After five years, defender Michal Sacek from Gornik Zabrze also returns to the Czech Republic squad. He has just one international cap, which came against Ukraine.
The Czech team faces four matches during a single extended international window. Denia's men are entering the elite division of the Nations League for only the second time in history, and right away in a particularly tough four-team Group A3.
The opening match will be played at home on September 26th against Croatia, followed three days later by a home game in Prague against England. Then, they will play two away matches - on October 3rd in Oviedo against the newly crowned world champions Spain, and on October 6th in London, once again against England.
At the end of July, Denia replaced Miroslav Koubek as the national team coach, after a disappointing World Cup campaign in America. The Albacete native is the first coach of the Czech national team who is not of Czechoslovak origin, and his first training camp comes with a squad overhaul.
Several players ended their international careers after the tournament, including Patrik Schick, Vladimir Darida, Tomas Holes, Jaroslav Zeleny, and Vaclav Cerny. West Ham's Tomas Soucek is also unavailable due to injury.
Czech squad for the September and October Nations League matches:
Goalkeepers: Lukas Hornicek (Newcastle United), Antonin Kinsky (Tottenham Hotspur), Matej Kovar (PSV Eindhoven).
Defenders: Vladimir Coufal, Robin Hranac (both Hoffenheim), Stepan Chaloupek, David Jurasek, Tomas Vlcek, David Zima (all Slavia Praha), Ladislav Krejci (Wolverhampton), Matej Rynes (Sparta Praha), Michal Sacak (Gornik Zabrze).
Midfielders: Lukas Ambros (Anderlecht), Pavel Bucha (FC Cincinnati), Denis Visinsky, Lukas Cerv (both Plzen), Adam Karabec, Roman Macek (both Sparta Praha), Alex Kral (FC Copenhagen), Ondrej Lingr (Korona Kielce), Lukas Provod, Michal Sadíilek (both Slavia Praha), Matej Radosta (Teplice).
Forwards: Adam Hlozek (Hoffenheim), Tomas Chory (Slavia Praha), Pavel Sulc (Lyon).