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Petr Cech 'looking forward' to Belfast hockey return for warm-up matches

Petr Čech will be back in the hockey goal.
Petr Čech will be back in the hockey goal.Profimedia
Former football goalkeeper Petr Cech (42) is set to rejoin the Belfast Giants. The former Chelsea and Arsenal goalkeeper will take part in the weekend's preparation matches against Cardiff Devils and the British national team, who are preparing for the Olympic qualifiers. He will fill in for Jackson Whistle who is currently with the national team.

"I'm looking forward to coming back to Belfast. Everybody knows how I feel about the Giants. It was great with the team last season so I'm excited to be back and involved in training while Jackson is with the British team," said Cech.

The Czech Republic record-breaker for the national team took up hockey after his football career ended in 2019 and made it all the way from the fourth division to the top flight. Last season, he made two guest appearances for Belfast and in November, he played nearly five minutes for them against Glasgow Clan and contributed to a 5-1 win.

"Peter helped us a lot last season when we had problems in goal due to injuries. He's a true professional and a proven winner, having him among the players in training will be a great asset to the team," said Belfast coach Adam Keefe.

"Peter is one of the hardest workers on the ice and it's great to watch him. We are happy to welcome him back," added the Canadian coach about the Champions League winner and four-time Premier League champion.