With a 2-1 defeat in the first leg, Olympique Lyonnais is under immense pressure as they welcome Sparta Prague to Groupama Stadium for the crucial second leg of the UEFA Champions League third qualifying round. The match kicks off at 21:00 and will be streamed live.
Paulo Fonseca has responded to criticism by making bold changes to his starting XI. The Portuguese coach has decided to field Malick Fofana and Ernest Nuamah from the start, alongside returning defender Moussa Niakhaté. The winner of tonight’s clash will face either Fenerbahçe or Sturm Graz in the playoff round.
Lyon’s task is daunting. Despite taking the lead in Prague through an own goal, they collapsed in the second half, conceding two goals within six minutes. The missed penalty by Corentin Tolisso in the 67th minute further compounded their misery. Now, with just one goal separating the two sides, Lyon must find a way to score at least twice tonight to progress.
Both teams earned their European credentials through strong domestic campaigns last season. Lyon finished fourth in Ligue 1 with 60 points—just one behind third-placed Lille—securing their place in this qualifying round. Sparta Prague, meanwhile, ended the Czech league season as runners-up with 76 points, four adrift of champions Slavia Prague.
Despite their domestic success, Sparta Prague arrive in Décines with mixed form. Following their victory over Lyon, they suffered a 2-0 loss to Mladá Boleslav in the league last Saturday. This marks their second domestic defeat in three matches, after a 3-1 reverse against Zbrojovka Brno on the opening day. Lyon, on the other hand, have yet to play a competitive Ligue 1 match this season, making tonight’s fixture their second official outing after the first leg in Prague.