In addition to the move, he experienced a sensational cup final with third division Elversberg, a change of coach and poor performance by the team, which according to pre-season forecasts would have to fight for the top flight.
He’s not sure where he is in the starting lineup, so he still needs to work on himself. “I don’t want to rate the first few months in Leverkusen completely badly, I knew it would be difficult. We don’t have results as a team, which makes it even more difficult to adapt. But I got used to life and I think we will break the results and everything will go the right way”. Hložek said in an interview for the Czech national football team.
In the top German competition, the Czech league’s top scorer of the 2020/2021 season has so far scored one goal and two assists, added a record in the Champions League against Atlético Madrid.
“I wouldn’t say I’m surprised or overwhelmed by the transfer, the league is faster and more demanding. But with that I went to Germany to improve myself as a footballer and as a person. I hope the results are better and the goals and assists come from me “, Hložek hints that Leverkusen are currently twelfth in the Bundesliga, but have been in the relegation zone for a long time.
The team started the competitive year under manager Gerardo Seoane but was replaced by former midfielder Xabi Alonso in early October. Under him, Hložek mostly started up front, but during the autumn he also tried playing on the wings or up front.
“I’ve also changed jobs at Sparta. I can play more roles, but I feel better at this stage,” admits the youngster, who moved to Germany as the third most expensive Czech player leaving the domestic league for a foreign country .
In the western part of our neighbor’s country, he acclimatises next to his girlfriend. “The hardest part was discovering or getting to know the surroundings and the city. We are still 800 kilometers from the Czech Republic, that was the hardest part,” she admits.
What does goalkeeper Tomáš Vaclík say about the EURO qualifying draw?video: FACR
His teammates helped him significantly. “For me it’s better with Patrik Schick, he explained to me how everything works here. Captain Lukáš Hrádecky also speaks Slovak,” he explains.
Apart from club duties, however, Hložka’s thoughts also focus on representation duties. The Czechs will start qualifying for EURO 2024 in Germany in March.
Coach Jaroslav Šilhavy’s selection begins with a home duel with Poland, for which advance ticket sales begin on Friday. Until November, the national team still has matches with the Faroe Islands, Moldova and Albania, including rematches. Since the top two teams from the five-member group qualify directly for the championship, advancement is a clear task for the Czech national team.
The tournament in Germany would obviously be attractive for the Czechs from a positional point of view. “Traveling will be better for us and for the fans, but the main thing is to move forward and then we can talk about how it will be there,” emphasizes Hložek. “But for us, the only advantage is that the championship is in Germany. At home,” he smiles.
