Prediction: Sparta Prague vs Ararat-Armenia

Prediction: Sparta Prague to win 3-0

Best Odds: 7/1

Bookmaker: Zetbet

Sparta Prague and Ararat Armenia will lock horns with each other in the UEFA Conference League qualifying round next week. The first leg of the third qualifying round tie between the Czech First League club and the Armenian Premier League outfit will be held at Stadion Letna in Prague and is scheduled to kick off at 7pm UK time next Thursday.

Sparta Prague

Sparta Prague are one of the biggest clubs in the Czech Republic and also the most successful. Železná Sparta have won the domestic league titles a record 38 times and won the Mitropa Cup thrice. They also reached the semi-finals of the European Cup/UEFA Champions League in 1992 and the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup in 1973.

Brian Priske’s side, though, had a disappointing 2024-25 campaign. Sparta ended up as low as fourth in the Czech First League table last season and now have to go through qualifiers to reach the group stage of the UEFA Conference League, which is essentially Europe’s third-tier club competition after the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Europa League.

Sparta won the second qualifying tie against Aktobe. After losing the first leg 2-1 away from home, the club from the Czech Republic hammered them 4-0 in front of their fans to win the tie 5-2 on aggregate.

Team News:

Sparta Prague are likely to line up in a 3-4-3 formation against Ararat Armenia. Peter Vindahl Jensen will be in goal for the home team. Uchenna Aririerisim, Asger Sorensen and Elias Cobbaut will be the three central defenders. Angelo Preciado, Patrik Vydra, Kaan Kairinen and Jaroslav Zeleny will be the four midfielders. Veljko Birmancevic, Jan Kuchta and Lukas Haraslín will be the three forwards.

Ararat-Armenia

Ararat-Armenia are a very new club. They were founded only in 2017 and are based in Yerevan. However, they have progrssed well in recent years and now play in the Armenian Premier League.

They did extremely well last season, as they ended up second in the Armenian Premier League. Ararat-Armenia won the league title in 2019 and 2020, and their ambition this season will be to become the champions of Armenia again.

Ararat-Armenia, who won the Armenian Cup in 2024 and the Armenian Supercup in 2019 and 2024, beat FC Universitatea Cluj in the last round of the UEFA Conference League qualifying. After drawing the first leg 0-0 at home, they won the second leg 2-1 on the road to go through 2-1 on aggregate.

Team News:

Ararat-Armenia are likely to line up in a 4-3-3 formation against Sparta Prague. Bruno Pinto will be in goal and will have Kamo Hovhannisyan, Jose Junior Bueno, Joao Queiros and Edgar Grigoryan in front of defence. Welton, Juan Andres Balanta and Karen Muradyan will be the three defenders. Mathew Gbomadu, Joao Lima and Zhirayr Shaghoyan will be the three forwards.

Key Factors to Consider

• Sparta Prague have won 2 of their last 5 matches in all competitions.
• Sparta Prague have lost 1 of their last 5 matches in all competitions.
• Ararat-Armenia have drawn 2 of their last 5 matches in all competitions.
• Ararat-Armenia have won 3 of their last 5 games in all competitions.
• Ararat-Armenia have lost 1 and drawn 1 of their last 5 games in all competitions.

Conclusion

While Ararat-Armenia are not easy pushovers, Sparta Prague have a better team and have more experience at this level. It is very likely that the club from the Czech Republic will win the match.

Prediction: Sparta Prague to win 3-0

Best Odds: 7/1

Bookmaker: Zetbet