Sparta Prague vs RB Salzburg

Sparta Prague’s first Champions League campaign in almost two decades kicks off at the epet ARENA as they lock horns with perennial contestants RB Salzburg.

After suffering nine eliminations at the qualifying stage, Sparta Prague navigated three daunting qualifying ties against Shamrock Rovers, FCSB, and Malmo to reach the Champions League main phase after 19 years away. Back at Europe’s top table after nearly two decades, the Czech champions head into round one in a buoyant mood amidst a near-flawless start to the season, having gone unbeaten in 13 matches across all competitions (W11, D2). They’ve been particularly dominant in Champions League qualifiers, racking up five wins and a draw while tallying an eye-catching 14 goals. The hosts have recently excelled in European home fixtures, succumbing to just one defeat in their last 11 continental outings at the epet ARENA (W6, D4). On top of that, they boast a superb H2H record against Austrian foes (W4, D4, L1).

Unlike their hosts, Salzburg have grown familiar with this competition as they embark on their sixth successive campaign in the Champions League main stage. However, they’ve reached the knockout rounds only once from their previous five attempts, highlighting the pressure on Pep Lijnders’ side to make it out of the newly formatted league phase. Salzburg must address their travel sickness on the European front to bolster their chances of progression after picking up just four wins from their last 19 away matches in the Champions League proper (D6, L9). With high-profile encounters against PSG, Real Madrid, and Bayer Leverkusen on the horizon, anything other than three points in Prague would likely render Salzburg’s progression hopes dead in the water.