Dukla Praha (home)
- AC Dukla Praha are in 15th position in the 1. Liga with just two wins in 19 games so far this season.
- David Holoubek has tried to integrate younger players into the Dukla side this term, but his basic strategy has been to keep things tight and try to transition quickly when the ball is won.
- They set up in a 4-2-3-1 or 4-4-2, depending on the game, but always with a compact defence and a few forward players ready to pounce on any turnovers.
- Zlatan Šehović has been ever-present at the centre of defence, leading the team and organising the back four.
- Marcel Čermák is the top scorer for Dukla with four goals.
Sparta Praha (away)
- Sparta Praha recorded a 3-0 Conference League victory at Aberdeen.
- The Prague derby is usually about two giants of Czech football playing each other, but the current context suggests this match-up is more about top versus bottom.
- Brian Priske has recently extended his contract and has re-installed a pressing system that allows the players to be aggressive and adventurous, but also to adapt to different scenarios.
- His team like to play an attacking style, with the wing-backs high and wide in a 3-4-3 system, but they can also get men behind the ball to be compact and difficult to break down.
- Captain Lukáš Haraslín is the most creative player on the pitch on his day and will be looking to unlock the Dukla defence, but Sparta have other attacking talents like Albion Rrahmani and Veljko Birmancević.
Head-to-Head
Sparta Praha have won 14 of the last 20 head-to-head matches, scoring 38 goals to Dukla’s 10 in the process.
Key Players
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Sparta Praha:
- Lukáš Haraslín
- Albion Rrahmani
- Veljko Birmancević
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Dukla Praha:
- Zlatan Šehović
- Marcel Čermák
- Samuel Kelechi Isife
Betting Insights
- Sparta are the clear favorites at 1.54.
- Dukla are priced at 5.9.
- Value could be with the visitors given their recent H2H dominance.
Prediction
- Cold, cloudy conditions and a heavy pitch at Stadion Juliska should suit a physical contest.
- There could be a few goal-scoring opportunities, especially from set plays.
- Sparta have the superior attacking talent and will look to control the tempo.
- Prediction: Sparta to win, with Over 2.5 goals a viable option.
