2020–21 Czech First League

The 2020–21 Czech First League, known as the Fortuna liga for sponsorship reasons, will be the 28th season of the Czech Republic's top-tier football for professional clubs since its establishment in 1993. Slavia Prague are the defending champions, having won their twentieth league title the previous season, their third in the last four years. The season was initially scheduled to start on 11 July [1] but this was delayed until 21 August as a consequence of the postponement of the previous season's conclusion due to the outbreak of COVID-19. The first half of the season will only have 15 rounds, finishing on 19 December, and the spring half will commence on 29 January 2021, the earliest such date in league history.

Czech First League
Season2020–21
Dates21 August 2020 - 28 May 2021
2021–22 →
All statistics correct as of 1 August 2020.

This season is set to be played with 18 clubs, each team will play in the round robin format home and away and the bottom three teams will be relegated directly to the second league at the end of the season. It will be the third season to use VAR in four matches per match-week. As was the case at the end of the previous season, there will be limited attendance from the fans in the stadiums due to the Covid's pandemic measures.

Season events

On 29 July the League FA started an investigation related to last season's quarantine of SFC Opava for not respecting the COVID-19 pandemic precautions, which resulted in the early conclusion of the relegation group and no team being relegated. The League FA will meet to make a decision on the subject and may impose penalties.[2]

On 4 August the management of FK Pardubice and Bohemians Prague agreed that Pardubice will play its home matches at Ďolíček stadium, as their current home stadium Pod Vinicí does not fulfil first league criteria.[3]

On 5 August 2020 the league announced pairings for the 34 match weeks. The first match is due to take place on 21 August. In the same meeting the association announced other following changes to the game. The champions will be declared in a case that pandemic would not allow to complete all matches of the season. As soon as teams finish 50% of their matches and assuming no more matches will take place, the league final placings will be based on using an average of points per game system. In case that teams have not completed half of their matches, a champion can not be declared and teams can not advance to European cup competitions. The relegation process for the last three teams will be enforced even if the teams play less than 50% of the schedule. Each squad member, player and official, must present a negative covid testing certificate not older than three days ahead of each game.[4]

Last season, when a player cummulated 4 yellow cards, he was banned for the next match. In case of 8 yellows, the ban was next 2 matches, 12 yellows meant 3 matches, etc. Unlike last season, the ban after 4, 8 or 12 cards will always be one match.[5]

On 10 August 2020 during the pre-season camp in Austria, one of Slavia Prague players was tested positively for COVID-19. The team was called off, returned to Prague and was isolateted in quarantine until 24 August. Herewith Slavia could not play the opening match of the season.[6]

Teams
Locations of the 2019–20 Czech First League teams

Teams relegated from Czech First League

In the last season's format of the league, all teams played a round robin home and away format of the league. After 30 matches the field has been divided into a championship (top 6), play-off (7th - 10th) and relegation (bottom 6) groups. Points and goals in the relegation group were fully carried over from the regular season. The last team should have been relegated and the two teams positioned 14th and 15th should have played a play-off format with two second league teams positioned 2nd and 3rd. The relegation group was scheduled to conclude on 7 July 2020 but as a result of three Karviná players tested positive for COVID-19, the final two rounds of matches were postponed to 23 and 26 July.[7] On 23 July, the date of the first postponed round, one player from Opava was tested positive and the team was placed into a two weeks long isolation which lead to the abandonment of last two rounds.[8]

On 24 July the league FA announced that due to time pressure the relegation group will remain unfinished. As a consequence, no team can be relegated and the winner of the second league should be promoted. To avoid playing the 2020–21 season with odd number of teams, the automatic promotion will be granted to the second placed team as well. The eliminations play-offs have been cancelled and number of participants for 2020–21 season has increased from 16 to 18.

At the end of the regular season the last position was occupied Příbram, with elimination play-off spots held by Karviná and Opava. The same order was recorded after playing three rounds of the relegation group.

Teams promoted to Czech First League

The second league was as well impacted by Covid pandemic, but has fully finished with some delay. On 11 July 2020 in the penultimate round of the season FK Pardubice have won 4–1 against Vyšehrad and secured an automatic promotion for the first time in the Czech football history. Pardubice have played three seasons in the Czechoslovak First League, last time 51-years ago, in 1968.[9]

Since the decision that all sixteen teams remain in the top league and to prevent from odd number of participants, the second place holder Brno was invited to join the top tier after two years absence. The third placed team Dukla Prague has remained in the second league without a right for play-off match.

