Sparta arrives in Yerevan facing issues: what is happening with Ararat-Armenia's opponent?

Prague’s Sparta are heading into their opening Europa League match against Ararat-Armenia far from ideal condition. Ahead of the trip to Yerevan, the Czech club have been dealing with squad absences and inconsistent results, while speculation has also emerged over the possible departure of head coach Brian Priske.

One of the main topics at the pre-match press conference was the future of the Danish coach. Following the dismissal of Borussia Mönchengladbach’s head coach, Priske was mentioned among the possible candidates for the Bundesliga job.

The Sparta coach refused to comment on reports of possible contact with the German club, stressing that he has a long-term contract and remains focused on his work in Prague. German media later reported that Borussia were not holding talks with Priske.

Sparta have also made an underwhelming start to the new Czech league season. After eight rounds, the team have collected 12 points — four wins and four defeats. For a club that traditionally competes for the title, such a start can hardly be considered satisfactory.

The Prague side also failed to reach the main stage of the Champions League. In the third qualifying round, Sparta faced Lyon. The Czech team defeated a depleted French side 2-1 at home, but lost the return leg 0-3 and were eliminated 2-4 on aggregate. Sparta subsequently continued their European campaign in the Europa League.

Priske’s side are also dealing with serious squad problems. Central defender Adam Ševínský will definitely miss the game in Yerevan after receiving a suspension following his sending-off against Lyon. Ki-Jana Hoever has also remained in Prague because of a recent injury.

Magnus Kofod Andersen and Emmanuel Uchenna continue their recovery from injuries and were not included in Sparta’s squad for the Europa League league phase. Jakub Martinec and Sivert Mannsverk have also had fitness problems recently.

Despite those absences, the Czech club still possess a strong squad. During the summer, Sparta strengthened their attack with Norwegian forward Jonathan Braut Brunes, a cousin of Manchester City striker Erling Haaland. Brunes scored 40 goals in all competitions over the previous two seasons before moving to Prague.

One of the team’s key players remains Adam Karabec, who returned to Sparta after spending a season with Lyon. The Czech midfielder made 34 appearances for the French club, scoring three goals and providing three assists.

Sparta also have players in their squad with recent experience at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. In particular, Jaroslav Zelený and Hugo Sochůrek represented the Czech Republic at the tournament.

For Ararat-Armenia, the upcoming match will be an opportunity to take advantage of their opponent’s difficult period. At the same time, the two teams know each other well: a year ago, Sparta knocked the Armenian club out of Conference League qualifying, winning 4-1 in Prague and 2-1 in Yerevan.

The only injured player in the Ararat-Armenia squad is right-back Kamo Hovhannisyan, although he was already expected to have recovered. It should also be noted that this will be the Armenian club’s debut in the Europa League.

The Ararat-Armenia vs Sparta match in the opening round of the Europa League league phase will take place on September 16 at the Vazgen Sargsyan Republican Stadium in Yerevan. Kick-off is scheduled for 20:45 Yerevan time.