Ararat-Armenia vs Sparta Prague – News and Probable Lineups

The first continental match for Ararat-Armênia will see them facing off against Sparta Prague at the Vazgen Sargsyan Republican Stadium as both teams launch their Europa League journeys on Wednesday evening.

This will be the third official encounter between these teams, following the República Tcheca side’s aggregate victory of 6-2 in their Conference League qualifying clash last season.

Match overview

After securing the Armênian Premier League title for the third time last season, Ararat has finally achieved their goal of participating in the continental main stage, although the road to get there was not without its challenges.

Tulipa’s squad found themselves in Europa League qualifying after being knocked out by NK Celje in the Champions League third qualifying round, but they fought back to win against Universitatea Craiova in the subsequent playoff, becoming the first Armênian club to reach the main stage of that competition.

Ararat enters this new phase with notable momentum, having not conceded a goal in their past two matches in the Armênian top division, including a decisive 3-0 victory against Syunik at the Football Academy Stadium over the weekend, positioning them third in the league table and five points behind leaders Noah.

In contrast, the club based in Yerevan faces challenges on the European scene due to their stadium’s capacity of just 1,428 falling short of UEFA’s minimum specifications, though the Vazgen Sargsyan Republican Stadium has become an adopted stronghold for them.

Tulipa’s men have won in both of their continental games at that venue this season, marking a total of four European victories at home, where they have netted multiple goals in three of those encounters while conceding only once during this run, hoping that this strong form continues on Wednesday.

Similarly, Sparta has also faced difficulties in their Champions League qualifying campaign, being eliminated by Lyon in the third round, but they secured direct entry into the Europa League’s main stage, avoiding any extra playoff rounds due to the path they took in this competition.

This represents an improvement compared to the last campaign when the Reds made it to the Conference League round of 16 but were ultimately defeated by AZ Alkmaar with an aggregate score of 6-1.

Sparta’s away form has raised concerns this season, with the Prague team suffering four defeats in six away matches, with their only wins in that period coming against newcomers Artis Brno and second-tier Zizkov in the domestic cup.

Backed by that cup performance, the Reds achieved a convincing 2-0 victory against Jablonec over the weekend, but this result leaves Brian Priske’s team in ninth position in the Czech top-flight standings, although the display has at least provided a confidence boost ahead of their European fixture on Wednesday.

Team News

Ararat has no significant new injury concerns, while Joao Bravim may return to the goal, meaning Arman Nersesyan could be replaced after starting last weekend.

Franca Carlos found the back of the net last time out, scoring in consecutive matches, and is likely to maintain his place in midfield, while Arayik Eloyan’s brace against Syunik further supports his case for another start as the central striker.

Conversely, Sparta is dealing with a considerable number of absences, with Adam Sevínsky suspended following a red card in their continental defeat at Lyon.

Injuries also pose problems, with Magnus Andersen unavailable after knee surgery, and Sivert Mannsverk is also out; Emmanuel Uchenna and Jakub Martinec are doubts heading into the match.

Josimar Alcocer has scored four goals in his last six appearances for Sparta, including the opener in their recent home win against Jablonec, making him a key player to watch in the visitors’ attack.

Ararat-Armênia probable starting XI:

ब्राविम; Julio, Valdez, Malis, Grigoryan; Oliveira, Muradyan; Serobyan, Franca, Banjaqui; Eloyan

Sparta Prague probable starting XI:

Surovcik; Kaderabek, Guddall, Mbe Soh, Zeleny; Macek, Eneme; Market, Karabec, Alcocer; Voyage

Despite both teams approaching this match with contrasting home and away forms, Sparta is still seen as the favorite due to their impeccable record against Ararat and the considerable European experience they possess.

Therefore, while the visitors are expected to secure a win, the hosts are unlikely to give in without a fight.