Modest Nedved Accepts Plaudits (1 Viewer)

Aug 1, 2003
17,696
#1
Modest Nedved accepts plaudits
Friday, 30 January 2004
By Paolo Menicucci

It was no surprise that Pavel Nedved was voted into uefa.com users' Team of 2003. The Juventus FC and Czech Republic midfield player enjoyed a spectacular 12 months.

Superb year
Last year he won the Scudetto and the Italian Super Cup and helped Juve to the UEFA Champions League final, only to miss what would have been one of the most important matches of his career through suspension. The captain of his country, Nedved was inspirational as the Czechs extended their unbeaten run to 19 games and qualified for UEFA EURO 2004™ as Group 3 winners ahead of the Netherlands.

More prizes
The European Footballer of the Year award headed a long list of further individual prizes: Czech Sportsman of the Year, Czech Footballer of the Year and the sharing of the Italian version with Francesco Totti. However, he was modesty personified when uefa.com met him at Sisport, Juve's training camp.

'Great satisfaction'
"I think there are other players who are better than me," the 31-year-old said. "I know how hard I have to work just to compete with them. However, winning those prizes is a great satisfaction because it means that people appreciate the way I am doing my job. I worked hard last year but I know I will have to work even harder next<."

'Play with passion'
When asked why he thinks that uefa.com's users had picked him in the Team of the Year, the former Dukla Praha, AC Sparta Praha and S.S. Lazio player replied: "First of all it is a great boost to know that European fans appreciate the way I am playing. I can only say that I always play with passion and I always give my very best. I think that fans like players who are always giving everything they have."

Tough tie
Juventus face RC Deportivo La Coruña in the Champions League first knockout round next month, and Nedved knows it will not be easy against the Galician side. "It is a very difficult and dangerous tie for us," he said. "They are a solid team and they can play good football. They are good in keeping possession of the ball. I think they will be two extremely even matches."

Ultimate goal
Having won the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup and UEFA Super Cup with Lazio, the Champions League is inevitably his prime ambition, especially after missing last season's final at Old Trafford. "I was booked three times during the whole tournament but I had to miss the final," he said. "It hurts because playing in a Champions League final is the best thing that can happen to every football player. I have to reach another final before I retire."

Summer challenge
In the summer Nedved will face another great challenge as the Czech Republic meet Germany, the Netherlands and Latvia in EURO 2004™ Group D, as tough a pool as they come. "I think that every group is difficult because all the teams in the tournament are strong," said Nedved, who helped the Czechs to the final of EURO 96™ only to lose to Oliver Bierhoff's golden goal for Germany. "We have to stay calm and see what happens."

Form vital
He added: "The tournament starts just after the end of difficult domestic leagues and the teams who are less tired will achieve better results in the competition." With the Ballon d'Or winner in their midfield, the Czech Republic can surely go a long way in Portugal.
 

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Senior Member
Nov 15, 2003
1,295
#2
++ [ originally posted by sallyinzaghi ] ++
Modest Nedved accepts plaudits
Friday, 30 January 2004
By Paolo Menicucci

It was no surprise that Pavel Nedved was voted into uefa.com users' Team of 2003. The Juventus FC and Czech Republic midfield player enjoyed a spectacular 12 months.

Superb year
Last year he won the Scudetto and the Italian Super Cup and helped Juve to the UEFA Champions League final, only to miss what would have been one of the most important matches of his career through suspension. The captain of his country, Nedved was inspirational as the Czechs extended their unbeaten run to 19 games and qualified for UEFA EURO 2004™ as Group 3 winners ahead of the Netherlands.

More prizes
The European Footballer of the Year award headed a long list of further individual prizes: Czech Sportsman of the Year, Czech Footballer of the Year and the sharing of the Italian version with Francesco Totti. However, he was modesty personified when uefa.com met him at Sisport, Juve's training camp.

'Great satisfaction'
"I think there are other players who are better than me," the 31-year-old said. "I know how hard I have to work just to compete with them. However, winning those prizes is a great satisfaction because it means that people appreciate the way I am doing my job. I worked hard last year but I know I will have to work even harder next<."

'Play with passion'
When asked why he thinks that uefa.com's users had picked him in the Team of the Year, the former Dukla Praha, AC Sparta Praha and S.S. Lazio player replied: "First of all it is a great boost to know that European fans appreciate the way I am playing. I can only say that I always play with passion and I always give my very best. I think that fans like players who are always giving everything they have."

Tough tie
Juventus face RC Deportivo La Coruña in the Champions League first knockout round next month, and Nedved knows it will not be easy against the Galician side. "It is a very difficult and dangerous tie for us," he said. "They are a solid team and they can play good football. They are good in keeping possession of the ball. I think they will be two extremely even matches."

Ultimate goal
Having won the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup and UEFA Super Cup with Lazio, the Champions League is inevitably his prime ambition, especially after missing last season's final at Old Trafford. "I was booked three times during the whole tournament but I had to miss the final," he said. "It hurts because playing in a Champions League final is the best thing that can happen to every football player. I have to reach another final before I retire."

Summer challenge
In the summer Nedved will face another great challenge as the Czech Republic meet Germany, the Netherlands and Latvia in EURO 2004™ Group D, as tough a pool as they come. "I think that every group is difficult because all the teams in the tournament are strong," said Nedved, who helped the Czechs to the final of EURO 96™ only to lose to Oliver Bierhoff's golden goal for Germany. "We have to stay calm and see what happens."

Form vital
He added: "The tournament starts just after the end of difficult domestic leagues and the teams who are less tired will achieve better results in the competition." With the Ballon d'Or winner in their midfield, the Czech Republic can surely go a long way in Portugal.
:thumb:Where did you found it Sally?
 

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