The 2021–22 Czech First League, known as the Fortuna Liga is the 29th season of the Czech Republic's top-tier football for professional clubs since its 1993 establishment. SK Slavia Prague were the reigning champions. The season started on 24 July 2021. The first half of the season had 19 rounds, finishing on 19 December 2021, and the other half commenced on 5 February 2022. The season ended on 14 May 2022 with two extra play-out fixtures on 19 and 22 May 2022.
The season format was changed back to be played with 16 clubs, each team playing in the league format home and away matches, before the league split into three sections: championship, play-off and relegation groups. The lowest-ranked team was relegated directly to the second league, the two teams positioned 14th and 15th played a play-out with two teams from the second league positioned 2nd and 3rd in a home and away format. This was the fourth season to use VAR, featuring it in all matches played. All matches were played on weekdays, with no Friday fixtures expected.
Season summary This was the fourth season sponsored by the Fortuna betting agency with a contract valid until 2024 as well as TV broadcasting rights held by O2 TV, which showed all eight matches per week. This was the first season that national broadcaster ČT Sport did not possess any rights to broadcast any of the fixtures. Blesk held the rights to the highlights from all matches. The 2021–22 season began on 24 July, thirteen days after the UEFA Euro 2020 final. With most of the national team players still released for vacations, Slavia Prague, Sparta Prague and Plzeň started with incomplete first-team squads.
After ten match-weeks the trio recorded one loss each, Viktoria in the 6th round at Hradec Králové, Sparta in the seventh round in Plzeň and Slavia in round 10 in the Prague Derby at Letná on 3 October 2021. Sparta Prague ended the longest non-winning streak of derby matches after five-and-a-half years at 14 matches. It was also an interruption of Slavia Prague's record unbeaten streak of 54 matches in the first league.
Teams
Promotion and relegation (pre-season) A total of sixteen teams contest the league, including fifteen sides from the 2020–21 season and the winner of last season's second league.
Team promoted to Czech First League
Due to a reduction from 18 to 16 teams, only the winner of the FNL advanced to the first league. On 8 May 2021 Hradec Králové defeated Dukla Prague 2–1 and secured the promotion with three matches remaining. Hradec Králové therefore participated in the top tier after four years of absence.
Teams relegated from Czech First League
The three lowest positioned teams from the last season were relegated to the Fortuna National League.
On 8 May 2021, Opava became the first team to be relegated to FNL after a 1–1 draw at Zlín with three games remaining, ending their three-year stay in the top flight.
On 16 May 2021, Zbrojovka became the second team to be relegated to FNL after a 1–1 draw at Slovan Liberec with two games remaining, ending their one-year stay in the top flight.
On 23 May 2021, Příbram's relegation was confirmed following a 0–1 defeat at home against Pardubice with one game remaining, ending their First League tenure after three years.
Locations and stadiums
Team Location Stadium Capacity Bohemians Praha 1905 Prague Ďolíček 5,000 SK Dynamo České Budějovice České Budějovice Stadion Střelecký ostrov 6,681 FC Hradec Králové Hradec Králové Lokotrans Aréna 5,000 FK Jablonec Jablonec nad Nisou Stadion Střelnice 6,108 MFK Karviná Karviná Městský stadion (Karviná) 4,833 FC Slovan Liberec Liberec Stadion u Nisy 9,900 FK Mladá Boleslav Mladá Boleslav Lokotrans Aréna 5,000 SK Sigma Olomouc Olomouc Andrův stadion 12,483 FC Baník Ostrava Ostrava Městský stadion (Ostrava) 15,123 FC Viktoria Plzeň Plzeň Doosan Arena 11,700 SK Slavia Prague Prague Sinobo Stadium 19,370 1. FC Slovácko Uherské Hradiště Městský fotbalový stadion Miroslava Valenty 8,000 AC Sparta Prague Prague Generali Česká pojišťovna Arena 18,944 FK Teplice Teplice Na Stínadlech 18,221 FC Fastav Zlín Zlín Letná Stadion 5,783 FK Pardubice Pardubice Ďolíček 5,000
Region Number of teams Club(s) 3 Bohemians, Sparta, Slavia 2 Jablonec, Liberec Ostrava, Karviná Zlín, Slovácko 1 Mladá Boleslav Hradec Králové Olomouc Pardubice Plzeň České Budějovice Teplice
Personnel and kits TeamHead coachHead coach appointedShirt manufacturerShirt sponsorBohemians 1905 Jaroslav VeselýAdidasBALSHOP.czČeské Budějovice David HorejšAdidasBudějovický BudvarHradec Králové Miroslav KoubekJakoMěsto Hradec KrálovéJablonec Petr RadaCapelli SportMOLGitschberg JochtalKarviná Bohumil Páník7 October 2021AdidasOKDLiberec Luboš KozelNikeAAA AutoMladá Boleslav Pavel HoftychAdidasŠkoda AutoOlomouc Václav JílekAdidasTipsportSigmaOstrava Ondřej SmetanaJakoMW-DiasMěsto OstravaPlzeň Michal BílekMacronDoosanSlavia Prague Jindřich TrpišovskýPumaeToroSlovácko Martin SvědíkPumaZ-GroupSparta Prague Pavel VrbaAdidasTipsport (Local)T-Mobile (Europe)Teplice Jiří JarošíkPumaAGCBílinská kyselkaZlín Jan JelínekAdidasClimax SunscreensPardubice Jaroslav Novotný Jiří KrejčíLottoČPP Servis
Managerial changes Ahead of the season: Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Replaced by Date of appointment Contract valid until Hradec Králové Resigned Undisclosed Sigma End of contract Summer 2023
During the season: Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Match-week Position in table Replaced by Date of appointment Contract valid until Liberec Mutual consent 5 16 Undisclosed Teplice Sacked 9 15 Summer 2024 Karviná Sacked 10 16 Undisclosed Mladá Boleslav Sacked 22 6 Undisclosed Bohemians Luděk Klusáček Mutual consent 26 13 Jaroslav Veselý End of season Sparta Prague Sacked 34 3 End of season
Regular season League table
Results
Championship group Points and goals were carried over in full from the regular season.
