Czechs recall Nedved for World Cup play-off

Juventus midfielder Pavel Nedved will return to the Czech Republic squad for their World Cup play-off against Norway later this month, ending a 16-month absence from the team, coach Karel Brueckner said on Thursday.

Brueckner announced his 23-player squad for the two-leg play-off, which also includes Monaco midfielder Jaroslav Plasil, who is coming back from a foot injury.

The Czechs begin the play-off in Oslo on November 12, before returning home for the second leg on November 16.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Jaromir Blazek (Sparta Prague), Petr Cech (Chelsea), Antonin Kinsky (Saturn Ramenskoye)

Defenders: Zdenek Grygera (Ajax Amsterdam), Marek Jankulovski (AC Milan), Martin Jiranek, Radoslav Kovac (both Spartak Moscow), Pavel Mares (Zenit St Petersburg), David Rozehnal (Paris St Germain), Tomas Ujfalusi (Fiorentina)

Midfielders: Tomas Galasek (Ajax Amsterdam), David Jarolim (Hamburg SV), Jiri Jarosik (Birmingham City), Pavel Nedved (Juventus), Jaroslav Plasil (Monaco), Karel Poborsky (Ceske Budejovice), Jan Polak (Nuremberg), Tomas Rosicky (Borussia Dortmund), Vladimir Smicer (Girondins Bordeaux)

Forwards: Milan Baros (Aston Villa), Marek Heinz (Galatasaray), Tomas Jun (Trabzonspor), Jiri Stajner (Hanover 96).