Sparta Praha v Krasnodar background
Monday, January 4, 2016
Article summary
Krasnodar make a 1,700km journey to Prague for their first springtime UEFA tie, with Czech champions Sparta Praha still unbeaten in this season's UEFA Europa League.
Article top media content
Article body
AC Sparta Praha have yet to win a game in Russia and will be looking to establish a first-leg advantage as they welcome FC Krasnodar, who are making their UEFA Europa League round of 32 debut.
Previous meetings
• This is the sides' first competitive meeting and Krasnodar's maiden competitive encounter with Czech opponents.
• The clubs drew 1-1 in a friendly in Spain in February 2014. David Lafata scored for Sparta, while Pavel Mamaev equalised for Krasnodar.
• Sparta's 11 games against Russian teams have ended W2 D5 L4 (W2 D2 L2 in Prague – W0 D3 L2 in Russia).
Form guide
• Sparta are unbeaten in eight European fixtures (W4 D4) since succumbing 3-2 at home to Krasnodar's domestic rivals PFC CSKA Moskva in the second leg of their UEFA Champions League third qualifying round tie on 5 August.
• Krasnodar are undefeated in five European games (W4 D1), conceding just twice during that run.
• Sparta last made it to the round of 32 in 2012/13, losing to Chelsea FC. They reached the UEFA Cup quarter-finals in 1984/85 – their best campaign in this competition.
• This is Krasnodar's first springtime UEFA tie. They failed to advance beyond the group stage in 2014/15 in what was their maiden season in Europe.
Trivia and links
• The journey from Krasnodar to Prague is around 1,700km.
• Krasnodar forward Wanderson turns 30 on the day of the Sparta game. Sparta's Kehinde Fatai will be 26 the day after.
• Sparta's Radoslav Kováč played in Russia for FC Spartak Moskva from 2005 to 2009; Krasnodar's Dmitri Torbinski (2005–07) and Vladimir Bystrov (2005–09) were among his team-mates.
• Sparta's Michal Breznaník also played in Russia for FC Amkar Perm from 2012 to 2014.
• Sparta's Bořek Dočkal and Krasnodar's Stefan Strandberg were team-mates at Norwegian side Rosenborg BK from 2012 to 2013.
• Krasnodar are one of four clubs to have made it all the way from the third qualifying round to the round of 32 this term, along with AS Saint-Étienne, Athletic Club and Borussia Dortmund.
• Sparta were penalised for 121 fouls during the group stage – 17 more than any other team – and were shown 21 yellow cards (only eliminated FK Partizan received as many).
• Krasnodar's French midfielder Charles Kaboré can make his 50th UEFA club competition appearance in the first leg.
The coaches
• Experienced trainer Zdeněk Ščasný, 58, took over at Sparta in April. Once a defender cum midfielder, he won Czechoslovak titles with FK Dukla Praha and Sparta. As a coach, he steered Sparta to two championships in the 1990s and has also managed in Greece and Hungary.
• Oleg Kononov has coached Krasnodar since 2013 and led his charges to an impressive third-place finish in Russia last term. This is his third UEFA Europa League campaign – he made it to the group stage with FC Karpaty Lviv in 2010/11 and with Krasnodar last year.