensify. According to reports from The Associated Press, Sky News and several other outlets, FIFA is seeking approval from its 211 member associations to launch FIFA Forward Enterprise, a company valued at around $20 billion. Under the proposal, FIFA would sell minority, non-controlling stakes worth approximately $4.2 billion, while maintaining overall control of soccer governance, international competitions and the global calendar. In a letter to member associations, Infantino described the proposal as “a singular and unique funding opportunity.” He added: “It is my duty and responsibility as FIFA president to present such game-changing opportunities to you, our members.” FIFA President Gianni Infantino speaks about the 2026 World Cup with U.S. President Donald Trump Should the project receive majority approval, each member association could receive funding packages worth up to $40 million, significantly increasing the financial support available for infrastructure, grassroots soccer, coaching and national team development. The first European association publicly breaks ranks While UEFA has led fierce resistance to FIFA’s plans, the Czech Republic has emerged as the first European nation to publicly support Infantino’s proposal. David Trunda, president of the Czech Football Association, believes the additional investment could benefit soccer development in his country despite widespread criticism elsewhere across Europe. Speaking to Sky News, Trunda said: “I can see the pragmatic benefits for Czech soccer from working in close co-operation with Gianni Infantino and his team.” He continued: “Of course we need more details, but my personal point of view is that I can see the positive impact of FIFA’s intentions.” Ladislav Krejci of Czechia celebrates scoring his team’s first goal Trunda also highlighted his own experience working alongside FIFA since taking office last year. He added: “I was elected a little more than a year ago and for me personally all the projects I have experienced in cooperation with FIFA have been very positive for the development of European soccer.” His comments represent the first major public endorsement of FIFA’s proposal from within UEFA’s membership, potentially complicating the confederation’s attempt to maintain complete unity. Why FIFA believes the proposal is necessary Infantino has consistently argued that the proposal is designed to benefit soccer globally rather than outside investors. According to FIFA, FFE would consolidate broadcasting rights, sponsorship agreements, ticketing, licensing and commercial operations, allowing the governing body to generate far higher income for member associations over the coming decade. Pedro Porro #12 of Spain kisses the World Cup Winner’s Trophy. Infantino said: “Football is the world’s most popular sport and an extraordinary engine of human and social development.” He also insisted that FIFA would retain exclusive authority over governance, competitions, regula
The IFAB acknowledged there was an error in Breel Embolo's sending-off during the 2026 World Cup quarterfinal clash between Switzerland and Argentina. Seventeen days after Argentina‘s 3-1 extra-time win over Switzerland in the 2026 World Cup quarterfinals, the International Football Association Board has admitted there was an error in the red card shown to Breel Embolo during that match. The Swiss forward was sent off in the 72nd minute after a VAR review resulted in a second yellow card for simulation, a decision that shifted the momentum of the game. The sequence began when referee Joao Pinheiro had booked Leandro Paredes, believing he had committed a foul on the Swiss forward. The play was reviewed under the “mistaken identity” concept, but upon noticing how blatant the simulation was, the Portuguese official showed Embolo the second yellow card, something that, according to the governing body of the Laws of the Game, was mistaken. In a circular published on Tuesday, the governing body clarified that a yellow card, when it isn’t already a second yellow, can only be reviewed to correct the identity of the offending player, explaining the offense itself cannot be reviewed or altered once the identity has been fixed. Referee Joao Pinheiro shows a red card to Breel Embolo #7 of Switzerland. (Getty Images) That distinction is what made Embolo’s dismissal improper: the process was designed to fix who gets the card in case of booking someone who didn’t commit the foul, not to reclassify the type of infraction that led to it. A similar situation happened earlier at the World Cup A practically identical sequence played out earlier in the tournament, during the group stage clash between the United States and Paraguay. American defender Tim Ream was originally booked for a foul on Miguel Almiron, and VAR intervened to review the play. Just as with Paredes and Embolo, the review corrected the identity of the offending player, Ream’s card was rescinded, and Almiron was booked instead for simulation. It’s the same mechanism the IFAB has now flagged as improperly applied in the Embolo case, underscoring that the issue wasn’t isolated to a single match.
Portuguese giants Benfica begin their Europa League qualifying journey on Thursday, traveling to Switzerland to face St Gallen at the Sitterstadion. Despite the World Cup only just finishing, European clubs are already back in competitive action, and this tie marks the first leg of the second qualifying round. Verdict: Away win Best odds: 2/5 Bookmaker: […] The post Prediction: St. Gallen vs Benfica appeared first on SoccerNews.