Locations and stadiums

The home stadium of a newly promoted FK Pardubice is not certified by the league to host the First League matches. The club opted to play their home league matches at Bohemians' Ďolíček stadium.[3]

Personnel and kits
Team Manager Manager Appointed Captain Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsor Shorts sponsor Sleeve partner
Slavia Prague Jindřich Trpišovský[27]22 December 2017 Jan BořilPumaCitic Group
Viktoria Plzeň Adrián Guľa[28]18 December 2019 David LimberskýPumaDoosan
Sparta Prague Václav Kotal[29]18 February 2020 Bořek DočkalNikeTipsport
Jablonec Petr Rada[30]14 December 2017 Tomáš HübschmanCapelli SportTelmo
Baník Ostrava Luboš Kozel[31]3 January 2020 Luboš KozelAdidasMW Dias
Slovan Liberec Pavel Hoftych[32]14 June 2019 Jan MikulaNikePreciosa
Mladá Boleslav Jozef Weber[33]27 February 2018 Marek MatějovskýAdidasŠkoda
Sigma Olomouc Radoslav Látal[34]31 May 2019 Vit BenešAdidas--none--Litovel
Fastav Zlín Bohumil Páník[35]10 March 2020 Petr JiráčekAdidasLukrom
Teplice Stanislav Hejkal[36]25 September 2018 Jakub MarešPumaAGC, Bílinská kyselka
Slovácko Martin Svědík[37]10 November 2018 Vlastimil DaníčekPumaZ-Group
Opava Radoslav Kováč[38]11 June 2020 Jan ŽídekNikeIsotra
Bohemians 1905 Luděk Klusáček[39]10 October 2019 Josef JindřišekAdidasBalshop.cz
Příbram Pavel Horváth[40]11 March 2020TBDNike--none--
Karviná Juraj Jarábek[41]14 November 2019 Marek JanečkaAdidasROKD
České Budějovice David Horejš12 October 2015 Jiří KladrubskýAdidasAutodraft
FK Pardubice Jiří Krejčí30 May 2013 Jan JeřábekLottoStrabag
Zbrojovka Brno Miloslav Machálek[42]10 July 2019TBDNikeSynerga

Managerial changes
Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Position in table Replaced by Date of appointment

League table
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Bohemians 1905 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Qualification for the Champions League second qualifying round
2 FC Zbrojovka Brno 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3 České Budějovice 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Qualification for the Europa Conference League second qualifying round
4 Jablonec 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
5 Karviná 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
6 Slovan Liberec 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
7 Mladá Boleslav 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
8 Sigma Olomouc 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
9 Opava 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
10 Baník Ostrava 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
11 FK Pardubice 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
12 Viktoria Plzeň 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
13 Příbram 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
14 Slavia Prague 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
15 Slovácko 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
16 Sparta Prague 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Relegation to the FNL
17 Teplice 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
18 Fastav Zlín 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
First match(es) will be played on unknown. Source: Fortuna Liga
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Head-to-head points; 3) Head-to-head goal difference; 4) Head-to-head goals scored; 5) Goal difference; 6) Goals scored; 7) Fair-play ranking; 8) Draw.[43]

Results
Home \ Away SLA PLZ SPA JAB LIB OVA CBU SLO BOH MBL OLO TEP ZLN KAR OPA PRI PCE BNO
Slavia Prague —
Viktoria Plzeň — 21 Aug
Sparta Prague —
Jablonec — 23 Aug
Slovan Liberec —
Baník Ostrava —
České Budějovice 23 Aug —
Slovácko —
Bohemians 1905 — 23 Aug
Mladá Boleslav —
Sigma Olomouc 22 Aug —
Teplice —
Fastav Zlín 22 Aug —
Karviná 23 Aug —
Opava —
Příbram 22 Aug —
Pardubice —
Zbrojovka Brno 22 Aug —
First match(es) will be played on unknown. Source: Fortuna Liga
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
For upcoming matches, an "a" indicates there is an article about the rivalry between the two participants.

