Tuchel says Czech Republic game ‘not yet a must-win’

England's coach Thomas Tuchel stated on Monday that the upcoming Nations League match against the Czech Republic in Prague would not yet be a 'must-win' scenario. This comes in the wake of a 3-2 defeat to Spain in their last game. Tuchel, who guided England to the third place at the World Cup, emphasized that they always aim to win every match.

However, he acknowledged the tough challenge posed by the Czechs, who recently hired their first foreign coach, Santi Denia, from Spain. Denia's team also suffered a 2-1 loss to Croatia in their other Group A3 game on Saturday, despite showing some improvement under the new coach. Tuchel noted that players like Ezri Konsa and Nico O'Reilly might miss the match due to minor issues, but he was committed to fielding the same team if they are fit.

England's performance in the Nations League has been inconsistent, with their only semi-final appearance coming three editions ago. The Czechs, on the other hand, have not lost any of their last four home games against England, with their last victory being a 2-1 win in a Euro 2020 qualifier in Prague in 2019.