Viktoria Plzeň will commence the spring part of 2018/2019 season this weekend. The press release sums up the mid-season training camp and also all news about the support of Czech national marrow donors registry, which will continue in the UEFA Europa League as well.

FC Viktoria Plzeň played in total 7 friendly matches during the mid-season trainings. They won all three duels at home and in Spanish Estepona they tied three times and lost once to abroad teams.

Mid-season friendlies results
FCVP – Ústí nad Orlicí 6:0 (Beauguel 2, Řezníček, Pačinda, Ekpai, Hrošovský)
FCVP – Sokolov 7:2 (Kepl 2, Procházka 2, Pačinda, Šulc, Beauguel – Dvořák II, Glaser)
FCVP – Ústí nad Labem 6:1 (Chorý, Bakoš, Pačinda, Hořava, Kayamba, Beauguel – Matějka)
FCVP – Wuhan Zall 1:1 (Pačinda – Kouassi)
FCVP – Puskás Akadémia 0:0
FCVP – CSKA Sofia 1:2 (Beauguel – Gyasi, Henrique)
FCVP – New England 2:2 (Beauguel, Hořava – Penilla, Wright)

Coach Pavel Vrba had several new signings in the team. Marek Bakoš and defender Jiří Piroch returned from loan, Tomáš Kepl and Pavel Šulc joined the team from the youth. The latter was transferred to loan in Jihlava during the mid-season trainings. Forward Jean-David Beauguel came from Zlín, midfielder Joel Ngandu Kayamba from Opava and Slovakian universal forward from Dunajská Streda.

Defender Tomáš Hájek and midfielder Pavel Bucha left for loan to Mladá Boleslav, Martin Zeman transferred to Israeli Hapoel Ra’anana and Jakub Řezníček has already played for Belgian Lokeren.

Winter transfers
Out: Tomáš Hájek (loan in Mladá Boleslav), Martin Zeman (Hapoel Ra’anana), Jakub Řezníček (Lokeren), Pavel Šulc (loan in Jihlava), Pavel Bucha (loan in Mladá Boleslav).
In: Joel Ngandu Kayamba (Opava), Erik Pačinda (Dunajská Streda), Jean-David Beauguel (Zlín), Marek Bakoš (return from loan in Trnava), Jiří Piroch (return from loan in Karviná), Tomáš Kepl (U19).

2018/2019 season spring squad
Goalkeepers: Aleš Hruška, Matúš Kozáčik, Dominik Sváček.
Defenders: Marián Čišovský, Milan Havel, Lukáš Hejda, Roman Hubník, David Limberský, Luděk Pernica, Jiří Piroch, Radim Řezník.
Midfielders: Aleš Čermák, Ubong Moses Ekpai, Tomáš Hořava, Patrik Hrošovský, Joel Ngandu Kayamba, Daniel Kolář, Jan Kopic, Jan Kovařík, Erik Pačinda, Milan Petržela, Roman Procházka.
Forwards: Marek Bakoš, Jean-David Beauguel, Tomáš Chorý, Tomáš Kepl, Michael Krmenčík.

Viktoria Plzeň will also enter the Europa League with CNMDR

As the first Czech club Viktoria Plzeň decided to place the logo of Czech national marrow donors registry on their jersey for matches of prestigious Champions League. They are resolved to continue with it in the spring play-off of UEL. They also succeeded in financial support for CNMDR and raised over 500 thousand CZK!

The jersey with CNMDR logo on its back was worn by Viktorians in the matches against AS Rome, Real Madrid and CSKA Moscow. They will also present it next week against Croatian champion Dynamo Zagreb. “Our support of CNMDR, of course, continues in the UEL. We all would be glad if we advance and could show it in as many matches as possible,“ the CEO of the club Adolf Šádek says.

Raising of public awareness and propagation is the most important thing for CNMDR. “During Viktoria’s matches and immediately after them we noticed increased access to our websites,“ the medical director of CNMDR and senior doctor in University hospital Pilsen Pavel Jindra confirms. During last year 7,489 donors entered the registry, out of whom 40% since September when we launched our common project. “It has been the third most successful year in the CNMDR history, it even surpassed the nationwide 2002 and 2012 TV campaign,” Pavel Jindra is pleased.

To enter the registry is very easy – it is just enough to take a saliva sample and fill in a short questionnaire, all healthy recruits aged 18 – 35 can do so. All members of Viktoria A-squad did it as well as juniors, coaches and fans representatives. In December a league match was devoted to CNMDR during which the fans could have entered the registry right at the stadium.

Viktoria also organized a special jerseys auction, in which other European clubs such as Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester United, Juventus, Inter Milan or FC Barcelona participated. In total they auctioned over 400 thousand CZK that will be used to promote and support CNMDR. Nowadays, the club and the foundation discuss the options of use and soon they will inform fans. Viktorians are planning other common events for spring.

Viktoria reinforce their communication with public

Except successful existing projects Viktoria Plzeň commenced other activities for their fans before the spring part of the season. During January mid-season training camp players and coach Pavel Vrba were involved in promotion of some project including new application, which will provide fans statistics, results but also navigation at the stadium and matches entry. Plzeň also want to strenghten fans’ involvement in the current project Offer your seat. “We would be glad if the fans would use this opportunity as much as possible. It brings advantages for them and they also support one of the club’s principles such as sense of belonging to the club and the people that support it,“ the CEO Adolf Šádek explains.

Regarding two new signings with dark skin Viktorians also joined the event against racism #bezrozdilu, which appeals to fans to respect and support all players no matter what skin colour they have.