Villarreal out to stop dark horses Sparta in tracks

• Marcelino predicts a "difficult" evening for the home side
• Sparta could be without as many as five of their first-strength XI
• Villarreal have 100% record at home in Europe this season and are yet to concede
• Sparta are 12 matches unbeaten in the UEFA Europa League
• The Czech team knocked out Lazio in the round of 16

Possible lineups
Villarreal: Asenjo; Mario Gaspar, Bailly, Víctor Ruiz, Marín; Castillejo, Bruno Soriano, Trigueros, Denis Suárez; Soldado, Bakambu.
Out: Jonathan dos Santos (hamstring), Musacchio (thigh), Bonera (groin), Rukavina (suspended)
Doubtful: none
Misses next match if booked: Bruno Soriano

Sparta: Bičík; Brabec, Holek, Costa; Dočkal, Mareček, Matějovský, Frýdek, Krejčí; Juliš, Lafata.
Out: Vácha (unspecified), Zahustel (arm), Jiráček (unspecified)
Doubtful: Bičík (finger), Holek (nose)
Misses next match if booked: Brabec, Dočkal, Frýdek, Costa

Marcelino and Mario Gaspar©AFP/Getty Images

Marcelino, Villarreal coach
Sparta will make things very difficult and we cannot write them off as easy opponents. If they were, they wouldn't be in the quarter-finals of the UEFA Europa League and they wouldn't have beaten tough teams like Krasnodar and Lazio.

We might be the favourites but we'll try not to get into trouble by believing we are already through. Sometimes we forget what a great season we're having. We just think that the enormous success we've had so far is normal. The players are making that possible.

• Like father like son: Martin Frýdek

Zdeněk Ščasný, Sparta coach
Before the tenth minute of every game – regardless of the opposition, even Barcelona – Villarreal create one, two or three clear chances. We have to cover everything they are good at, while also creating our own opportunities. We must acknowledge our qualities and what we can achieve with them.

When analysing previous opponents I've always found weak points. Sometimes it was the space in front of the central defenders, sometimes down the wings. But this time I told the players that after watching four or five Villarreal games I don't see a weak point.

Soldado celebrates his weekend winner©AFP/Getty Images

Weekend results
Eibar 1-2 Villarreal (Capa 22; Adrián López 35, Soldado 50)

Slovácko 2-0 Sparta (Koné 14, Čivić 58)

Form guide (all competitions, most recent first)
Villarreal: WDDLWL
Sparta: LWWWDW

Did you know?
• Villarreal have won all five of their European home fixtures this season without conceding a goal. Sparta are unbeaten in 12 UEFA Europa League outings (W8 D4) and are on a three-game winning streak on the road (3-1, 3-0, 3-0). Read more in our match background.