Man City vs Sparta Prague: Match Preview & predictions
Man City vs Sparta Prague: Match Preview & predictions. Pep Guardiola and his Manchester City side take on Czech Republic champions Sparta Prague on Matchday 3 of the Champions League league phase on Wednesday night.
After being held to a stalemate by Inter in a repeat of the 2023 final on Matchday 1, City cruised to all three points away at rookies Slovan Bratislava last time out with six games remaining.
Guardiola’s side remain unbeaten in all competitions this term, but there’s a sense that this City team isn’t quite as infallible compared to previous iterations with midfield maestro Rodri out for the season.
Wednesday’s opponents Sparta have matched City’s four-point haul through two games. The Czech side’s European history is far from rich, but they’re the dominant force domestically having won the Czech First League for the 14th time last season.
Sparta started their league phase campaign with a convincing victory over RB Salzburg before they picked up a respectable point away at Stuttgart on Matchday 2.
Here our guide to clash between Man City’s and Sparta Prague in the Champions League.
What time does Man City vs Sparta Prague kick-off?
Location: Manchester, England
Stadium: Etihad Stadium
Date: Wednesday 23 October
Kick-off Time: 20:00 BST / 15:00 ET / 12:00 PT
Referee: Maurizio Mariani (ITA)
VAR: Aleandro Di Paolo (ITA)
Man City vs Sparta Prague H2H Record (Last Five Games)
This is the first competitive fixture between Man City and Sparta Prague.
Man City team news;
Pep Guardiola looks set to shuffle his pack from the team that started at Wolves on Sunday, but the City boss is somewhat limited as to how many changes he can make.
With Rodri and Oscar Bobb been long-term absentees, while Kevin De Bruyne is continuing to nurse a groin injury sustained on Matchday 1 against Inter. He won’t be in the XI on Wednesday, but the Belgian is expected to return to the fold soon.
Kyle Walker is also out with a thigh injury so there should be another start for Rico Lewis at right-back. Jack Grealish and Phil Foden are expected to come back into the team, while Nathan Ake could offer Josko Gvardiol some respite.
Man City predicted lineup vs Sparta Prague
Man City lineup (4-2-3-1): Ederson; Lewis, Akanji, Dias, Ake; Nunes, Gundogan; Bernardo, Foden, Grealish; Haaland.
Sparta Prague team news;
Elias Cobbaut is yet to feature for Sparta this season and that is unlikely to change on Wednesday night. Imanol Garcia is also out for the away side having torn his anterior cruciate ligament.
Martin Vitik was suspended for the victory over Liberec on Saturday but is eligible to return to the starting XI against City. He should come back into Sparta’s back three right away.
Teenager Roman Mokrovics is also doubt with a knock.
Sparta Prague predicted lineup vs Man City
Sparta Prague lineup (3-4-3): Vindahl; Vitik, Panak, Zeleny; Preciado, Kairinen, Laci, Wiesner; Birmancevic, Rrahmani, Haraslin.
Man City vs Sparta Prague score prediction;
Sparta Prague should prove a more harder opposition than Slovan Bratislava did, but this should be a game where the hosts cruise to victory at the end.
It’s a good opportunity for Guardiola to rest and rotate ahead of their Saturday’s Premier League clash against struggling Southampton.
Their defensive vulnerabilities could be pounced upon once again by a Sparta team that proved devastating in transition against Salzburg, but City are unlikely to give their opponents much of a sniff. City’s main man Erling Haaland’s recent goal drought will surely come to an end on Wednesday should he get to fixture, with the Cityzens bound to win at a canter.
Prediction: Man City 3-1 Sparta Prague