Despite entering as one of the favorites, Croatia were eliminated from the 2026 World Cup in the Round of 16. Following this, Luka Modrić has reportedly decided to retire from the national team. However, he appears set to continue his professional career for one more season with AC Milan. Croatia have been one of the most impressive national teams in recent years, reaching a World Cup final and finishing third at Qatar 2022. However, they were eliminated in the Round of 16 of the 2026 edition. Following this, Luka Modrić has reportedly decided to retire from the national team, bringing a golden era to an end. In addition, he appears determined to extend his contract with AC Milan. According to Andrea Ramazzotti, via La Gazzetta dello Sport, Luka Modrić has decided to end his international career with Croatia. He has decided to announce it at the beginning of October 2026, after the match against Spain in the UEFA Nations League. With this, he establishes as one of the greatest legends of the national team, writing his name alongside Davor Šuker and Zvonimir Boban. Despite his international retirement, Modrić has reached an agreement to extend his contract with AC Milan for one more season, joining the club’s tour in Australia, reports Andrea Ramazzotti. With this, Ruben Amorim keeps the central figure of his midfield, as he had already expressed his desire to continue working with him. However, the head coach has already made it clear that he may not play every match. Luka Modrić has proven to be a truly outstanding player at 41 years old. At the 2026 World Cup, he started all four matches Croatia played. Not only was he key in his national team’s two victories, but he also provided an assist. Despite his age, he remains in excellent physical condition, making his presence at AC Milan a guaranteed reinforcement for the 2026-27 season in the rebuild of the roster. Luka Modric of AC Milan. Modric may be key to unlocking Ricci and Jashari at AC Milan Luka Modrić was a key figure for AC Milan in the most recent season. Under Massimiliano Allegri, he played 2,864 minutes across 37 matches. As a result, he was the team’s oldest player to record the most minutes played. Amid the reconstruction under Ruben Amorim, the Croatian veteran could be key to helping develop Samuele Ricci and Ardon Jashari at the Rossoneri. During the 2025-26 season, Samuele Ricci and Ardon Jashari had very little prominence, as they raised serious doubts in several aspects of their game. With this in mind, Luka Modrić can serve as a mentor to both players, helping provide them with more tools to make a greater impact. In addition, they would once again have the opportunity to gradually take on more responsibility, allowing for a slow transition.
Aston Villa have signed Joao Gomes from Wolves for £38m - a second deal for a central midfielder in four days. The Brazil international joins for an initial £34m with £4m in add-ons, after three years and 130 appearances during his time at Molineux. Villa completed a club record deal worth more than £50m for Freiburg midfielder Johan Manzambi on Friday after beating Newcastle to the Switzerland international.
Tap a headline to view metadata and excerpt fields in Sportra, then use the article website button to continue on the original publisher page.
Leeds United forward Noah Okafor played his first minutes of pre-season against Manchester United on Wednesday. Okafor said it was "amazing to be back with the team on the pitch." Speaking to BBC Radio Leeds, he said: "I was really happy to be back and now we just have to keep building, working and looking forward day by day."
Aston Villa face PSG in the 2026 UEFA Super Cup final, where they'll be without Ollie Watkins and Ezri Konsa for the season's first final. Aston Villa will be without both Ezri Konsa and Ollie Watkins for Wednesday’s UEFA Super Cup clash against PSG, with manager Unai Emery confirming the pair — along with goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez — are out of the starting lineup. Speaking at Villa’s pre-match press conference on Tuesday, Emery explained the decision directly: “They are not here – Konsa, Watkins and Martínez because they finished their season on 19th July and I gave them four weeks to rest, it’s completely necessary. They are not here tomorrow”. The trio are missing not because of injury, but because they were given time off after extending their seasons deep into the 2026 World Cup. Both Watkins and Konsa went as far as the third-place match with England, while Martínez played all the way to the final, where Argentina fell to Spain. The Villa boss acknowledged the absences will be felt on the pitch, but pointed out that PSG face a similar situation with their own World Cup contingent. “Of course, if they were here, maybe we could have more chances. But, at the same time, I think PSG are going to be in the same situation like us,” Emery said. Paris Saint-Germain vs Aston Villa in the UEFA Super Cup — IT’S MATCHDAY 🏆 pic.twitter.com/KX4DtXjlaf— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) August 12, 2026 Emery turns to the group that trained through preseason Beyond the rest-related absences, Aston Villa also has a handful of players sidelined through actual injury. Leon Bailey is out with a muscular issue, while Chrislain Manzambi and André Onana are both dealing with knee problems. With so many absences, the Spaniard coach plans to rely on the group that’s been training together over the past month, including several younger players who have featured throughout preseason. “Tomorrow we are preparing this game with the players we started, even some young players, four weeks ago. And tomorrow I expect to compete and try to face them with our capacity and our possibilities as well to beat them,” he added.
