After five seasons at Sparta Prague, captain Lukas Haraslin completed his transfer to Al-Fateh in Saudi Arabia just days after the first-leg victory over Lyon. The move, reportedly worth around €5 million, follows the earlier exit of striker Jan Kuchta to Legia Warsaw. These departures have left head coach Brian Priske with significant rebuilding to do ahead of the decisive return fixture in Lyon.

Sparta faces Lyon with a reshaped squad. Despite Saturday’s league setback at Mladá Boleslav — where Priske fielded seven new faces — the Czech side remains confident. « We have a real opportunity to qualify if we replicate our first-leg performance », Priske emphasized. « Lyon came here for their season opener. It’s never straightforward, especially against a team that hasn’t played since. We hope to be consistent, particularly in midfield. »

With Haraslin unavailable, his replacement Josimar Alcocer — who impressed in the first leg — is expected to retain his starting berth. The Sparta side that secured a 2-1 win in the opening leg will likely line up unchanged at Groupama Stadium, aiming to overturn Lyon’s away goal advantage.