Matchday 5 of the 2024/25 Champions League group stage between Sparta Prague (Czech Republic) and Atletico Madrid (Spain) will take place on November 26 at the Epet Arena. Sparta Prague vs. Atletico Madrid: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
Referee: Danny Makkelie (Netherlands)
Matches – 12 (International matches, 2023/24–2024/25);
Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 46;
Average yellow cards per match – 3.8;
Red cards shown – 1;
Average fouls per match – 21;
Penalties – 17%.
Predicted lineups for Sparta Prague vs. Atletico Madrid
Sparta Prague (3-4-3): Peter Vindahl-Jensen – Martin Vitik, Filip Panak, Elias Kobbo – Tomas Wiesner, Kaan Kairinen, Kazim Laci, Matej Rynes – Albion Rrahmani, Jakub Pesek, Victor Olatunji.
Atletico Madrid (3-5-2): Jan Oblak – Axel Witsel, Clement Lenglet, Reinildo Mandava – Javi Galan, Nahuel Molina, Conor Gallagher, Koke, Pablo Barrios – Julian Alvarez, Antoine Griezmann.
Sparta Prague
The Czechs have secured only one victory after four rounds, defeating Salzburg (3-0) in the tournament opener. Subsequently, they drew with Stuttgart (1-1) and suffered defeats to Manchester City (0-5) and Brest (1-2). The club sits in 26th place with 4 points. Before the two losses, Sparta had a 10-match unbeaten run in regular time in the Champions League (6 wins and 4 draws).
Defenders Imanol Garcia and Jaroslav Zeleny, along with midfielders Angelo Preciado and Veljko Birmancevic, will miss the game due to injuries.
- At least two goals have been scored in 90 minutes in Sparta's last 11 matches in this tournament.
- Sparta has scored in regular time in 10 of their last 11 Champions League games.
- The team has not lost in the second half of their last six home matches in the Champions League (4 wins and 2 draws).
Atletico Madrid
The Spaniards are just three spots above Sparta. Atletico has collected six points in this campaign, defeating Leipzig at home (2-1) and PSG away in the last round (2-1). They also faced losses against Benfica (0-4) and Lille (1-3). Notably, the team has not drawn in regular time in their last 11 Champions League matches (7 wins and 4 losses).
Defender Nahuel Molina will miss the match due to injury.
- At least three goals have been scored in 90 minutes in Atletico's last seven Champions League matches.
- Both teams have scored in regular time in 6 of Atletico's last 7 matches in this tournament.
- The number "1" has appeared in the final score in 6 of Atletico's last 8 Champions League matches.
Sparta Prague vs. Atletico Madrid: Match Prediction
While the Czechs have shown decent performances in recent Champions League matches, their victories have come against weaker opponents in the qualifying rounds. When facing top European league representatives, Sparta tends to struggle, as seen in their recent home game against Brest. The Spaniards will aim to secure three points in this encounter, given that the challenging part of their schedule is behind them, and they face two matches against Eastern European clubs. Winning these matches could propel Atletico back into the race for a top-eight spot in the group stage.
I believe the visitors will triumph in the Czech Republic. Atletico rarely faces opponents of Sparta's caliber in the Champions League, so they should handle the Prague team even on their turf. In their last away match, the Spaniards defeated PSG, a club consistently regarded as a contender for the Champions League title in recent years.
My prediction – Atletico Madrid to win
