UEFA NATIONS LEAGUE: CZECH RECALL CONTROVERSIAL DEFENDER FOR PORTUGAL

Kudela has not played for the national team since early 2021 when he allegedly aimed a racist slur at Glasgow Rangers midfielder Glen Kamara during a Europa League game. Prague: Controversial centre-back Ondrej Kudela has been recalled to the Czech Republic squad for Nations League games against Portugal and Switzerland later this month, coach Jaroslav Silhavy said on Tuesday. Trailing Group 2 leaders Spain by four points, the Czechs host second-placed Portugal in Prague on 24 September and fourth-placed Switzerland in St Gallen three days later.

Kudela has not played for the national team since early 2021 when he allegedly aimed a racist slur at Glasgow Rangers midfielder Glen Kamara during a Europa League game. Kudela, then with Slavia Prague, was handed a 10-game ban by UEFA which saw him sit out Euro 2020, postponed by a year. The 35-year-old left Slavia for Indonesian top-flight side Persija Jakarta in the summer.

Bayer Leverkusen striker Patrik Schick also returns after missing the four Nations League games in June having undergone groin surgery.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Jiri Pavlenka (Bremen/GER), Jindrich Stanek (Viktoria Plzen), Tomas Vaclik (Olympiakos/GRE)

Defenders: Jakub Brabec (Aris Thessaloniki/GRE), Vladimir Coufal (West Ham/ENG), Milan Havel (Viktoria Plzen), Vaclav Jemelka (Olomouc), Ondrej Kudela (Persija Jakarta/INA), David Zima (FC Torino/ITA), Jaroslav Zeleny (Sparta Prague)

Midfielders: Antonin Barak (Fiorentina/ITA), Vaclav Cerny (Twente/NED), Jakub Jankto (Sparta Prague), Lukas Kalvach (Viktoria Plzen), Lukas Masopust (Slavia Prague), Tomas Soucek (West Ham/ENG), Petr Sevcik (Slavia Prague)

Forwards: Adam Hlozek (Leverkusen/GER), Jan Kuchta (Sparta Prague), Patrik Schick (Leverkusen/GER) SPORTS

Trailing Group 2 leaders Spain by four points, the Czechs host second-placed Portugal in Prague on 24 September and fourth-placed Switzerland in St Gallen three days later. Kudela has not played for the national team since early 2021 when he allegedly aimed a racist slur at Glasgow Rangers midfielder Glen Kamara during a Europa League game.