Sparta Prague vs Bournemouth – News and Probable Lineups

Bournemouth, sitting high in the league, will aim to maintain their perfect Europa League record when they visit República Tcheca to take on Sparta Prague at epet ARENA this Thursday evening.

Currently, the Cherries hold the third position in the 36-team League Phase standings, while the Maroons find themselves in 16th place after three matches.

Match overview

Following a difficult start with only two wins in their first eight matches across all competitions (D3 L3), new head coach Marco Rose could not have wished for a better reaction from his Bournemouth team, who have surged with an impressive six consecutive victories, netting 16 goals without conceding.

Three straight 3-0 victories over AC Milan, Manchester United, and Aston Villa during an unforgettable six-day span were followed by a 2-0 success at home against Leeds United in the Premier League last weekend.

Currently ranked eighth in the Premier League, Bournemouth has recorded three consecutive top-flight wins without letting in a single goal for the first time in their history. Additionally, they have won all three of their opening fixtures in their first-ever Europa League campaign – becoming the first club since Sunderland in 1973-74 to do so.

Before their notable home win against Milan, Bournemouth achieved a 2-1 victory away to Real Sociedad on matchday one, followed by a comfortable 3-0 win at home against Sturm Graz; they are among only five teams from 36 that currently maintain a flawless record in this season’s competition.

Since their Championship days under former manager Eddie Howe, Bournemouth has not enjoyed a run of seven consecutive wins across all competitions since January/February 2014, and they now head to República Tcheca seeking to achieve back-to-back competitive away victories for the first time this season.

Having taken part in European competitions for the fourth successive season, Sparta Prague has had a mixed start in their Europa League campaign, claiming one win, one draw, and one loss from their initial three matches.

After securing a 4-1 win away against Arara-Armênia and a 1-1 draw at home against Lillestrom, the Maroons succumbed to a narrow 1-0 defeat at the hands of Olympiacos a fortnight ago, yet head coach Brian Priske remains optimistic about his team’s playoff qualification chances.

However, consistency in scoring goals is a concern for Priske, as Sparta has notably not found the net in four out of their last five matches across all competitions and head into Thursday’s fixture following two underwhelming domestic results.

Last week, the Maroons faced elimination in the fourth round of the Czech Cup after losing 2-0 at home to Banik, and they find themselves eight points adrift of city rivals Slavia Prague at the pinnacle of the Czech First League after being held to a scoreless draw by bottom-half team Bohemians 1905 last Sunday.

Sparta will be hoping that a European encounter in front of their passionate fans can ignite a resurgence in form, as they welcome Bournemouth to epet ARENA with an impressive record of only one loss in their last nine UEFA home fixtures (W6 D2).

Team News

Sparta Prague will still be without the services of Matej Rynes, Adam Karabec (both ankle), Magnus Kofod Andersen (knee), and Emmanuel Uchenna (thigh) due to injuries.

Leading scorer John Mercado has tallied seven goals this season, but the winger missed the previous two matches with a calf injury and will be evaluated prior to kickoff on Thursday.

Former Wolves defender Ki-Jana Hoever is likely to maintain his position at right-back, joining captain Jaroslav Zeleny, Tobias Guddal and either Viktor Vitalyos or Martin Suchomel in a four-man defensive line, while Scottish midfielder Andy Irving – who was signed from West Ham in the summer – will be pushing for a recall.

For Bournemouth, key midfielder Alex Scott (hamstring) is nearing a comeback but will not be fit to play on Thursday, while Alex Toth and Julian Araujo (both thigh) are also out.

Bafode Diakite is just one match away from a suspension in the Europa League, but the defender is still in contention to feature and might take James Hill’s place in the starting lineup, partnering Antonio Silva at centre-back.

Players such as Ben Gannon-Doak, Lewis Cook, Amine Adli, and Eli Junior Kroupi are also vying for a starting spot, while Evanilson will aim to keep his position up front after scoring five goals in his last six appearances across all competitions.

Sparta Prague probable starting XI:

Surovcik; Hoever, Zeleny, Guddal, Vitalyos; Irving, Manswork, Sochurek; Jurasek, Vojta, Alcocer

Bournemouth probable starting XI:

Of Gregory; Smith, Diakite, Silva, Soler; Adams, Cook; Tavernier, Croupee, Gannon-Doak; Rodriguez

Bournemouth’s rapid advancement in both offensive and defensive capabilities has turned them into a potent opponent, making them clear favorites against a struggling Sparta Prague side.

While the Cherries should not take the Maroons lightly on their own ground, Rose is likely to field a strong enough side that can continue their remarkable winning streak while keeping another clean sheet.