Play-off Because only four teams qualified for European competitions from the Czech First League due to a low national coefficient, the winner of the play-off only received a cash bonus and a better position in the 2022–23 Czech Cup.
Relegation group Points and goals were carried over in full from the regular season.
Relegation play-offs Teams placed 14th and 15th in the relegation group faced the teams placed second and third in the Czech National Football League for two spots in the next season.
Season statistics Top scorers Updated at the end of the season. Rank Player Club Goals1 Jean-David Beauguel Plzeň192 Václav Jurečka Slovácko173 Ladislav Almási Ostrava164 Ondřej Lingr Slavia145 Tomáš Čvančara Jablonec / Sparta126 Ewerton Mladá Boleslav11 David Puškáč Bohemians 19058 Ivan Schranz Slavia10 David Douděra Mladá Boleslav10 Jan Kuchta Slavia9 Fortune Bassey České Budějovice Jakub Rada Hradec Králové Adam Hložek Sparta
Hat-tricks Matchweek Date Player For Against Result 2 Slavia Teplice 3–1 (A) 9 Ewerton Mladá Boleslav Slovácko 3–5 (H) 18 Sparta Bohemians 5–1 (H) 32 Slovácko Ostrava 3–1 (H) 35 4 Bohemians 1905 Karviná 4–0 (H)
Notes 4 Player scored 4 goals(H) – Home team(A) – Away team
Clean sheets Updated at the end of the season. RankPlayerClubClean sheets1 Jindřich Staněk Plzeň142 Aleš Mandous Slavia103 Matúš Macík Olomouc94 Jan Šeda Mladá Boleslav8 Filip Nguyen Slovácko6 Jan Laštůvka Ostrava7 Matej Rakovan Zlín Jan Hanuš Jablonec9 Florin Niță Sparta6 Vilém Fendrich Hradec Králové Ondřej Kolář Slavia Jakub Markovič Pardubice
Awards
Monthly awards MonthPlayer of the MonthManager of the MonthPlayerClubManagerClubAugust Ivan Schranz Slavia Pavel Vrba SpartaSeptember Ladislav Almási Ostrava Michal Bílek PlzeňOctober Ewerton Mladá Boleslav Martin Svědík SlováckoNovember Fortune Bassey České Budějovice Jindřich Trpišovský SlaviaDecember Matěj Pulkrab Sparta Michal Bílek PlzeňFebruary Jan Fortelný Teplice Jiří Jarošík TepliceMarch Ondřej Lingr Slavia Miroslav Koubek Hradec KrálovéApril David Douděra Mladá Boleslav Michal Bílek PlzeňMay Jean-David Beauguel Plzeň Michal Bílek Plzeň
Annual awards Source: Award Winner Club Player of the Season Tomáš Holeš Slavia Prague Manager of the Season Michal Bílek Viktoria Plzeň International of the Season Jean-David Beauguel Viktoria Plzeň Fans' choice Player of the Season Adam Hložek Sparta Prague Newcomer of the Season David Jurásek Mladá Boleslav / Slavia Prague Figure of the Season Marek Matějovský Mladá Boleslav Goalkeeper of the Season Jindřich Staněk Viktoria Plzeň Defender of the Season Alexander Bah Slavia Prague Midfield of the Season Tomáš Holeš Slavia Prague Forward of the Season Jean-David Beauguel Viktoria Plzeň
References