Positions by round

Source:

Season statistics

Top scorers
As of matches played

Top scorers
Rank Player Club Games avg.
1
2
3

Hat-tricks
PlayerForAgainstResultDate

Assists
Rank Player Club Games avg.
1
2
3

Clean sheets
Rank Player Club Clean sheets
1
2
3

Discipline

Player
  • Most yellow cards:
    • Most red cards:

      Club
      • Most yellow cards:
        • Most red cards:
          • Fewest yellow cards:
            • Fewest red cards:

              Scoring
              • First goal of the season:
              • Fastest goal in a match:
              • Goal scored at the latest point in a match:
              • Widest winning margin:
              • Most goals in a match:
              • First own goal of the season:
              • First hat-trick of the season:
              • Most goals by one team in a match:
              • Most goals in one half by one team:
              • Most goals scored by losing team:
              • Last goal of the season:

              Awards

              Monthly awards
              Month Player of the Month Manager of the Month
              Player Club Manager Club
              July
              August
              September
              October
              November
              December
              February
              May
              June

              Annual awards
              Award Winner Club
              Player of the Season
              Manager of the Season
              International of the Season
              Fans' Player of the Season
              Newcomer of the Season
              Figure of the Season
              Goalkeeper of the Season
              Defender of the Season
              Midfield of the Season
              Forward of the Season

              Team of the year

              Although there is no official Team of the year award in the First league, the daily paper Sport is the only media that rates players on a 1-10 scale after each match. Based on the average grade, the periodical announces their top eleven at the year-end.

              Team of the Year
              Goalkeeper
              Defenders
              Midfielders
              Forwards

              Attendance
              Pos Team Total High Low Average Change
              1 Slavia Prague 0 0 0 0 n/a†
              2 Sparta Prague 0 0 0 0 n/a†
              3 Viktoria Plzeň 0 0 0 0 n/a†
              4 Baník Ostrava 0 0 0 0 n/a†
              5 Slovan Liberec 0 0 0 0 n/a†
              6 České Budějovice 0 0 0 0 n/a†
              7 Slovácko 0 0 0 0 n/a†
              8 Teplice 0 0 0 0 n/a†
              9 Bohemians 1905 0 0 0 0 n/a†
              10 Sigma Olomouc 0 0 0 0 n/a†
              11 Fastav Zlín 0 0 0 0 n/a†
              12 Opava 0 0 0 0 n/a†
              13 Mladá Boleslav 0 0 0 0 n/a†
              14 Karviná 0 0 0 0 n/a†
              15 Jablonec 0 0 0 0 n/a†
              16 Brno 0 0 0 0 n/a†
              17 Pardubice 0 0 0 0 n/a†
              18 Příbram 0 0 0 0 n/a†
              League total 0 0 0 0 n/a†

              Updated to games played on 1 August 2020
              Source:

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              gollark: Found it. Never mind.
              gollark: <@236831708354314240> I REQUIRE the four types of programmer meme.
              gollark: I'm sure you'd like to think so.
              gollark: It's graphical in the sense that it does operations on graphs.

