International Soccer Archive - Player Profiles - Jiri Jarosik (Chelsea & Czech Republic)

Date of Birth: 27th of October 1977
Previous clubs: Sparta Prague, CSKA Moscow

Jiri's impressive display during CSKA Moscow’s home Champions League game against Chelsea in November did not just make it one of our tougher games of the season; it also confirmed José Mourinho’s view that the lofty Czech international would meet his exacting quality control standard, having tried to buy him for Porto a couple of years earlier.

Jiri contributed eight goals to a Championship win in 2001. The midfielder’s early seasons at Sparta had also brought two loan spells at Slovan Liberec and two other league winners' medals.

For the 2003 season, CSKA Moscow carried him east for a then Russian record fee of around £3.7 million. His new club didn’t regret the cost as they immediately secured a first title for 12 years, qualifying the Muscovites for the Champions League meet with Chelsea.

Jiri scored seven goals in that first season away from home but fell out of the international reckoning prior to the Czech Republic’s impressive Euro 2004. In the last Russian season CSKA narrowly failed to defend their title, finishing runners-up.

He was injured for the Champions League visit to Stamford Bridge in October, returning in time for the reverse fixture and is unable to play for Chelsea in Europe for the remainder of this campaign. He made his debut versus Scunthorpe in the FA Cup and his league debut a week later at Tottenham.