Czechs Trained in the Boonies, Bus Got Stuck. They'll Play in a Volcano

The players have already acclimatized to Guadalajara, where their opening World Cup match against South Korea awaits them on Friday at 4:00 AM. However, they didn't get to test the pitch at the iconic stadium before the big kick-off. Their official pre-match training session had to be held several kilometers away.

In European club competitions, footballers are accustomed to a proven scenario – barring unforeseen circumstances, they train on the main stadium pitch the day before an away match. However, major international tournaments bring specific rules, as confirmed by the World Cup kicking off on Thursday.

The Czechs, therefore, tested the specific conditions at an altitude exceeding 1500 meters above sea level at the Sports Arena complex, located approximately twelve kilometers from Estádio Akron, on the very outskirts of the city.

"We have to respect it; it's not a complication. Consider more prominent teams in Europe; they train at home in the morning the day before kick-off and only go to inspect the pitch," pragmatically noted head coach Miroslav Koubek, according to sport.cz. Captain Ladislav Krejčí agreed with his words: "It's not a complication."

However, it is somewhat unusual for midfielder Lukáš Provod, for example, who is used to traveling for cup matches two days in advance with Slavia Prague.

"There's a big difference traveling one or two days in advance. The training will probably be more cautious because the journey was long, but it won't be an extreme disadvantage. We also chose the schedule due to the altitude. The match is played quite late, so it will be fine," Provod clarified the situation.

While the national team players only briefly inspected the main playing surface on foot, they conducted their actual preparation in a smaller, more modest complex.

The path to the press area there led along a stony path bordering fences, and the pitch itself appeared exceptionally hard at first glance. "It looks like Vyšehrad," one of the Czech journalists present quipped with a smile.

The driver of the Czech team bus also caused a stir. While maneuvering into the narrow entrance to the complex, he misjudged the turn and got the massive vehicle stuck. This unforeseen situation brought traffic in the Zapopan district to a complete standstill for almost an hour.

Despite minor logistical hurdles, the playing tension is already rising in the Czech camp, and everyone is looking forward to the first whistle. The match against South Korea will kick off at 8:00 PM local time (4:00 AM CEST).

The match venue, Estádio Akron in Guadalajara, commands respect. It appears magical and imposing. The arena, with a capacity of 46,000 spectators on the edge of the modern Zapopan district, opened in 2010 with an exhibition match between the local club Guadalajara (known by the nickname Chivas) and Manchester United.

The main reason was the transfer of local academy product Javier "Chicharito" Hernández to Old Trafford at the time. The building immediately catches the eye – its exterior is covered with living grass, which was an architectural intention.

The arena visually references the seismically active area in which the entire agglomeration lies, earning it the nickname "volcano." The stadium indeed resembles an extinct volcano. The high-set roof also has its charm, although in the case of regular rains here, it won't provide 100% protection for fans in the first fifteen to twenty rows.

"The stadium is beautiful, but one expects nothing less at a World Cup. Plus, a quality pitch, which will be even faster if it rains. Good for football," coach Miroslav Koubek praised at the end.