              See also

              References
              1. https://isport.blesk.cz/clanek/fotbal-1-liga-rocnik-2020-21/382375/los-fortuna-ligy-cely-program-sezony-2020-21-derby-v-listopadu.html
              2. https://www.idnes.cz/fotbal/prvni-liga/ligovy-vybor-ligove-fotbalove-asociace-podnet-disciplinarni-komise-opava-nedodrzeni-opatreni-koronav.A200729_164223_fotbal_ten
              3. "Pardubice si vybraly. Na stadionu Bohemians budou hrát ligu dva kluby". idnes.cz (in Czech). 4 August 2020. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
              4. https://isport.blesk.cz/clanek/fotbal-1-liga-rocnik-2020-21/382389/k-urceni-poradi-staci-odehrat-polovina-kol-testy-pred-kazdym-zapasem.html
              5. https://isport.blesk.cz/clanek/fotbal-1-liga-rocnik-2020-21/382402/prehled-zmen-v-lize-titul-i-za-pulku-uleva-pro-hrisniky-zatez-pro-kasy.html
              6. https://isport.blesk.cz/clanek/fotbal-1-liga-rocnik-2020-21/382620/covid-19-ve-slavii-tvrdik-potvrdil-karantenu-soustredeni-skoncilo.html?fbclid=IwAR2cG2XX4DrfcbZO-r5Vk8ryulvWJWPTTezj948D56qmnu8z-2zbAdBwCW0
              7. https://www.idnes.cz/fotbal/prvni-liga/karvina-koronavirus-testy-negativni.A200715_205336_fotbal_rou?
              8. https://www.irozhlas.cz/sport/fotbal/fotbal-fortuna-liga-koronavirus-nakaza-karantena-opava-skupina-o-udrzeni-sestup_2007231218_tat
              9. https://www.idnes.cz/fotbal/domaci-souteze/fk-pardubice-historie-prvni-liga-druha-liga-fotbal.A200716_559531_fot_dsouteze_elv
              10. "Club info Bohemians 1905". fortunaliga.cz. Fortuna Liga. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
              11. "Club info SK Dynamo České Budějovice". fortunaliga.cz. Fortuna Liga. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
              12. "Club info FK Jablonec". fortunaliga.cz. Fortuna Liga. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
              13. "Club info MFK Karviná". fortunaliga.cz. Fortuna Liga. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
              14. "Club info FC Slovan Liberec". fortunaliga.cz. Fortuna Liga. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
              15. "Club info FK Mladá Boleslav". fortunaliga.cz. Fortuna Liga. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
              16. "Club info SK Sigma Olomouc". fortunaliga.cz. Fortuna Liga. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
              17. "Club info SFC Opava". fortunaliga.cz. Fortuna Liga. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
              18. "Club info FC Baník Ostrava". fortunaliga.cz. Fortuna Liga. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
              19. "Club info FC Viktoria Plzeň". fortunaliga.cz. Fortuna Liga. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
              20. "Club info 1. FK Příbram". fortunaliga.cz. Fortuna Liga. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
              21. "Club info SK Slavia Prague". fortunaliga.cz. Fortuna Liga. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
              22. "Club info 1. FC Slovácko". fortunaliga.cz. Fortuna Liga. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
              23. "Club info AC Sparta Prague". fortunaliga.cz. Fortuna Liga. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
              24. "Club info FK Teplice". fortunaliga.cz. Fortuna Liga. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
              25. "Club info FC Fastav Zlín". fortunaliga.cz. Fortuna Liga. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
              26. https://www.fczbrno.cz/zobraz.asp?t=klub-stadion-stadion
              27. https://www.idnes.cz/fotbal/prvni-liga/jindrich-trpisovsky-novy-trener-slavia.A171222_101650_fotbal_jic
              28. https://www.idnes.cz/fotbal/prvni-liga/adrian-gula-trener-plzen-slovensko.A191216_171054_fotbal_min
              29. https://www.idnes.cz/fotbal/prvni-liga/trener-vaclav-jilek-sparta-odvolani-vyhazov.A200217_185852_fotbal_min
              30. https://www.idnes.cz/fotbal/prvni-liga/miroslav-pelta-petr-rada-zdenek-klucky-jablonec-trener-navrat.A171214_370625_fotbal_ten
              31. https://www.idnes.cz/fotbal/prvni-liga/trener-lubos-kozel-banik-ostrava-angazma-smlouva.A200103_153143_fotbal_min
              32. https://www.idnes.cz/fotbal/prvni-liga/pavel-hoftych-liberec-rozhovor-trener.A190614_482289_fotbal_ten
              33. https://www.idnes.cz/fotbal/prvni-liga/het-liga-mlada-boleslav-novy-trener-jozef-weber.A180227_133651_fotbal_vp2
              34. https://www.idnes.cz/fotbal/prvni-liga/radoslav-latal-olomouc-rozhovor.A190531_144424_fotbal_par
              35. https://www.idnes.cz/fotbal/prvni-liga/zlin-zmena-trenera-jan-kamenik-bohumil-panik.A200310_538260_fotbal_ten
              36. https://www.idnes.cz/fotbal/prvni-liga/fk-teplice-zmena-trenera-daniel-smejkal-konec-stanislav-hejkal.A180925_110718_fotbal_vp2
              37. https://www.idnes.cz/fotbal/prvni-liga/slovacko-trener-martin-svedik-vysocina-jihlava.A181105_135702_fotbal_min
              38. https://www.idnes.cz/fotbal/prvni-liga/radoslav-kovac-trener-opava-balcarek.A200610_231743_fotbal_min
              39. https://www.idnes.cz/fotbal/prvni-liga/trener-ludek-klusacek-bohemians-1905.A191010_112312_fotbal_min
              40. https://www.idnes.cz/fotbal/prvni-liga/pribram-novy-trener-pavel-horvath.A200311_174516_fotbal_jic
              41. https://www.idnes.cz/fotbal/prvni-liga/karvina-juraj-jarabek-novy-trener.A191114_144613_fotbal_par
              42. https://brnensky.denik.cz/fotbal-druha-liga/zbrojovka-meni-trenera-sustra-nahradil-machalek-z-lisne-20191007.html
              43. "Czech Liga 2020/2021". Soccerway. Retrieved 7 February 2020.


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