With a 2-1 aggregate deficit after their away defeat in Prague, Olympique Lyonnais find themselves in an all-or-nothing situation against Sparta Prague in this crucial second leg. Paulo Fonseca’s side, heavily scrutinized for their tactics following the first leg, has made bold changes to the starting XI. Malick Fofana and Ernest Nuamah are introduced from the bench alongside Moussa Niakhaté, who returns from suspension.

The victor of this tie will advance to face either Fenerbahçe or Sturm Graz in the playoff round. After conceding two goals in the final six minutes of the first leg in the Czech Republic, Lyon started brightly with an own goal but crumbled under pressure. A missed penalty from Corentin Tolisso in the 67th minute further compounded their challenges, leaving them needing a near-perfect second leg to progress.

How both teams reached this stage

Both Lyon and Sparta Prague secured their European spots through consistent domestic performances last season. Lyon finished fourth in Ligue 1 with 60 points—18 wins, 6 draws, and 10 losses—just one point behind third-placed Lille, earning their place in the third qualifying round. Meanwhile, Sparta Prague concluded the Czech First League as runners-up with 76 points, four adrift of league champions Slavia Prague.

The Czech side arrives in Décines with a European pedigree already tested. Following their victory over Lyon, they suffered a 2-0 loss to Mladá Boleslav in domestic league action last weekend—marking their second defeat in three domestic fixtures. Earlier, they had fallen 3-1 to Zbrojovka Brno on opening day. On the flip side, Lyon has yet to play a competitive Ligue 1 match this season, making this second leg their second competitive outing after the first leg in Prague.