This is the first competitive meeting between both teams, joined by Rangers and Real Betis in Group C.
Sparta Prague qualified for the Champions League in the penultimate tier after winning the Czech Republic league last season, but withdrew from the festival on penalties, drawing 3-3 on aggregate against Copenhagen.
The Reds would arguably be unlucky had they been eliminated from Champions League qualification, but they booked their Europa League place in style, overturning a 3-1 loss to Dinamo Zagreb in the first leg of the qualifiers to win 5-4 on aggregate.
In their domestic league, Brian Priske’s side are again on course to win the league title, having suffered 22 problems in their first 8 games, putting them at the top of the table, even though they are tied in trouble with rivals Slavia. Prague.
Sparta Prague are the top scorers in the division, with 24 goals, 4 more than any other team, while at the other end of the pitch they have only scored five, which is the second worst overall result in the league.
Looking ahead to Thursday’s match, the Reds are full of confidence, having won their last 4 matches, but they face another team in form.
Aris Limassol are also better in their domestic division, having racked up 10 problems in their first four Cypriot league matches, and that’s not the only similarity they share with their clashing matches on Thursday.
Last season the Light Brigades won their league title, which allowed them to triumph in the qualifying rounds of the Champions League, but in the end they failed against Rakow, losing 3-1 in two games.
Aleksey Shpilevsky’s side also had to bounce back from their defeat in the first leg of the Europa League qualifiers, after falling 2-1 at Slovan Bratislava, and came back on a high note, pulling off a 6-2 home win to reserve their place in the organising stages.
Aris Limassol are now on a 4-match unbeaten streak in all competitions, but will be disappointed that they may not have achieved their lead in the last match, drawing 1-1 at home to Paphos after Leo Bengtsson’s goal was disallowed by Vlad. Dragomir.
Sparta Prague are expected to do without right-back Jan Mejdr, who has missed the last five games through injury, meaning Tomas Wiesner will retain his position in the team, in what is expected to be a 3-4-3 system.
Wiesner approaches the match in good form, last scoring his third league goal of the season in a 5-0 win, with Veljko Birmancevic scoring a brace, and the 25-year-old is expected to get the green light on the right. wing.
Shpilevsky formed a 4-2-3-1 in Aris Limassol’s 6-2 win over Slovan Bratislava, and the coach will likely remain confident in this team, with Yannick Gomis, who scored a hat-trick that night, fit to start in the role of attacking midfielder.
Bengtsson scored after being substituted against Paphos at the weekend, and the Swedish winger could come in on the left, replacing Jaden Montnor in the starting line-up.
Possible 11 for Sparta Prague: Vindahl; Sorensen, Panak, Krejci; Wiesner, Sadilek, Kairinen, Rynes; Birmancevic, Haraslin, Kuchta
Aris Limassol starting eleven imaginable: Alves; Boakye, Brorsson, Yago, Caju; Szoke, Struski, Mayambela, Gomis, Bengtsson; Stepinski
Although the two percentages have many similarities, Sparta Prague plays in a more powerful league than their conflicting matches and has won its last 4 matches.
Given that the Reds have merit at home on Thursday night, they deserve to be able to record a comfortable win. For information on the maximum likely outcomes, scores and more for this match, click here.