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UCL Preview: Lyon look to battle back against Sparta Prague

Get the latest as Olympique Lyonnais get set to face Sparta Prague in the second leg of their Champions League third round qualifying tie, looking to overcome a 2-1 deficit from the first leg in Czechia.
E. DEVIN
Published on 08/11/2026 at 00:00
2-minute read
Lyon will hope to overturn a 2-1 deficit from the first leg of the Champions League qualifying tie

Get the latest as Olympique Lyonnais get set to face Sparta Prague in the second leg of their Champions League third round qualifying tie, looking to overcome a 2-1 deficit from the first leg in Czechia.

"We have to score first"

This was the opinion of Lyon manager Paulo Fonseca, speaking in today's pre-match press conference. While admittedly not a total imperative, given not only their attacking talent but the fact that they have only a one-goal deficit to overturn, life could be made rather difficult for Les Gones if this isn't the case. But while the frustration over what could have been in the first leg -- including a missed penalty -- is surely foremost in the players' minds, Fonseca will have a far more complete and veteran squad to handle this leg.

Nicolás Tagliafico has only just returned from World Cup duty and Mads Bistrup and Pavel Šulc aren't yet fit, but Fonseca will welcome the return of defensive bedrock Moussa Niakhaté at the back, with Malick Fofana and Ernest Nuamah also likely to start on the flanks, the pair only having come off the bench in Czechia.

All-in on Europe 

As for the visitors, they are likely to name an unchanged lineup, but they did sanction the departure of captain Lukas Haraslin after last week's second leg. The veteran winger and Slovak international departs the club after five seasons, but his teammates will be ready to make up for his absence as this match is the focus -- manager Brian Priske changed all but four players in the weekend's 2-0 loss to Mlada Boleslav.

As a whole, the Czechia side expect a difficult atmosphere at Groupama Stadium. Speaking pre-match, forward Jonatan Braut Branes underscored this saying, "I expect a tough game. We really good in the last game, but I expect that we will have to be even better tomorrow to go through." 

Predicted lineups:

Olympique Lyonnais (4-3-3): Grief; Maitland-Niles, Kluivert, Niakhaté, Abner; Morton, Tessmann, Tolisso; Nuamah, Openda, Fofana

Sparta Prague (4-2-3-1): Surovcik; Suchomel, Sevinsky, Sorenson, Rynes; Macek, Irving; Mercado, Karabec, Alcocer; Braut Branes

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