Feyenoord will hope to solidify their position in the round of 16 playoff spots of the Champions League when they host Sparta Prague on Wednesday at Stadion Feijenoord.
The Dutch side are in 21st place with seven points after five matchdays and occupy the fourth last playoff spot, while their Czech opponents are 28th with four points and were beaten 6-0 by Atletico Madrid on November 26.
Match preview
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Feyenoord will no doubt head into Wednesday's match full of confidence considering they managed to come back from a 3-0 deficit away from home against Manchester City, scoring three times in the last 15 minutes in their stalemate on November 26.
The hosts admittedly benefitted from significant errors from the likes of Ederson and Josko Gvardiol, but they should still be praised given their comeback was the latest a side has been three goals behind in a Champions League game and avoided defeat.
However, boss Brian Priske will be disappointed that his team only have 32 points in the Eredivisie and are already 10 points and three places behind leaders PSV Eindhoven.
De club van het volk's record of 56 goals scored and 16 conceded is the Dutch league's second-best offensive and joint second-best defensive return.
Feyenoord have won three and drawn two of their last five games, but they have only triumphed in two of their past eight Champions League matches, losing on five occasions.
Priske's side's record at Stadion Feijenoord is mixed, with the club having been defeated twice in that period, while also having lost their three most recent home fixtures in Europe's premier competition by a cumulative score of 10-2.
![Coach of Sparta Prague Lars Friis during second qualifying round UEFA Champions League, 2nd leg match on July 30, 2024 [on August 4, 2024]](https://sm.imgix.net/24/31/lars-friis.jpg?w=640&h=480&auto=compress,format&fit=clip "Coach of Sparta Prague Lars Friis during second qualifying round UEFA Champions League, 2nd leg match on July 30, 2024 [on August 4, 2024]")
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As for Sparta Prague, they produced just four shots against Atletico Madrid but faced 24 efforts while also conceding five big chances.
Head coach Lars Friis will be alarmed by his side's defensive performances in the Champions League given his team have conceded 13 goals in their past three outings in Europe.
Sparta won the Czech top flight last term but are currently third with 34 points after 18 matchweeks, 16 fewer than first-placed Slavia Prague.
Friis's side may have won their two most recent games, but they failed to win any of the prior six matches, drawing three and losing three.
The visitors are also winless in their last six away fixtures, though they have won three and drawn one of their past five Champions League games on the road.
Team News
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The hosts will not be able to select strikers Ayase Ueda and Julian Carranza, so perhaps the Dutch team will line up with a front three consisting of Anis Hadj Moussa, Santiago Gimenez and Igor Paixao.
Full-backs Quilindschy Hartman and Hugo Bueno will also miss out, as will defenders Jeyland Mitchell and Jordan Lotomba.
Bart Nieuwkoop and Gijs Smal could start on the right and left of a back four, either side of centre-backs Gernot Trauner and David Hancko.
Meanwhile, the visitors will be without wide player Imanol Garcia de Albeniz for the rest of the season, while Angelo Preciado is not scheduled to return to action until January 2025.
Sparta have used a 3-4-3 shape this season, and it is likely that Tomas Wiesner and Matej Rynes start either side of double pivot Qazim Laci and Kaan Kairinen.
Winger Lukas Haraslin has been ruled out and forward Indrit Tuci is a doubt, so expect Jakub Pesek, Victor Olatunji and Albion Rrahmani to start in attack.
Feyenoord possible starting lineup:
Wellenreuther; Nieuwkoop, Trauner, Hancko, Smal; Milambo, Hwang, Timber; Moussa, Gimenez, Paixao
Sparta Prague possible starting lineup:
Jensen; Vitik, Panak, Cobbaut; Wiesner, Laci, Kairinen, Rynes; Pesek, Olatunji, Rrahmani
We say: Feyenoord 4-2 Sparta Prague
Feyenoord could take advantage of Sparta's defensive vulnerability on Wednesday, and it would not be surprising if they scored multiple goals.
The visitors could find the back of the net themselves given the hosts have struggled for wins in the Champions League, but it is difficult to overlook Sparta's poor record in the competition this term.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Lewis Nolan
