Sparta Prague vs Brest prediction: EUROPE: Champions League – League phase betting tips on match 2024-11-05 20:00.
[p]Sparta Prague have produced a mixed bag of results in their first three UEFA Champions League (UCL) main-draw matches this season (W1, D1, L1). Lars Friis’ troops couldn’t have started any better after a resounding 3-0 home win over Red Bull Salzburg, but things proved tougher on their travels after a gutsy 1-1 draw with Stuttgart was followed by a 5-0 thrashing at the hands of Manchester City. [/p]
[p]Those later results form part of an underwhelming last few weeks for the Iron Sparta, who have now won just two of their last eight games in all competitions (D1, L5). That’s hardly form that will give the epet ARENA faithful confidence ahead of the visit of Brest, especially since their side have only ever tasted victory twice against French opposition (D3, L10) and are currently on a six-match losing streak against Ligue 1 teams.[/p]
[p]Those statistics will be music to the ears of Brest ahead of their first-ever competitive trip to the Czech Republic, as they hope to continue what’s been a near-perfect start to their maiden European campaign. The Pirates won their first two games, beating Austrian pair Sturm Graz and Red Bull Salzburg 2-1 and 4-0 respectively, before proving that they can compete with Europe’s best by drawing 1-1 with Bayer Leverkusen in their last UCL outing. [/p]
[p]Éric Roy’s men will be desperate to keep their unbeaten record in continental competition going here, especially as they have been inconsistent domestically, losing five Ligue 1 games already this season (W4, D1), including a 1-0 defeat to Nice at the weekend. Brest could no doubt make their lives easier from now on if they strengthened their defensive unit, which has kept just four clean sheets in their 13 matches this term. [/p]
[p]Key battle: Four of Kaan Kairinen’s five goals for Sparta have served as his side’s opener, with the most recent two coming in this season’s UCL. He’ll likely battle for midfield supremacy with Brest’s Mahdi Camara, who poses a threat himself considering that nine of his last 11 goals have come on the road.[/p]
[p]Hot stat: Sparta have lost just one of their last 12 home European matches (W7, D4). [/p]
[p][i]Written by Peter Stavrinou[/i][/p]