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November 24 2024, 19:20 · Alex Lawes

Sparta Prague vs Atletico Madrid Preview: Team News & Prediction

Sparta Prague vs Atletico Madrid Preview: Team News & Prediction
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Czech champions Sparta Prague have shown encouraging signs in this UEFA Champions League campaign as inconsistent Atletico Madrid make the trip to the Czech capital.

Kick-off date/time: Tuesday 26th November, 2024: UK – 5:45pm / US ET – 12:45pm / US PT – 9:45am

How to watch on TV: UK – TNT Sports / US – Not televised

How to watch online: UK – Discovery+ / US – Paramount+

Sparta Prague Preview: Czech qualification in the balance

Sparta Prague come into this one on the back of a 1-1 draw at home to Teplice in their most recent outing at the weekend in the Czech First League. They sit fourth in the Czech top-flight after an underwhelming start to the campaign.

The home team lost manager Brian Riemer to Feyenoord over the summer. They have started the 2024/25 UEFA Champions League league phase campaign with one victory, a draw and two defeats in their opening four matches. 

Atletico Madrid Preview: Atleti’s inconsistency

Diego Simeone remains in charge of Atletico Madrid but the long-term Los Rojiblancos boss has come under a lot of criticism this season due to their failure to properly evolve the style of football despite the spending of well over £100 million in the summer.

They do come into this one on the back of a come-from-behind 2-1 defeat of Deportivo Alaves in La Liga at the weekend and produced a last-gasp victory over Paris Saint-Germain at the Parc des Princes at the start of this month.

Sparta Prague Team News: Key absentees

Sparta Prague are dealing with a few injury absentees for this weekend’s visit of Atletico Madrid. Defender Angelo Preciado is sidelined alongside young Serbia international Veljko Birmancevic, whilst the experienced Jaroslav Zeleny is also missing due to injury.

Predicted XI (4-3-3): Vindahl-Jensen; Vitik, Panak, Cobbaut; Wiesner, Laci, Kairinen, Rynes; Pesek, Olatunji, Rrahmani

Unavailable: Preciado (Injured), Zeleny (Injured), Birmancevic (Injured)

Questionable: 

Key Stats

  • Sparta Praha have won their last two UEFA competition group/league matches at home against Spanish teams; W 3-1 vs Athletic Club (2012/13 Europa League) and W 1-0 vs Real Betis (2023/24 Europa League).
  • Sparta Praha have lost their previous four matches against Spanish teams in the UEFA Champions League competition proper.
  • Sparta Praha’s last victory against a Spanish team in the European Cup/UEFA Champions League was a 1-0 home win against Barcelona in the European Cup group stage in April 1992 (Barcelona went on to win the tournament).
  • Despite losing at home on Matchday 4 to Brest, Sparta Praha have lost only two of their last 13 UEFA competition matches at home (W7 D4).
  • Sparta Praha have won only one of their last 18 matches in the UEFA Champions League competition proper (D5 L12).
  • Sparta Praha have only failed to score in one of their last 17 UEFA competition matches.
  • Atlético have won two and lost two of their previous four UEFA competition matches against Czech teams. This is their first encounter against a Czech club since the 2012/13 Europa League group stage, when they lost 1-0 away against Viktoria Plzeň in December 2012, after winning 1-0 at home two months earlier.
  • Atlético are aiming to win successive away matches in the UEFA Champions League for the first time since the 2021/22 season.
  • Atlético have only failed to score in two of their last 16 UEFA Champions League matches.
  • There have been three or more goals scored in 11 of Atlético’s last 13 matches in the UEFA Champions League proper.
  • Antoine Griezmann and Koke have both made 99 appearances in the UEFA Champions League proper. Koke could become the first player to make 100 appearances in the UEFA Champions League proper for Atleti. Griezmann could become the fourth French player to reach the landmark of 100 appearances in the UEFA Champions League proper after Karim Benzema (152), Thierry Henry (112) and Patrice Evra (108).
  • 48 players have reached the landmark of 100 appearances in the UEFA Champions League proper, if Antoine Griezmann and Koke both play in this match the total will increase to 50. There has never been an instance where two players have made their 100th appearance in the same match.

Atletico Madrid Team News: Nahuel Molina doubt

Atletico will continue to be without France international Thomas Lemar, whilst Argentina defender Nahuel Molina remains a doubt. The recent inclusion of Giuliano Simeone, son of Diego, has offered more balance and tenacity to the Atletico attack. 

Predicted XI (4-4-2): Oblak; Molina, Witsel, Lenglet, Galan; Simeone, De Paul, Barrios, Gallagher; Griezmann, Alvarez

Unavailable: Lemar (Injured)

Questionable: Nahuel Molina (Injured)

Sparta Prague vs Atletico Madrid Prediction

Sparta Prague qualified for the UEFA Champions League in dramatic circumstances with a two-legged playoff round defeat of Malmo in August but their general performance level has declined since the departure of the aforementioned Riemer. Atletico, on the other hand, will head into this knowing they have the capability to once again grind out victories so they are favourites but it is unlikely to be overly entertaining for the neutral. 

Sparta Prague vs Atletico Madrid Tip: Atletico Madrid to win & under 3.5 goals

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