2024-02-22 15:57:42
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2024-02-22 15:56:11
While after his transfer from Sparta the year before last, striker Adam Hložek played 44 games, 29 of them in the Bundesliga, so far this year he is not getting that much space. At least not in the domestic competition. “Mentally, it’s not easy to come to terms with it,” he says in a podcast that he is preparing for the Bez frazí project in collaboration with Aktuálně.cz.
This season, Hložek started in eighteen Bundesliga matches, but only twice in the starting line-up. As a substitute player, he mostly collects minutes by units, so far he has counted only 239 minutes in the German league.
“I encountered something similar for the first time. The fact that we were dropped from the team is not easy on the psyche. But we have a quality squad, excellent players, but in the Bundesliga, my workload is not what I would have expected. I have to be patient,” says the twenty-one-year-old forward.
His position is more complicated also from the point of view that Leverkusen is stepping. With an eight-point advantage, it reigns in the table and is headed for the first title in the club’s history. “The worst thing is to start doubting yourself that you are not up to it. And look for other options, for example returning to the Czech Republic. I try to at least give everything in my power to training. When I get the opportunity, to give the best performance. And when the game load doesn’t come, it’s about adding more and trying to convince the coach,” he explains.
He has a chance to prove himself to coach Xabi Alonso in the Europa League or in the domestic cup, where he gets a lot more space. And even in the mentioned competitions, Bayer is doing well – in the EL basic group they won all six matches, Hložek contributed to this with two goals and one assist.
One of his dream successes for this summer is linked to the European Cup. In addition to a significant result with the Czech national team at the Euros, he would like to play in the final, which will be hosted by the Spanish Bilbao. “It would be ideal to play against Sparta. Beat them and win the treble,” he says with a smile.
The former Letenských striker already spoke with the new coach of the national team, Ivan Hašek, and the 60-year-old coach also introduced other members of the implementation team to him during the initial interview. And now Hložek is looking forward to playing again at the European championship if nominated, he is especially attracted by the prospect of a duel against Portugal and the star Cristiano Ronaldo.
“He is my favorite player. I have experienced two matches with the Portuguese and we lost both, so I believe that this time we will be more successful.”
In addition to training, preparing for matches and the duels themselves, he spends his time in Leverkusen studying German, together with goalkeeper Matěj Kovář, he attends lessons every day before training. Together with Patrik Schick, they sometimes go out to dinner, and when he has time off, he either goes to tennis and squash, or sits down at the play station.
Among his favorite games are Fortnite, NBA or FIFA. “At the same time, I communicate online with my friends and it’s such a relaxation for me. Although… For example, FIFA matches can make me quite nervous,” he admits with a laugh.