Czech Women’s Basketball Opens EuroBasket 2027 Qualifying Against Spain
The Czech Republic women’s basketball team opens its EuroBasket 2027 qualification campaign against Spain in Oviedo this Tuesday, November 10, entering the matchup with a significantly depleted roster.
Head coach Martin Bašta, stepping into the role for this cycle, faces the challenge of integrating a squad missing key frontcourt contributors while managing a condensed international window.
According to reports from Sport.cz, the national team must play this opening contest without centers Emma Čechová and Julie Reisingerová, both of whom are sidelined due to knee injuries.
Further complicating the rotation, Gabriela Andělová is absent for personal reasons, and point guard Eliška Joklová will sit out the Spain game to manage her physical workload ahead of two subsequent matches in Prague, as confirmed by ČT sport.
Czech Squad Faces Limited Preparation Time
The Czech squad faces a difficult logistical start to the qualification cycle. Bašta noted that the team had minimal time to prepare, having only managed three total training sessions, with the full roster—including legionnaires Petra Holešínská, Julie Pospíšilová, Karolina Šotolová, and Veronika Voráčková—only assembling at the match venue on Monday, according to Sport.cz.
The coaching staff is prioritizing the upcoming home games against Croatia on November 14 and Bulgaria on November 17. We will try to do everything to fight and get the best possible result, and if we get into a close finish, we want to think about winning,
Bašta told ČT sport.
But quite honestly, also from the perspective that we are leaving Eliška at home for the first match, the games against Croatia and Bulgaria are clearly key for us, where we will do everything to take at least two wins from this representative window.
The current qualification format has shifted, with two windows each containing three matches, replacing the previous structure of three windows with two matches each.
Spain Holds Recent Advantage over Czech Team
Spain enters the game as the clear favorite, having secured a bronze medal at the September World Cup in Berlin, as noted by České noviny.
The last time the Czech team defeated Spain was nine years ago during the group stage of the European Championship in Hradec Králové, where they won 67:63. Their most recent encounter occurred in June of last year during the EuroBasket quarterfinals in Piraeus, where the Czechs fell 81:88 to the eventual European runners-up.
Despite the roster limitations, some players view the lack of pressure as an tactical advantage. I think we can play loosely, lightly and without pressure, we don’t have that much to lose,
Voráčková stated, per Sport.cz.
We want to handle it with a decent feeling and good energy so that we are ready for the matches that we already have to win and where the pressure on us will be much greater.
For players like Aneta Kytlicová and Lucie Svatoňová, the match in Oviedo represents an opportunity to earn their first official FIBA caps. Svatoňová, who has experience in both 5×5 and 3×3 formats, emphasized the need for collective effort despite the lack of chemistry. We don’t have much time to get settled, but we want to go into it with our hearts and fight,
she told iDNES.cz.
Qualification Stakes
The top two teams from the qualifying group will secure a spot at the EuroBasket tournament, which is scheduled to take place in June 2027 across Belgium, Finland, Lithuania, and Sweden, as reported by České noviny.
The match in Oviedo is scheduled to begin at 20:30. Following the contest, the team will return to Prague to prepare for the critical fixtures against Croatia and Bulgaria.
Disclaimer: The insights provided in this article are for informational and entertainment purposes only and do not constitute medical advice or sports betting recommendations.