Slovakia squad to face Ireland named: Hamšík in, Škrtel and Dúbravka out

Manager Pavel Hapal dismissed the possibility of the Euro 2020 play-off being switched to a neutral venue

Slovakia's Marek Hamsik. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)

Marek Hamšík has been included in Slovakia’s squad to face the Republic of Ireland in Thursday week’s Euro play-off semi-final but former captain Martin Škrtel misses out on a recall.

Quarantine rules forced Slovakia’s record caps holder and scorer Hamšík to miss Slovakia’s Nations League matches against the Czech Republic and Israel earlier this month but his boss at China club Dalian Yifang, Rafa Benitez, has agreed to release their talisman for this crunch fixture.

Manager Pavel Hapal was also able to recall MLS duo Albert Rusnák and Ján Greguš, after travel issues from the United States also kept them out of the first double-header of the campaign.

In better news for Ireland boss Stephen Kenny, who unveils his squad this afternoon, Slovakia’s first-choice goalkeeper Martin Dúbravka is unavailable after the Newcastle United stopper failed to recover from an ankle injury in time.

Marek Rodák, who has lost his place at Fulham, will likely deputise for the behind-closed-doors Bratislava showdown on October 8.

The victor will travel on November 12 to face the winner of the other semi-final between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Northern Ireland for a berth in next year’s deferred Euro 2020 finals.

"We have been following Ireland’s progress for almost a year,” said Hapal about the team taken over by Stephen Kenny in April. “They had a change of coach and were probably not happy with the last match, when they lost at home to Finland."

On retired veteran Škrtel, he added: "He has a health problem and we said we would come back to him."

With Slovakia’s Covid-19 case count spiking in recent weeks, next week’s play-off is in danger of being switched to a neutral country. However, Hapal is preparing to address any fallout should positive tests be returned among his squad of 26 or staff, confident Bratislava will remain the venue.

“Players will be tested at least three times and I believe that everything will go as it should,” he admitted.

“We will be locked in our bubble again and if everything changes within a few hours, it is necessary to prepare for it.

“I believe that common sense will definitely decide. Human health is the most important thing, but in this case, I believe that we will play the game here and not have to travel elsewhere."

SLOVAKIA SQUAD

Goalkeepers: Marek Rodak (FC Fulham), Dominik Greif (SK Slovan Bratislava), Dusan Kuciak (Lechia Gdansk).

Defenders: Peter Pekarík (Hertha Berlin), Lubomir Satka (Lech Poznan), Martin Koscelnik (Slovan Liberec), Milan Skriniar (Inter Milan), Martin Valjent (RCD Mallorca), Norbert Gyömbér (Perugia Calcio), Denis Vavro (Lazio Roma), Robert Mazan (FK Mlada Boleslav), Lukáš Pauschek (ŠK Slovan Bratislava).

Midfielders: Marek Hamsik (PFC Ta-lien), Jan Gregus (Minnesota United), Albert Rusnák Jr. (Real Salt Lake), Stanislav Lobotka (SSC Napoli), Patrik Hrosovsky (KRC Genk), Juraj Kucka (Parma Calcio), Ondrej Duda (FC Kolin), Matus Bero (Vitesse Arnhem), Lukáš Haraslín (US Sassuolo), Jaroslav Mihalik (Lechia Gdansk), Róbert Mak (Ferencváros Budapest).

Forwards: Robert Bozenik (Feyenoord), Michal Duris (Omonia Nicosia), Ivan Schranz (FK Jablonec).