Sparta Prague coach Brian Priske was forced to step in after Matej Jurasek endured a hostile reception from fans of his new club. Jurasek joined Sparta on a season-long loan from Norwich City earlier this week and made his debut against FK Teplice off the bench on Saturday.
But supporters of Sparta have clearly not forgotten Jurasek’s past with rivals Slavia Prague. Their anger reportedly stems in part from footage from the winger’s time at Slavia in which he appeared in a balaclava while joining anti-Sparta chants.
Hostile Debut
Even though he was only on the pitch for the final 15 minutes, his every touch was booed, and he was the subject of chants that said 'we don't want you here'. His side’s post-match lap of appreciation was cut short amid the abuse directed towards the winger.
Jurasek did engage in conversation with that section of supporters, telling them: "I'm a young player and I came here to win. I apologise for the statements I made against your club."
Coach's Response
Then, after the game, Sparta coach Priske, along with a number of his players, approached his side’s supporters to defend Jurasek. Speaking to Oneplay Sport afterwards, Priske said: "It is clear that the arrival of Matej has caused a lot of reactions in the Czech Republic.
“We all expected it and knew that there would be different opinions around him. These are of course always welcome, as long as they are expressed in a decent way.
"He knew that coming to Sparta would mean enormous pressure and would provoke strong reactions. Nevertheless, he decided to come with one goal - to help us.
“From the conversations we had together, I know that he is well aware of the whole situation and knows that he is not in a very good position with some of the fans at the moment.
"It gave Matej a chance to express his feelings and apologise to many Spartans. It was a good moment to let out all the emotions that had built up over the past few days."
Future Prospects
Jurasek featured in Norwich's first competitive game of the season, having come off the bench in their Carabao Cup first-round win against League One side MK Dons last week. And Sparta will have the option to make the Czech Republic international's move permanent at the end of the season.
"I think those 15 or 20 minutes today showed why we brought him in. Now it's up to him. He has to prove to the fans that he's one of us," Priske added.
"His job is to do everything he can to make sure that all those amazing Spartan fans are chanting his name next year for a completely different reason and in a positive spirit."
