Bournemouth will look to keep their perfect start in the Europa League intact when they hit the road to face Sparta Prague.
Sparta Prague will look to return to winning ways in the Europa League when they host Bournemouth on Thursday. The home team haven’t been in the best of form in recent weeks, and going up against the Cherries won’t be an easy game for them.
The home team are 16th on the table with four points in their three outings. They started their European campaign with a dominant 4-1 win over Ararat-Armenia but could only manage a draw against Lillestrøm in matchday 2.
Sparta Prague ended up suffering a 1-0 defeat to Olympiacos in their last European outing and have only won one of their last three domestic outings since. They are heading into this fixture on the back of a goalless draw against Bohemians 1905.
While their overall form hasn’t been good enough, a win here could get them on a roll. Meanwhile, the Cherries have won each of their three European outings, and they sit third on the UEL table. Bournemouth started their European campaign with a 2-1 win over Real Sociedad and backed it up with two 3-0 wins over Sturm Graz and AC Milan.
The fact that they took down European giants Milan without much trouble is just an indication of the kind of form they have been in. They have won each of their last six games across competitions without conceding a goal. They will certainly be out-and-out favourites to win here. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could deploy.
Team News & Tactics
Sparta Prague
The home team are without the services of Matej Rynes (ankle), Adam Karabec (ankle), Magnus Kofod Andersen (knee) and Emmanuel Uchenna (thigh) due to injury. Meanwhile, John Mercado will undergo a late fitness test to determine their availability.
Sparta Prague are likely to line up in a 4-3-3 formation, with Jakub Surovcik starting in goal. Ki-Jana Hoever and Viktor Vitalyos should occupy the full-back positions, while Jaroslav Zeleny is expected to partner Tobias Guddal in central defence.
Andy Irving, Sivert Heggheim Mannsverk and Hugo Sochurek are likely to form the midfield trio, with the three players tasked with controlling possession and providing a link between defence and attack. However, they are likely to have a lot of defending to do here.
Matej Jurasek and Josimar Alcocer should operate on the flanks, while Matyas Vojta leads the line. The attacking trio will look to use their movement and pace to trouble the opposition defence at every possible opportunity.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Surovcik; Hoever, Zeleny, Guddal, Vitalyos; Irving, Mannsverk, Sochurek; Jurasek, Vojta, Alcocer
Bournemouth
The visitors will be without the services of Alex Scott (hamstring), Alex Toth (thigh) and Julian Araujo (thigh) due to injury. Apart from the trio, everyone else should be available for selection.
Bournemouth are likely to line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Michele Di Gregorio starting in goal. Adam Smith and Julio Soler could occupy the full-back positions, while Bafode Diakite is expected to partner Antonio Silva in the heart of the defence for this fixture.
Tyler Adams and Lewis Cook are likely to form the midfield double pivot, providing defensive cover while helping Bournemouth control the tempo of the game.
Marcus Tavernier and Ben Gannon-Doak should operate on the flanks, with Justin Kluivert taking up the attacking midfield role behind the striker.
Alvaro Rodriguez is expected to lead the line. He will be eager to make the most of this rare opportunity to start.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Di Gregorio; Smith, Diakite, Silva, Soler; Adams, Cook; Tavernier, Kluivert, Gannon-Doak; Rodriguez
Key Stats
- Sparta have bagged 16 goals in their last eight outings.
- Bournemouth have found the back of the net in each of their five games this term.
- The home team have only conceded six goals in their last 10 matches; they have kept a clean sheet in five of those outings.
- The Cherries have won all three of their European games, scoring eight goals, while conceding just once.
- Sparta have won three out of their last five home games.
Player to Watch
Justin Kluivert
The 27-year-old Dutch international has had an impressive start to the season with five goal contributions in his 12 outings. He has started two out of their three European outings and has bagged a goal in both those fixtures.
Given the kind of form he has been in, Kluivert could have a big say in the end result of this fixture. He certainly will be very difficult for the Sparta defenders to deal with.
Prediction
Sparta Prague 0-3 Bournemouth
Sparta Prague will be hoping to make home advantage count, but their recent struggles could make this a difficult evening against an in-form Bournemouth side. The hosts have shown they can score goals, yet they will need to be far more disciplined defensively to contain the Cherries.
With the visitors winning their last six games without conceding, breaking down their defence will be a major challenge for Sparta. Bournemouth have been exceptional in Europe, winning all three of their Europa League fixtures while demonstrating their ability to compete against quality opposition.
Their defensive solidity and attacking efficiency should give them the upper hand. The Hard Tackle predicts a comfortable 3-0 win for the Cherries.
