Libor Kozák


Libor Kozák is a Czech professional footballer who plays as a striker for Fortuna Liga club Sparta Prague and the Czech Republic national team.

Club career

SFC Opava

Kozák started his career in 2001 with Czech club Slezský FC Opava, first playing with its youth teams before being promoted to the first team in 2007. Considered a promising talent, Kozák was a prolific goalscorer in the Czech Second Division with Opava. In October 2007, he scored his first hat-trick, coming in a 5–1 Opava win against FC Zenit Čáslav in the second division.
In January 2008, Kozák went on trial with English Premier League club Portsmouth, however he did not join Pompey. At the end of the season, Italian giants Lazio came calling and Kozák accepted a move to Rome.

Lazio

Kozák joined Lazio in July 2008, signing a five-year contract, with rumours that Lazio club president Claudio Lotito paid a €1.2 million transfer fee.
Kozák made his Serie A debut on 2 May 2009, coming on as a substitute for Mauro Zárate in the 84th minute against Inter at the San Siro. Lazio lost the match 0–2.
After a season at Lazio, the club loaned him to Serie B side Brescia for the 2009–10 season, to gain experience and regular playing time. On 26 September 2009, Kozák scored his first goal in Italy against Grosseto.
At the end of his loan spell, he returned to Lazio. He scored his first goal for the Biancocelesti on 18 September 2010 which turned out to be the winner against Fiorentina. On 16 January 2011, he netted the deciding goal against Sampdoria before registering his third and fourth goals for Lazio two weeks later, against Fiorentina once again. Having achieved four goals in nine starts for Lazio of which four goals came in January, Michal Bílek, manager of the Czech Republic, suggested Kozak would be called up to the national team and announced he would be make a special trip to the Stadio Olimpico to watch his game against A.S. Bari.
In the 2012–13 season Kozák, under coach Vladimir Petković, experienced a two-faced season failing to score in 19 appearances in Serie A, but finishing the season as the leading goal scorer in the Europa League with 8 goals. He scored his first club hat trick against VfB Stuttgart in Rome on 14 March 2013, helping his team reach the last eight by an aggregate score of 5–1.

Aston Villa

On 2 September 2013, Kozák signed a four-year deal with English side Aston Villa for €6.5 million transfer fee, being assigned the number 27 shirt. On 14 September 2013, he made his Aston Villa debut at Villa Park, but couldn't prevent the side from losing 2–1 to Newcastle United. On 21 September 2013, he scored his first goal for Villa, seconds after replacing Christian Benteke, against Norwich City which proved to be the winning goal in a 1–0 victory. On 9 November 2013, he scored his second Villa goal with a header in a 2–0 victory against Cardiff City. On 4 December 2013, he scored the second goal in a 3–2 victory over Southampton. On 21 December 2013, he scored the only goal for Villa in a 2–1 loss to Stoke City at the Britannia Stadium.
On 2 January 2014 Villa announced that Kozak had broken his right leg in a training ground collision with teammate Ciaran Clark, and would miss the rest of the 2013–14 season. Complications and further injuries saw him miss the entire 2014–15 season as well. He eventually made his come back 15 months after the initial leg break in March 2015 in an under-21 match against Wolverhampton Wanderers. He made his first team comeback in July 2015 in a 3–1 pre-season defeat to Fulham, in which he scored for the first time since December 2013. In February 2017, with Kozak's contract running out at the end of season, Aston Villa announced that he would miss the rest of the season undergoing surgery on his ankle.
Kozák was released by Aston Villa at the end of the 2016–17 season.

Bari

On 30 August 2017, Kozak joined Serie B team Bari.

Livorno

On 16 July 2018, Kozák signed with Livorno.

Sparta

On 28 May 2019, Kozák signed with Sparta Prague.

International career

Kozák played for the Czech under-21 team, representing the team at the 2011 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship.
Kozák received his first call up for the senior Czech national team on 15 March 2011, when coach Michal Bílek selected him in his squad to take on Spain and Liechtenstein, however Kozák did not make his senior international debut.

Career statistics

Club

International

International goals

No.DateVenueCapOpponentScoreResultCompetition
114 August 2013Puskás Ferenc Stadion, Budapest, Hungary41–01–1Friendly
210 September 2013Juventus Stadium, Turin, Italy61–02–12014 FIFA World Cup qualification
-------2014 FIFA World Cup qualification

Honours

Club

Lazio