UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE - 2016/17 SEASON MATCH PRESS KITS Generali Arena - Prague Thursday 24 November 2016 19.00CET (19.00 local time) AC Sparta Praha Group K - Matchday 5 Southampton FC Last updated 20/02/2017 14:04CET Previous meetings 2 Match background 4 Team facts 5 Squad list 7 Fixtures and results 11 Match-by-match lineups 14 Match officials 16 Legend 17 1 AC Sparta Praha - Southampton FC Thursday 24 November 2016 - 19.00CET (19.00 local time) Match press kit Generali Arena, Prague Previous meetings Head to Head UEFA Europa League Date Stage Match Result Venue Goalscorers Southampton FC - AC Sparta Austin 5 (P), 27, 15/09/2016 GS 3-0 Southampton Praha Rodriguez 90+2 Home Away Final Total Pld W D L Pld W D L Pld W D L Pld W D L GF GA AC Sparta Praha 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 3 Southampton FC 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 3 0 AC Sparta Praha - Record versus clubs from opponents' country UEFA Europa League Date Stage Match Result Venue Goalscorers 1-1 Hazard 90+2; Lafata 21/02/2013 R32 Chelsea FC - AC Sparta Praha London agg: 2-1 17 14/02/2013 R32 AC Sparta Praha - Chelsea FC 0-1 Prague Oscar 82 UEFA Europa League Date Stage Match Result Venue Goalscorers 1-0 24/02/2011 R32 Liverpool FC - AC Sparta Praha Liverpool Kuyt 86 agg: 1-0 17/02/2011 R32 AC Sparta Praha - Liverpool FC 0-0 Prague UEFA Champions League Date Stage Match Result Venue Goalscorers 3-0 Rosický 7, Fàbregas 29/08/2007 QR3 Arsenal FC - AC Sparta Praha London agg: 5-0 88, Eduardo 89 Fàbregas 72, Hleb 15/08/2007 QR3 AC Sparta Praha - Arsenal FC 0-2 Prague 90+2 UEFA Champions League Date Stage Match Result Venue Goalscorers Henry 23, Van Persie 02/11/2005 GS Arsenal FC - AC Sparta Praha 3-0 London 82, 86 18/10/2005 GS AC Sparta Praha - Arsenal FC 0-2 Prague Henry 21, 74 UEFA Champions League Date Stage Match Result Venue Goalscorers Van Nistelrooy 14, 25 Manchester United FC - AC 03/11/2004 GS 4-1 Manchester (P), 60, 90+1; Zelenka Sparta Praha 53 AC Sparta Praha - Manchester 19/10/2004 GS 0-0 Prague United FC UEFA Champions League Date Stage Match Result Venue Goalscorers 2 AC Sparta Praha - Southampton FC Thursday 24 November 2016 - 19.00CET (19.00 local time) Match press kit Generali Arena, Prague UEFA Champions League 26/11/2003 GS1 Chelsea FC - AC Sparta Praha 0-0 London 16/09/2003 GS1 AC Sparta Praha - Chelsea FC 0-1 Prague Gallas 85 UEFA Champions League Date Stage Match Result Venue Goalscorers Parlour 5, Lauren 7, Dixon 35, Kanu 52; 25/10/2000 GS1 Arsenal FC - AC Sparta Praha 4-2 London Labant 40 (P), Rosický 90 12/09/2000 GS1 AC Sparta Praha - Arsenal FC 0-1 Prague Sylvinho 32 UEFA Cup Date Stage Match Result Venue Goalscorers Chovanec 2, 4-0 07/12/1983 R3 AC Sparta Praha - Watford FC Prague Skuhravý 8, 29, agg: 7-2 Jarolim 42 Rostron 67, Gilligan 23/11/1983 R3 Watford FC - AC Sparta Praha 2-3 Watford 85; Berger 25, Griga 31, Ščasný 90 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup Date Stage Match Result Venue Goalscorers AC Sparta Praha - West Ham 2-1 Mašek 68, Mráz 88; 09/12/1964 R1 Prague United FC agg: 2-3 Sissons 14 West Ham United FC - AC 25/11/1964 R1 2-0 London Bond 57, Sealey 82 Sparta Praha Southampton FC - Record versus clubs from opponents' country Southampton FC have not played against a club from their opponents' country Home Away Final Total Pld W D L Pld W D L Pld W D L Pld W D L GF GA AC Sparta Praha 9 2 2 5 10 1 2 7 0 0 0 0 19 3 4 12 13 31 Southampton FC 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 3 0 3 AC Sparta Praha - Southampton FC Thursday 24 November 2016 - 19.00CET (19.00 local time) Match press kit Generali Arena, Prague Match background Sparta have not won against English opponents since 1983 but know a victory at home to Southampton would confirm them in the round of 32 with a game to spare. • Sparta are through with a win or a draw; Southampton progress with a win if Hapoel Tel-Aviv do not beat Inter. • Hapoel must avoid defeat to keep their hopes alive, or draw provided Southampton do not win; Inter need to win or they cannot qualify. Previous meetings • In the Saints' maiden encounter with Czech opposition, they secured a comfortable 3-0 success against Sparta on matchday one. • Sparta's record in 19 UEFA matches against English rivals is W3 D4 L12 (at home – W2 D2 L5). They are without a victory in their last 15 fixtures involving Premier League teams (D4 L11) since a 3-2 triumph at Watford on 23 November 