Czechia U21 v England U21 – Euros line-ups, stats and preview
England U21s begin the defence of their Euros title on Thursday against Czechia.
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Czechia U21 v England U21 match preview
England U21s begin the defence of their European Championship against Czechia in Slovakia on Thursday night.
Lee Carsley’s side are in a group with Germany and Slovenia so could do with making a swift start.
Good vibes ahead of the #U21EURO! 😁
Final prep for tomorrow’s game against Czechia for our #YoungLions 👊 pic.twitter.com/MQwPSXtMVy
— England (@England) June 11, 2025
Defender Charlie Cresswell and Liverpool midfielder Harvey Elliott remain from the squad which won two years ago but the Three Lions are without Jobe Bellingham and Liam Delap, who will be at the Club World Cup with new clubs Borussia Dortmund and Chelsea.
“I expect at times against a really strong Czech team that it may look a little bit unorganised, it may look a little bit clunky,” Carsley said.
“I’ve made that known to the players as well that they shouldn’t expect too much too soon. I think the longer we can stay in the tournament, the more these players can play together.”
Czechia U21 v England U21 team news
The Czechs could see midfielder Adam Karabec play in a third tournament in a row.
England must decide who will replace Bellingham in the centre of midfield with Spurs’ Archie Gray or Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson in pole position after fine Premier League seasons.
Jay Stansfield, who won League One with Birmingham, is the central striking option available to Carsley but they may go for a more flexible frontline.
Czechia U21 v England U21 expected line-ups
Czechia: Hornicek; Chaloupek, Prebsl, Spacil; Kozeluh, Vydra, Langhamer, Suchomel; Karabec, Danek; Sejk
England: Beadle; Egan-Riley, Quansah, Cresswell; Livramento, Gray, Anderson, Iling-Junior; Nwaneri, Hutchinson; McAtee
How to watch Czechia U21 v England U21
The match is available to watch in the UK on Channel 4, and can be streamed on their digital platforms.
Prediction
Czechia 0-2 England
England should get off to a winning start with their strong squad packed full of plenty of Premier League experience.