2010–11 Czech First League


The 2010–11 Czech First League, known as the Gambrinus liga for sponsorship reasons, was the 18th season of the Czech Republic's top-tier football league. It began on 16 July 2010 and finished on 28 May 2011. Sparta Prague were the defending champions, having won their 11th Czech Republic championship the previous season.

Teams

and SK Kladno were relegated to the 2010–11 Czech 2. Liga after finishing last and second to last, respectively, in the 2009–10 season; Bohemians were denied a license to play professional football the following season and were thus further demoted to the Bohemian Football League in June 2010.
The relegated teams were replaced by 2009–10 2. Liga champions FC Hradec Králové and runners-up FK Ústí nad Labem.
In further changes, 1. FC Brno were renamed FC Zbrojovka Brno effective to the beginning of this season.
Following trouble at their Czech Cup semi-final match, which was abandoned at half time and awarded 3–0 to the visiting team, SK Slavia Prague were fined 750,000 CZK and ordered to play three home games behind closed doors. Since there were only two home matches left in the season, one was suspended until the next season.

Stadia and locations

ClubLocationStadiumCapacity2009–10 position
OstravaBazaly17,3723rd
Bohemians 1905PragueSynot Tip Arena Note 121,00012th
Dynamo České BudějoviceE-On Stadion6,74613th
Všesportovní stadion6,0002. Liga, 1st
JablonecStadion Střelnice6,2802nd
Městský stadion 5,0008th
Na Litavce9,10010th
Sigma OlomoucOlomoucAndrův stadion12,0726th
Slavia PraguePragueSynot Tip Arena21,0007th
Městský fotbalový stadion Miroslava Valenty8,12114th
Slovan LiberecLiberecStadion u Nisy9,9009th
Sparta PraguePragueGenerali Arena20,5581st
TepliceNa Stínadlech18,2214th
Na Stínadlech Note 218,2212. Liga, 2nd
Viktoria PlzeňStadion města Plzně7,8425th
Zbrojovka BrnoBrnoMěstský stadion 8,06511th

Notes:
  1. Ďolíček stadion does not meet the football association criteria, therefore Bohemians are forced to play at Synot Tip Arena.
  2. Městský stadion does not meet the football association criteria, therefore Ústí nad Labem are forced to play at the stadium of FK Teplice.

    Managerial changes

Results

Top goalscorers

Final standings; Source:
RankPlayerClubGoals
1 David LafataFK Jablonec19
2 Tomáš PekhartSparta Prague18
3 Léonard KweukeSparta Prague14
4 Daniel KolářViktoria Plzeň13
5 Michal HubníkSigma Olomouc12
6 Jan RezekViktoria Plzeň11
7 Bony WilfriedSparta Prague10
7 Jan NezmarSlovan Liberec10
7 Ajdin MahmutovićTeplice10
7 Zdeněk OndrášekČeské Budějovice10

European competitions

2010–11 UEFA Champions League

started in the second qualifying round of this season's Champions League. After defeating Latvian side FK Liepājas Metalurgs by a 5–0 aggregate scoreline, they qualified for the next round. Sparta defeated Polish side Lech Poznań in the third qualifying round, winning both matches by a score of 1–0. Losing 2–0 and 1–0 to Slovak team Žilina in the play-off round ended Sparta's involvement in the competition for this season.

2010–11 Europa League

was the only Czech team involved in the second qualifying round of the Europa League. They got past Georgian side WIT Georgia with a 0–0 second leg result, having won the first match 6–0. In the third round, Viktoria Plzeň and Jablonec also entered the competition, however all three Czech teams lost: Baník Ostrava 3–1 on aggregate to Belarus side Dnepr Mogilev, Viktoria Plzeň 4–1 on aggregate to Turkish club Beşiktaş, and Jablonec also 4–1 on aggregate to APOEL of Cyprus.
Sparta Prague qualified for the group stage of the Europa League due to their performance in the Champions League. With results of two wins, three draws and one loss, they finished second in Group F, behind CSKA Moscow but ahead of Palermo and Lausanne Sport. They therefore advanced to the knockout phase of the competition. English side Liverpool provided the opposition; after a goalless first game in Prague, a single goal from striker Dirk Kuyt eliminated Sparta from the Europa League, 1–0 in the match and on aggregate.