Sparta Prague and Lyon enter the UEFA Champions League at the third qualifying round stage with the first leg at Stadion Letna in the Czech capital.
Sparta were runners-up in the Czech Liga in 2025/26, while Lyon hung on for fourth spot in Ligue 1 despite a dismal end to their season.
Brian Priske's Czech aces have already played a couple of league games - beating Zlin 3-1 after losing 3-1 at Brno - so may well be less rusty than Paulo Fonseca's side.
Sparta Prague v Lyon Tips Summary
Best Bet - Draw No Bet - Sparta Prague @ 6/4
Alternative Bet - Over 4.5 Sparta Prague corners @ 5/4
Bet Builder - Over 2 goals, Over 4 Lyon corners & Sparta Prague to win either half @ 9/2
Sparta Prague vs Lyon Prediction
Best Bet: Draw No Bet - Sparta Prague @ 6/4
It could be worth taking a chance on Sparta to nick a UEFA Champions League first-leg advantage against their more illustrious opponents this week.
Sparta come into the game on the back of a 3-1 win over Zlin and their home record in Prague, domestically and in Europe, is decent.
Lyon are yet to start their season but their weekend 4-0 hammering by Real Betis in a friendly will have set alarm bells ringing.
The club is in financial strife so has been offloading players and bringing in cut-price replacements, while defenders Nicolas Tagliafico and Moussa Niakhate are suspended.
Sparta can win this but given the game comes at such an early stage, maybe consider backing them on the Draw No Bet market where the stalemate means stakes returned.
Alternative Bet: Over 4.5 Sparta Prague corners @ Evens
Sparta won't want to be taking a deficit back to Lyon next week so can expect to be positive.
In two Czech Liga matches over the past week they have piled up 14 corners and Lyon looked all over the place defensively in their weekend 4-0 loss against Betis.
Take Priske's men to rack up over 4.5 corners.
Sparta Prague vs Lyon Bet Builder Tip
Over 2 goals
Over 4 Lyon corners
Sparta Prague to win either half
Pays 9/2
Belgium international Lois Openda's arrival from Juventus adds another option up front for Lyon, for whom attack might be the best form of defence.
They should look decent going forward but vulnerable in defence and Sparta have scored two or more goals in their last nine home wins.
Expect goals at both ends with Over two goals the first component of your Stadion Letna Bet Builder.
Sparta have conceded 11 corners in two Czech Liga games this season which hardly inspires confidence ahead of a showdown with sterner opposition.
Make Over four Lyon corners leg two of the treble.
And finally, the hosts to win either half. Last season's top scorers, Lukas Haraslin and Jan Kuchta, are still around and this looks like a good time to be taking on a Lyon side in a spot of turmoil.
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Key Match Stats
Sparta Prague's season has started with two Czech Liga games, a 3-1 defeat at FC Brno and a 3-1 win over Zlin
Sparta have won nine of their last 11 matches at home, scoring two or more goals in each of those nine wins
Lyon, yet to start their domestic 2026/27 campaign, failed to win 11 of their final 15 matches last season
The French side were beaten 2-0 by Sparta's city rivals Slavia Prague in a friendly on July 18, one of two friendly defeats in the past three weeks
Lyon averaged 4.1 corners per game in last season's 10 Europa League games
Sparta have never beaten Les Gones in six European meetings, losing five and drawing the other
Their most recent meeting was a 3-0 win for Lyon in the UEFA Europa League in November 2021
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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.
