Depleted Sparta need home help versus Villarreal
Wednesday, April 13, 2016
Article summary
Sparta could be shorn of half their first-choice XI against Villarreal but if their UEFA Europa League campaign has taught us anything, it is that they can never be discounted.
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- Villarreal lead the quarter-final 2-1 going into Thursday's second leg
- Cédric Bakambu has scored nine goals in his last nine outings
- Sparta are 17 matches unbeaten at home, winning 15 of them
- Villarreal have won just one of their last nine away games
- Semi-final draw streamed live from Nyon at 12.30CET on Friday 15 April
Possible lineups
Sparta: Bičík; Mareček, Kováč, Frýdek; Konaté, Dočkal, Vácha, Matějovský, Krejčí; Juliš, Lafata.
Out: Zahustel (arm), Holek (calf), Mazuch (unspecified), Jiráček (unspecified), Brabec (suspended), Costa (suspended)
Doubtful: Vácha (illness)
Misses next match if booked: Dočkal, Frýdek, Matějovský
Villarreal: Asenjo; Mario Gaspar, Bailly, Víctor Ruiz, Jaume Costa; Castillejo, Bruno Soriano, Trigueros, Denis Suárez; Soldado, Bakambu.
Out: Musacchio (thigh), Bonera (groin)
Doubtful: none
Misses next match if booked: Bruno Soriano, Jaume Costa
Zdeněk Ščasný, Sparta coach
It is hard for me to predict what tactics Villarreal will use tomorrow. I myself am curious. They were in a similar situation before their away second leg against Leverkusen – in this game they played more defensively but still managed to carve out chances. They are still favourites.
We're still working on our tactical options, but whatever we decide injuries mean several of our players will be playing out of position. We have called up several prospects from our Under-19 team who clinched their title on Wednesday. But I cannot give them such a harsh test at the beginning of their careers.
Marcelino, Villarreal coach
There are two ways of approaching this game. One is beneficial to us, the other is negative. It would be negative for us to approach it thinking we were much the better team in the first leg, had lots of chances and could have got a much bigger win.
The other way to look at it is like this – we were only able to win 2-1 and will have a difficult game because Sparta have shown they are a very efficient team. We have to try and concede as few chances as possible and try to be very aggressive and determined.
Weekend results
Sparta 2-1 Příbram (Dočkal 66, Lafata 86; Šabala 3)
Villarreal 2-0 Getafe (Suárez 15, Bakambu 84)
Form guide (all competitions, most recent first)
Sparta: WLLWWW
Villarreal: WWWDDL
Did you know?
• Villarreal are now the highest-scoring club in the history of the UEFA Europa League with 78 goals. Read more in our match background.