The Czechs made an active start, but Pavel Sulc failed to convert a one-on-one chance. Then, in the 25th minute, he upset the home fans for a second time when he was sent off for a hard challenge. "It was extremely demanding, but I am proud of how we battled until the end. It certainly was not easy. Even though we played 70 minutes with ten men and under immense pressure, we tried to maintain our identity," Krejci said in a post-match television interview with CT sport.
"I am glad that we did not lose our courage and that even while short-handed, we were able to create chances in our own style. There are no greater challenges than matches against teams like these, and it is up to us to keep going," the Czech captain added.
Santi Denia's side now have the chance to test themselves against Europe's best teams in Group A of the Nations League. "It is every player's dream to reach the highest level, both individually and as a team. Not everyone has the chance to play against opponents like these every week. We have that opportunity in six Nations League matches, which is an invaluable education. I am glad that we can compare ourselves with and learn from the very best," Krejci explained.
The Wolves defender also added: "When Euro qualifying arrives, and we will want to make it to the tournament, we simply have to measure ourselves against teams like these. I believe we will carry the habits from these matches into the qualifiers and then be able to outplay our opponents."
He himself faced the extremely difficult task of keeping Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane quiet. "When it comes to preparing for this type of player, I think that not only I but the other lads watch football very often, so before the match it was just about fine-tuning the details. We focused more on how they play for the national team than on their individual performances at club level. We had their game perfectly mapped out," said the former Sparta Praha player.
Finally, the Czech captain made sure to praise the home supporters, thanking them for their backing: "The atmosphere was simply fantastic. We felt tremendous support from the stands, and thanks to that we left absolutely everything on the pitch. We are very grateful to the fans for that. I am glad that we all see it the same way, and I hope we will continue in that spirit."