In Prague on the hunt for a third Champions League win
After beating PSG in Paris on the last matchday in the League Phase, Atlético are now after three more points to climb the table.
Atlético de Madrid want to build on their 2-1 win in Paris last time out, secured by goals from Molina and Correa. The Rojiblancos go into matchday 5 in 23rd position in the League Phase table, just inside the play-off places. However, they will want another win to keep moving up the ranks in the new-look format of Europe’s premiere club competition.
This is the first time that Sparta Praha and Atlético de Madrid have met in European football. The Czech side have, however, come up against Spanish competition in both the Champions League and Europa League before, and will now host the first meeting between the two teams at the Stadion Letná in Prague.
Last time out in the Champions League, Sparta fell to a 2-1 home defeat at the hands of surprise package Stade Brestois. Following a big 3-0 victory over Salzburg on matchday 1, the Czech giants drew with VfB Stuttgart in Germany (1-1) before a resounding 5-0 defeat away to Manchester City.
The Rojiblancos, after beating RB Leipzig 2-1 at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano on matchday 1, lost back-to-back games against Benfica in Lisbon (4-0) and then at home to LOSC Lille (3-1). The 2-1 win against PSG in Paris will certainly have given the team renewed confidence, however. Diego Pablo Simeone will have Giménez available in Prague after the Uruguayan missed the trip to France through suspension for accumulating too many yellow cards.