Besiktas and Hradec Kralove will meet at Tupras Stadium on Thursday evening, as the two sides continue their 2026/27 UEFA Europa League third qualifying round tie. Besiktas returns to Istanbul with a 1-0 aggregate lead after Semih Kilicsoy scored the winner in the first leg in the Czech Republic. Verdict: Besiktas to win Best odds: […] The post Prediction: Besiktas vs Hradec Kralove appeared first on SoccerNews.
Lukas Hornicek says he "can't wait to play" in front of the Newcastle United supporters after signing for the club for £25.7m. The 24-year-old goalkeeper joins from Portuguese side Braga on a five-year-deal and is Newcastle's fifth signing of the summer. "The last few days have been an emotional rollercoaster from when I first heard about the move and now I'm so happy to be here," the Czech Republic international said.
Santi Denia, who was a LaLiga winner in his playing days and coached Spain to Olympic gold in 2024, has taken charge of Czechia. The post Czechia make Denia their first foreign coach after World Cup failure appeared first on SoccerNews.
While UEFA continues to rally opposition, FIFA has now received public backing from an unexpected corner of Europe, dealing an early setback to efforts aimed at presenting a united front against the governing body’s plans. Gianni Infantino’s controversial proposal to reshape the commercial future of the World Cup has divided soccer like few governance issues in recent memory. While UEFA continues to rally opposition, FIFA has now received public backing from an unexpected corner of Europe, dealing an early setback to efforts aimed at presenting a united front against the governing body’s plans. The debate centers on FIFA’s proposal to create FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), a new commercial subsidiary that would oversee the World Cup, Club World Cup and other major competitions while selling minority stakes to private investors. With member associations facing a September 19 deadline to decide whether to support the project, the political battle surrounding soccer’s biggest tournament continues to intensify. According to reports from The Associated Press, Sky News and several other outlets, FIFA is seeking approval from its 211 member associations to launch FIFA Forward Enterprise, a company valued at around $20 billion. Under the proposal, FIFA would sell minority, non-controlling stakes worth approximately $4.2 billion, while maintaining overall control of soccer governance, international competitions and the global calendar. In a letter to member associations, Infantino described the proposal as “a singular and unique funding opportunity.” He added: “It is my duty and responsibility as FIFA president to present such game-changing opportunities to you, our members.” FIFA President Gianni Infantino speaks about the 2026 World Cup with U.S. President Donald Trump Should the project receive majority approval, each member association could receive funding packages worth up to $40 million, significantly increasing the financial support available for infrastructure, grassroots soccer, coaching and national team development. The first European association publicly breaks ranks While UEFA has led fierce resistance to FIFA’s plans, the Czech Republic has emerged as the first European nation to publicly support Infantino’s proposal. David Trunda, president of the Czech Football Association, believes the additional investment could benefit soccer development in his country despite widespread criticism elsewhere across Europe. Speaking to Sky News, Trunda said: “I can see the pragmatic benefits for Czech soccer from working in close co-operation with Gianni Infantino and his team.” He continued: “Of course we need more details, but my personal point of view is that I can see the positive impact of FIFA’s intentions.” Ladislav Krejci of Czechia celebrates scoring his team’s first goal Trunda also highlighted his own experience working alongside FIFA since taking office last year. He added: “I was elected a little more than a year ago and for me personally all the projects I have experienced in cooperation with FIFA have been very positive for the development of European soccer.” His comments represent the first major public endorsement of FIFA’s proposal from within UEFA’s membership, potentially complicating the confederation’s attempt to maintain complete unity. Why FIFA believes the proposal is necessary Infantino has consistently argued that the proposal is designed to benefit soccer globally rather than outside investors. According to FIFA, FFE would consolidate broadcasting rights, sponsorship agreements, ticketing, licensing and commercial operations, allowing the governing body to generate far higher income for member associations over the coming decade. Pedro Porro #12 of Spain kisses the World Cup Winner’s Trophy. Infantino said: “Football is the world’s most popular sport and an extraordinary engine of human and social development.” He also insisted that FIFA would retain exclusive authority over governance, competitions, regula
