Sparta Praha v Southampton background

Sparta have not won against English opponents since 1983 but know a victory at home to Southampton would confirm them in the round of 32 with a game to spare.

• Sparta are through with a win or a draw; Southampton progress with a win if Hapoel Tel-Aviv do not beat Inter.

• Hapoel must avoid defeat to keep their hopes alive, or draw provided Southampton do not win; Inter need to win or they cannot qualify.

Previous meetings
• In the Saints' maiden encounter with Czech opposition, they secured a comfortable 3-0 success against Sparta on matchday one.

• Sparta's record in 19 UEFA matches against English rivals is W3 D4 L12 (at home – W2 D2 L5). They are without a victory in their last 15 fixtures involving Premier League teams (D4 L11) since a 3-2 triumph at Watford on 23 November 1983.

Form guide
• Sparta are unbeaten in four home games in Europe this season (W3 D1), and have won both their Group K fixtures in Prague by two-goal margins.

• Southampton have not scored in their last three European away matches – a 0-0 draw and two 1-0 defeats. Indeed, they have scored in only one of their last eight games on the road in Europe (a 2-0 victory at Vitesse in August 2015) since a 3-0 success at Limerick in September 1981.

• Sparta have got to the knockout phase in three of their seven UEFA Cup and UEFA Europa League group stage campaigns, including three of their last four attempts.

• Southampton are making their debut in a UEFA group stage.

Links and trivia
• The journey from Southampton to Prague is about 1,100km.

• Sparta defender Ondřej Mazuch is one game shy of 50 UEFA club competition appearances.

• Sparta's Tomáš Rosický played in England with Arsenal from 2006–16.

The coaches
• Zdeněk Ščasný stepped aside as Sparta coach in the wake of a 2-0 home reverse to Slavia in the 25 September Prague derby. His former assistants David Holoubek, Stanislav Hejkal and Zdeněk Svoboda are in temporary command.

• Frenchman Claude Puel took charge of Southampton this summer. He spent his entire playing career with Monaco, claiming two league titles as a player and one more as a coach. He has since led LOSC, Lyon and – for the past four seasons – Nice.