Czech billionaire and West Ham’s second biggest stakeholder Daniel Kretinsky has big decision made a lot easier ahead of next week.
West Ham co-owner Daniel Kretinsky has two horses in the Europa League race.
As most West Ham fans will know, the Czech billionaire also owns his boyhood club Sparta Prague.
And West Ham’s Premier League rivals Liverpool were drawn against Kretinsky’s Czech league leaders Sparta Prague.
The fact the Czechs were drawn to face Liverpool created a quandary for the secretive billionaire.
Europa League draw gave Kretinsky a quandary
Because – as group winners – both West Ham and Liverpool will play the second leg of their last 16 ties at home next Thursday.
Kretinsky cannot be in two places at once. So he faced a massive decision over whether to attend West Ham vs Freiburg at the London Stadium or Liverpool vs Sparta Prague at Anfield that day.
Either way his decision is bound to upset one group of supporters.
But Kretinsky has surely had his mind made up over his big West Ham dilemma next week.
Because the Hammers and Sparta Prague have very different prospects going into the second legs.
Czech Sphinx has surely had mind made up after thumping
Both West Ham and Sparta lost their first leg matches.
West Ham are still very much in with a chance of making the quarter-finals despite a frustrating 1-0 defeat at distinctly average Freiburg.
But Sparta are all but out following a 5-1 thumping to Liverpool in the Czech Republic. West Ham know how that feels and Sparta now have to go to Liverpool next Thursday hoping for one of the biggest miracles in football history.
Therefore if Kretinsky is to attend one of his side’s matches it will now surely be West Ham.
Hammers have more skin in the game
The Hammers have more skin in the game and will still be favourites to advance.
So expect to see the Czech Sphinx at the London Stadium for the ridiculous 5.45pm kick-off as David Moyes’ side look to turn the tie around.
It won’t be an easy decision for Kretinsky to make.
The Hammers co-owner loves Sparta so much he admitted he had “a huge mental and moral reservation” about attending West Ham’s Europa Conference League final at the home of their bitter rivals Slavia Prague.
On that subject Slavia were also well beaten 4-2 away at AC Milan in the last 16.
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