Sparta Prague will expect to make it two wins from two in the Europa League league phase when they host Lillestrom at epet ARENA on Thursday, with Brian Priske’s side arriving on a five-game winning run. The Czech side have moved through a difficult spell into far better rhythm, while Lillestrom are still trying to respond to an opening defeat and a mixed start to their return to the main stage of continental competition.
For Sparta Prague, the bigger picture is encouraging. Their opening-matchday win over Ararat-Armenia came after a Champions League qualifying defeat to Lyon, but it also marked the start of a stronger run that has now stretched to five straight victories. That sequence included a 4-1 success against Ararat-Armenia, before a 2-0 league win over Pardubice at the weekend kept the momentum moving in the right direction.
Lillestrom, by contrast, are still looking for a foothold. Their 2-1 defeat to Torreense on matchday one put pressure on their campaign immediately, and a 2-2 draw with Molde the weekend before this trip suggests they are not yet quite where they want to be. This is their first return to the main stage of a continental competition since 2000-01, when their previous run ended with a UEFA Cup second-round exit.
Sparta Prague’s form gives them control
The key question for Thursday is whether Sparta Prague can turn good form into another authoritative European performance. They have already shown that they can respond to setbacks, and their recent run has done enough to make them the more reliable side in this fixture.
That does not mean the match is straightforward. Lillestrom have already shown in this competition that they are capable of competing, and a visit to Prague will ask different questions of them. But on current form, Sparta Prague look better balanced, more settled and more likely to dictate the game through their control of momentum.
It is also worth noting how quickly their season has shifted. Between August 8 and September 6, Sparta Prague lost four of six matches during a shaky spell. Since then, the picture has changed sharply, and that is usually what matters most going into a European night: which team arrives with confidence and which arrives still searching for rhythm.
Lillestrom need a response
Lillestrom’s challenge is to stop this becoming a game played entirely on Sparta Prague’s terms. Their opening loss to Torreense left them with work to do, and the draw with Molde was a better result without quite being the kind of statement that would unsettle a side in Sparta Prague’s current form.
There is also the broader issue of experience. A return to this level is valuable in itself, but it can take time to look comfortable again on the continental stage. Sparta Prague have already been tested by Lyon in qualifying and have come through the early part of this campaign with purpose. Lillestrom are still trying to find that same certainty.
As a result, Thursday feels like an early test of whether this Europa League league phase can become a strong one for both clubs. Sparta Prague are in the better run, in the better mood and at home. Lillestrom, meanwhile, need to show that their return to Europe can produce more than just a difficult opening chapter.
For Sparta Prague, the target is simple: keep the winning run going and turn a promising start into a serious position in the group race.
