Meet Lukas Hradecky: A beer-loving Finn who doesn't pull any punches
theScore's Michael J. Chandler spent five days in Germany with Bayer Leverkusen, a trip that included a firsthand look at the fierce rivalry with FC Koln, interviews with various players, and plenty of giant German pretzels. Here's the second story from our week-long series.
LEVERKUSEN - Footballers aren't exactly reliable sources of candid quotes.
It's understandable. The media need the players more than the players need the media. After a match, the mixed zone mirrors a dump with seagulls menacingly circling in search of scraps. We can be a bothersome lot.
Bayer Leverkusen shot-stopper Lukas Hradecky, however, is anything but formulaic. One of the Bundesliga's best at his position, he's also Finland's No. 1 ahead of the Nordic minnow's major-tournament debut at Euro 2020.
Hradecky was particularly great two-and-a-half weeks ago at Bayern Munich, making 10 saves in a victory over the Bavarian behemoths. The 30-year-old 'keeper's efforts were made no easier by a contact lens mishap.
"There was this one shot from (Serge) Gnabry 20 minutes into the game or something," Hradecky told theScore. "I lost it there, it remained in my eye but it went to the corner of my eye then I ran to the bench. And the doc, he put it back. It's the first time that happened in my career."
But the fix wasn't so simple.
"He put it back but he put it back the other way," Hradecky added. "And the last 20 minutes was more of a lottery with seeing the deep balls and stuff.
"I knew that halftime was coming, and maybe I was looking at the clock more often than usual; 'please halftime, please come, don't f--- up, Lukas, don't f--- up.'"
In the end, Hradecky guided Leverkusen to a 2-1 victory, snapping the Bavarians' dominant run under interim manager Hansi Flick. Despite their recent Rhineland derby defeat at FC Koln, Leverkusen are within sight, nine points behind first-placed RB Leipzig and five adrift of seven-time reigning champs Bayern.
"You always expect Bayern to dominate every year," Hradecky said. "(Parity) is good for the public side of it and it's one of the more interesting leagues."
Asked if the struggles of perennial heavyweights Bayern and Borussia Dortmund add additional pressure, Hradecky is refreshingly candid. "In a positive sense, maybe, that you want to perform better now because you have a chance to actually win something."
The day after Juventus bounced Leverkusen from the Champions League, Hradecky gabs with select reporters in teammate Kerem Demirbay's executive suite overlooking the BayArena pitch. A highlight video details Hradecky's finer moments with Die Werkself, including an attempt thwarted by a pair of delicate appendages. Hradecky cackles, noting his "balls aren't even that big." Presumably, that makes the save all the more impressive.
Hradecky has previously claimed he has "the best job in the world," and the amusement with which he speaks makes that clear. He's also not afraid to celebrate his accomplishments with a pint. Videos of him and his Finland mates post-qualification confirm as much, as did the ease with which he opened a beer using a second bottle as a makeshift opener on live TV while with Eintracht Frankfurt.
Even his introduction video for Leverkusen featured a can within arm's reach.
And if the charismatic 'keeper sometimes languishes in the shadow of the Bundesliga's biggest clubs and their marquee stars, the spotlight will shine brightly upon him next summer.
Finland is set to make its major-tournament debut at the 2020 European Championship. Like Iceland in 2016, the Eagle-Owls are a Nordic footballing afterthought looking to make shockwaves, and Hradecky credits the 2016 quarterfinalists as a "big inspiration."
Hradecky, Norwich City star Teemu Pukki, and the rest of the Finland squad will battle in a four-team group featuring tournament favorite Belgium, Denmark, and Russia.
The Russians have been banned from all major international sporting competitions by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and will not be eligible to participate in the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo or the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. But the WADA curiously does not consider UEFA a major tournament organization, so its ruling doesn't apply to Euro 2020.
For his part, Hradecky looks forward to making the short trip to St. Petersburg to play Russia - on one condition.
"As long as they don't use any substances that are prohibited," he says.
The Finnish star reckons his side has a legitimate shot at progressing to the knockout stage. Others don't share Hradecky's optimism, and according to the 57-time capped international, his team is using that as motivation.
"I've heard some of the statements from the press in Belgium and in Denmark and they treat us like that's three points against Finland and it's an easy game," Hradecky admits. "We have a group chat in WhatsApp with the players and we've already been firing it up.
"We definitely don't want to go there just to visit and be tourists. This only motivates us more - to hear this kind of news that completely disregards us."
Should Finland pull off a shock, expect the characteristically buoyant Hradecky to lead the celebrations. With beer in hand, of course.