Olympique Lyonnais kick off their European campaign with a high-stakes clash against Sparta Prague in the third qualifying round first leg.
The French side faces a tough challenge in the Czech capital, where Sparta Prague has built a reputation for early exits despite occasional deep runs in continental competitions. Last season, the Prague-based club finished four points behind Slavia Prague in the domestic league and reached the UEFA Europa Conference League round of 16, proving their resilience in European football. If either team fails to advance, both will drop into the Europa League for the 2026-27 campaign.
Historically, Lyon has dominated past encounters between the two clubs. In five meetings, the French side secured five wins and one draw, including emphatic victories such as a 5-0 home win and a 5-1 aggregate triumph in the 2005 Champions League group stage. More recently, Lyon overcame Sparta Prague 6-0 on aggregate in the 2021 Europa Conference League, underscoring their attacking prowess. Loïs Openda, Lyon’s marquee signing from Juventus on a season-long loan, has already netted seven goals in the Champions League qualifiers and will spearhead the attack against a Czech defense that has conceded in their opening league match.
How to watch Sparta Prague vs Olympique Lyonnais live
Action gets underway at the epet ARENA in Prague on Tuesday, 4 August, at 8:00 PM local time. Fans can stream the match live with commentary via sports.orange.fr, while television viewers can tune in to Canal+ for full coverage.
