Sparta Prague (Cze) vs FC Copenhagen (Den) prediction: EUROPE: Champions League – Qualification betting tips on match 2023-08-14 17:00.
Sparta Prague and FC Copenhagen couldn’t be separated in the Danish capital last week, with a 0-0 draw giving the Czech side a slight advantage heading into the return leg at Letná Stadium. As they pursue their first UEFA Champions League (UCL) group stage appearance since 2005/06 against the backdrop of thumping five-goal league hauls against Pardubice (5-2) and Jablonec (5-1) in August, Sparta need to overcome a 12-game winless streak (D4, L8) in the third qualification round (3QR) of either the UCL or Europa League that dates back to 2014/15.
Nonetheless, Sparta manager Brian Priske was proud of taking a draw home from Denmark against an opponent “who is used to playing in the Champions League and other European cups”. He publicly dared his players to be “braver and better” in attack, and having picked up their last four wins in any UEFA competition within the walls of Letná, there appears no better place than home to move into the play-off round.
Copenhagen manager Jacob Neestrup believed his side should have come away with a one-goal win on the balance of the numbers, but he was nonetheless relieved to have kept a clean sheet with a “more cynical” approach when compared with their 6-3 win at home to Iceland’s Breidablik in the previous round of qualification.
A 2-1 league win against Odense at the weekend maintained their undefeated streak in all competitions this season (W6, D1), a run built on a strong foundation of five consecutive half-time leads prior to their previous meeting with Sparta. But that clash demonstrated just how much more difficult scoring is against this opposition, and failing to get past them at Parken leaves them in the position of needing their first UCL 3QR away win in more than a decade (D3, L1) to progress.
Players to watch: It was midfielder Jaroslav ZelenĂ˝ who recorded Sparta’s most recent UEFA goal – away to Norway’s Viking FK last season – but he’s yet to find the net in any competition in 2022/23. Elias Achouri could be in line for a start for Copenhagen after his weekend goal added to one scored off the bench against Breidablik earlier in the month.
Hot stat: Five of Sparta’s nine UEFA games against Danish opposition this century finished 0-0 (W2, D5, L2).