MX23RW : Thursday, November 7 11:48:04| >> :600:237848:237848:
[monks data]
Malmo
Champions League | Playoffs | 1st Leg
Aug 21, 2024 at 8pm UK
Swedbank Stadion

Malmo
0 - 2
Sparta Prague


Busanello (11'), Pena (34'), Christiansen (69')
FT(HT: 0-1)
Stryger Larsen (31' og.), Rynes (89')
Olatunji (40'), Laci (62'), Pesek (85')

Preview: Malmo vs. Sparta Prague - prediction, team news, lineups

Sports Mole previews Wednesday's Champions League clash between Malmo and Sparta Prague, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

Malmo welcome Sparta Prague to Eleda Stadium for the first leg of their Champions League playoff tie on Tuesday night.

The winners of this two-legged tie will qualify for the newly-expanded 36-team Champions League, while the losers will drop down into the Europa League.


Match preview

Lasse Berg Johnsen of Malmo FF celebrates during the UEFA Champions League football match between Malmo FF and Klaksvik on July 23, 2024 [on July 28, 2024]© Imago

After missing out on qualifying for European competition altogether last season, Malmo are vying to advance to the Champions League proper for the fourth time in their history and for the first time since competing in the 2021-22 group stage.

The reigning Swedish Allsvenskan champions, who celebrated winning a record-extending 23rd title last season, have scraped into the Champions League playoff round after being made to work for second and third qualifying round victories over two legs against KI Klaksvik and PAOK respectively.

After beating Faroese-based outfit KI 6-4 on aggregate in the second round, Malmo required extra time in the second leg of their thrilling third-round qualifier with Greek side PAOK and eventually won the contest 6-5 on aggregate - a dramatic 96th-minute equaliser from Nils Zatterstrom in normal time was followed by Anders Christiansen's decisive strike nine minutes into extra time.

Henrik Rydstrom's side have since boosted their hopes of retaining their Swedish top-flight crown, as they came from behind to beat Norrkoping 2-1 on home soil to maintain their nine-point lead at the summit with 11 games remaining.

Malmo will now shift their attention back to the Champions League and welcome a Sparta Prague side to Eleda Stadium, where they have won 10 of their last 13 matches in all competitions within 90 minutes.

Coach of Sparta Prague Lars Friis during second qualifying round UEFA Champions League, 2nd leg match on July 30, 2024 [on August 4, 2024]© Imago

Sparta Prague also head into Wednesday's contest in buoyant mood, as they have kick-started the season with an impressive nine-game unbeaten run in all competitions, winning eight times and scoring 22 goals.

Last season's Czech First League champions secured a 6-2 aggregate victory over Shamrock Rovers in the Champions League second qualifying round at the end of last month, before edging past FCSB 4-3 on aggregate in the third round, beating the Romanian outfit 3-2 away from home in the second leg last week.

After racing into a three-goal lead thanks to strikes from Veljko Birmancevic (2) and Lukas Haraslin, Sparta Prague were given an almighty scare when FCSB pulled two goals back in the second half to set up a nervy finish. However, the Czech outfit held on for the victory to set up their playoff tie with Malmo.

Lars Friis's side have since continued their perfect start on the domestic front, beating Jablonec 2-1 away from home on Saturday to record their fifth win from their opening five Czech top-flight matches and remain top of the table, two points ahead of Viktoria Plzen in second.

Sparta Prague are now bidding to qualify for the main stage of the Champions League for the ninth time in their history and for the first time since competing in the 2005-06 group stage. They competed in last season's Europa League, but were eliminated 11-2 on aggregate by Liverpool in the last 16.

Malmo Champions League form:


Malmo form (all competitions):


Sparta Prague Champions League form:


Sparta Prague form (all competitions):



Team News

Malmos Sebastian Nanasi scores 2 1 during Fridays football match in the Allsvenskan between Sirius and Malmo FF at Studenternas arena in Uppsala  [on July 20, 2024]© Imago

Malmo will be without Niklas Moisander (knee), Anton Tinnerholm (groin) and Stefano Vecchia (back) as they all continue to recover from injury.

Sebastian Nanasi, who scored twice in the second-leg win over PAOK last week, recovered from illness to make an appearance off the bench against Norrkoping last time out, and the winger is in contention to start against Sparta Prague.

Isaac Kiese Thelin and Erik Botheim have scored 28 goals between them in the 2024 campaign and will both be pushing to start in attack on Wednesday.

As for Sparta Prague, summer signing Imanol Garcia de Albeniz has missed the last two games with an unspecified injury and is not expected to recover in time to face Malmo, so either Matej Rynes or Tomas Wiesner are set to start at left wing-back.

In-form attacker Veljko Birmancevic has contributed to six goals (four goals, two assists) in his last five appearances in all competitions and he will likely be recalled to the first XI to start alongside Lukas Haraslin and Victor Olatunji in the front three.


Malmo possible starting lineup:
Dahlin; Larsen, Jansson, Zatterstrom, Busanello; Rieks, Pena, Johnsen, Nanasi; Botheim, Thelin

Sparta Prague possible starting lineup:
Vindahl; Vitik, Sorensen, Zeleny; Preciado, Laci, Kairinen, Rynes; Birmancevic, Olatunji, Haraslin



SM words green background

We say: Malmo 1-2 Sparta Prague

Both teams will fancy their chances of claiming a positive result from Wednesday's contest, but taking into account Sparta Prague's impressive run of form at the start of the new campaign, we can see the Czech-based outfit coming away from Sweden with a slender first-leg victory.



For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.




ID:550770:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:collect13615:

Previews by email

Click here to get Sports Mole's daily email of previews and predictions for every major game!


Game History

How you voted: Malmo vs Sparta Prague

Malmo
37.7%
Draw
17.9%
Sparta Prague
44.4%
223
Collect / Create New Data
Share this article now:
Rangers manager Philippe Clement after the match on August 3, 2024
Read Next:
Tuesday's Champions League predictions including Rangers vs. Dynamo Kiev
>
Sports Mole Logo
Enter your email address to subscribe to Sports Mole's free daily transfer newsletter! Sent twice a day during the transfer window.
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS

League Phase

TeamPWDLPTS
1Liverpool440012
2Sporting Lisbon431010
3Brest431010
4Inter Milan431010
5Monaco431010
6Barcelona43019
7Dortmund43019
8Aston Villa43019
9Atalanta42208
10Juventus42117
11Lille42117
12Man City42117
13Arsenal42117
14B. Leverkusen42117
15Celtic42117
16Dinamo Zagreb42117
17AC Milan42026
18Bayern42026
19Benfica42026
20Feyenoord42026
21Real Madrid42026
22Brugge42026
23Atletico42026
24PSV41215
25Sparta Prague41124
26Stuttgart41124
27PSG41124
28Shakhtar41124
29Girona41033
30Salzburg41033
31Bologna40131
32RB Leipzig40040
33Sturm Graz40040
34Young Boys40040
35Red Star40040
36Slovan Bratislava40040


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!