The Czech Republic squad left for Portugal on Thursday aiming for nothing less than winning the Euro 2004 title and bringing the trophy back home. The 1996 runners-up are looking to put a dismal Euro 2000 campaign behind them and restore the pride of a team that won the trophy in 1976 and did not lose in qualifying this time. « I?d accept four wins for the whole tournament. That would mean a win over Latvia, draws with Germany and the Netherlands and then wins in the quarter-finals, semi-finals and the final », said Liverpool midfielder Vladimir Smicer breaking out in a smile. The Czechs face Latvia in Aveiro on Tuesday followed by the Netherlands four days later and Germany in Lisbon on June 23.

Their 23-man squad is loaded with talent from top to bottom with the likes of Juventus?s Pavel Nedved, Tomas Rosicky of Borussia Dortmund and his Bundesliga team mate Jan Koller. But the Czechs are in the toughest group and even a single defeat could prove fatal. « It?s hard to promise anything but obviously we want to win everything. But the main thing for now is to advance from our group », the 23-year-old Rosicky said before boarding their charter flight to Portugal. The experienced Karel Poborsky did not want to look too far into the future as he heads for a tournament that could see him play his 100th international if the team reaches the final. « If we win against Latvia, we don?t go into the next game against the Netherlands having to take three points at all costs. »