The IFAB acknowledged there was an error in Breel Embolo's sending-off during the 2026 World Cup quarterfinal clash between Switzerland and Argentina. Seventeen days after Argentina‘s 3-1 extra-time win over Switzerland in the 2026 World Cup quarterfinals, the International Football Association Board has admitted there was an error in the red card shown to Breel Embolo during that match. The Swiss forward was sent off in the 72nd minute after a VAR review resulted in a second yellow card for simulation, a decision that shifted the momentum of the game. The sequence began when referee Joao Pinheiro had booked Leandro Paredes, believing he had committed a foul on the Swiss forward. The play was reviewed under the “mistaken identity” concept, but upon noticing how blatant the simulation was, the Portuguese official showed Embolo the second yellow card, something that, according to the governing body of the Laws of the Game, was mistaken. In a circular published on Tuesday, the governing body clarified that a yellow card, when it isn’t already a second yellow, can only be reviewed to correct the identity of the offending player, explaining the offense itself cannot be reviewed or altered once the identity has been fixed. Referee Joao Pinheiro shows a red card to Breel Embolo #7 of Switzerland. (Getty Images) That distinction is what made Embolo’s dismissal improper: the process was designed to fix who gets the card in case of booking someone who didn’t commit the foul, not to reclassify the type of infraction that led to it. A similar situation happened earlier at the World Cup A practically identical sequence played out earlier in the tournament, during the group stage clash between the United States and Paraguay. American defender Tim Ream was originally booked for a foul on Miguel Almiron, and VAR intervened to review the play. Just as with Paredes and Embolo, the review corrected the identity of the offending player, Ream’s card was rescinded, and Almiron was booked instead for simulation. It’s the same mechanism the IFAB has now flagged as improperly applied in the Embolo case, underscoring that the issue wasn’t isolated to a single match.
Portuguese giants Benfica begin their Europa League qualifying journey on Thursday, traveling to Switzerland to face St Gallen at the Sitterstadion. Despite the World Cup only just finishing, European clubs are already back in competitive action, and this tie marks the first leg of the second qualifying round. Verdict: Away win Best odds: 2/5 Bookmaker: […] The post Prediction: St. Gallen vs Benfica appeared first on SoccerNews.
Despite entering as one of the favorites, Croatia were eliminated from the 2026 World Cup in the Round of 16. Following this, Luka Modrić has reportedly decided to retire from the national team. However, he appears set to continue his professional career for one more season with AC Milan. Croatia have been one of the most impressive national teams in recent years, reaching a World Cup final and finishing third at Qatar 2022. However, they were eliminated in the Round of 16 of the 2026 edition. Following this, Luka Modrić has reportedly decided to retire from the national team, bringing a golden era to an end. In addition, he appears determined to extend his contract with AC Milan. According to Andrea Ramazzotti, via La Gazzetta dello Sport, Luka Modrić has decided to end his international career with Croatia. He has decided to announce it at the beginning of October 2026, after the match against Spain in the UEFA Nations League. With this, he establishes as one of the greatest legends of the national team, writing his name alongside Davor Šuker and Zvonimir Boban. Despite his international retirement, Modrić has reached an agreement to extend his contract with AC Milan for one more season, joining the club’s tour in Australia, reports Andrea Ramazzotti. With this, Ruben Amorim keeps the central figure of his midfield, as he had already expressed his desire to continue working with him. However, the head coach has already made it clear that he may not play every match. Luka Modrić has proven to be a truly outstanding player at 41 years old. At the 2026 World Cup, he started all four matches Croatia played. Not only was he key in his national team’s two victories, but he also provided an assist. Despite his age, he remains in excellent physical condition, making his presence at AC Milan a guaranteed reinforcement for the 2026-27 season in the rebuild of the roster. Luka Modric of AC Milan. Modric may be key to unlocking Ricci and Jashari at AC Milan Luka Modrić was a key figure for AC Milan in the most recent season. Under Massimiliano Allegri, he played 2,864 minutes across 37 matches. As a result, he was the team’s oldest player to record the most minutes played. Amid the reconstruction under Ruben Amorim, the Croatian veteran could be key to helping develop Samuele Ricci and Ardon Jashari at the Rossoneri. During the 2025-26 season, Samuele Ricci and Ardon Jashari had very little prominence, as they raised serious doubts in several aspects of their game. With this in mind, Luka Modrić can serve as a mentor to both players, helping provide them with more tools to make a greater impact. In addition, they would once again have the opportunity to gradually take on more responsibility, allowing for a slow transition.
Aston Villa have signed Joao Gomes from Wolves for £38m - a second deal for a central midfielder in four days. The Brazil international joins for an initial £34m with £4m in add-ons, after three years and 130 appearances during his time at Molineux. Villa completed a club record deal worth more than £50m for Freiburg midfielder Johan Manzambi on Friday after beating Newcastle to the Switzerland international.
Tap a headline to view metadata and excerpt fields in Sportra, then use the article website button to continue on the original publisher page.