1983. Form guide • Sparta are unbeaten in four home games in Europe this season (W3 D1), and have won both their Group K fixtures in Prague by two-goal margins. • Southampton have not scored in their last three European away matches – a 0-0 draw and two 1-0 defeats. Indeed, they have scored in only one of their last eight games on the road in Europe (a 2-0 victory at Vitesse in August 2015) since a 3-0 success at Limerick in September 1981. • Sparta have got to the knockout phase in three of their seven UEFA Cup and UEFA Europa League group stage campaigns, including three of their last four attempts. • Southampton are making their debut in a UEFA group stage. Links and trivia • The journey from Southampton to Prague is about 1,100km. • Sparta defender Ondřej Mazuch is one game shy of 50 UEFA club competition appearances. • Sparta's Tomáš Rosický played in England with Arsenal from 2006–16. The coaches • Zdeněk Ščasný stepped aside as Sparta coach in the wake of a 2-0 home reverse to Slavia in the 25 September Prague derby. His former assistants David Holoubek, Stanislav Hejkal and Zdeněk Svoboda are in temporary command. • Frenchman Claude Puel took charge of Southampton this summer. He spent his entire playing career with Monaco, claiming two league titles as a player and one more as a coach. He has since led LOSC, Lyon and – for the past four seasons – Nice. 4 AC Sparta Praha - Southampton FC Thursday 24 November 2016 - 19.00CET (19.00 local time) Match press kit Generali Arena, Prague Team facts AC Sparta Praha Formed: 1893 Nickname: Železná Sparta (Iron Sparta) UEFA club competition honours (runners-up in brackets) • none Domestic honours (most recent triumph in brackets) League title: 36 (2014) Czech Cups: 20 (2014) Ten-year European record (UEFA Europa League/UEFA Cup unless indicated otherwise) 2015/16: quarter-finals (having transferred from UEFA Champions League third qualifying round) 2014/15: group stage (having transferred from UEFA Champions League third qualifying round) 2013/14: second qualifying round 2012/13: round of 32 2011/12: play-offs 2010/11: round of 32 (having transferred from UEFA Champions League play-offs) 2009/10: group stage (having transferred from UEFA Champions League third qualifying round) 2008/09: first round (having transferred from UEFA Champions League third qualifying round) 2007/08: group stage (having transferred from UEFA Champions League third qualifying round) 2006/07: group stage Records UEFA club competition • Biggest home win 10-0: Sparta v Anorthosis Famagusta FC 16/09/64, UEFA Cup Winners' Cup preliminary round first leg • Biggest away win 0-6: Anorthosis Famagusta FC v Sparta 20/09/64, UEFA Cup Winners' Cup preliminary round second leg • Heaviest home defeat 1-5: Sparta v FC Steaua Bucureşti 07/09/88, European Champion Clubs' Cup first round first leg • Heaviest away defeat 5-0 on three occasions, most recently v Olympique Lyonnais 08/12/04, UEFA Champions League group stage UEFA Europa League/UEFA Cup • Biggest home win 5-0: Sparta v FK Sarajevo 28/07/11, third qualifying round first leg • Biggest away win 0-3 three times, most recently v SS Lazio 17/03/16, round of 16 second leg • Heaviest home defeat 0-3: Sparta v FC København 16/12/09, group stage • Heaviest away defeat 4-0: Neuchâtel Xamax FC v Sparta 15/09/81 first round first leg Southampton FC Formed: 1885 Nickname: The Saints UEFA club competition honours (runners-up in brackets) • None Domestic honours (most recent triumph in brackets) 5 AC Sparta Praha - Southampton FC Thursday 24 November 2016 - 19.00CET (19.00 local time) Match press kit Generali Arena, Prague FA Cup: 1 (1976) Ten-year European record (UEFA Europa League/UEFA Cup unless indicated otherwise) 2015/16: play-offs 2014/15: did not take part in UEFA club competition 2013/14: did not take part in UEFA club competition 2012/13: did not take part in UEFA club competition 2011/12: did not take part in UEFA club competition 2010/11: did not take part in UEFA club competition 2009/10: did not take part in UEFA club competition 2008/09: did not take part in UEFA club competition 2007/08: did not take part in UEFA club competition 2006/07: did not take part in UEFA club competition Records UEFA club competition • Biggest home win 4-0: Southampton v Olympique de Marseille 15/09/76, European Cup Winners’ Cup first round first leg • Biggest away win 0-3: Limerick FC v Southampton 16/09/81, UEFA Cup first round first leg 2-5: Carrick Rangers FC v Southampton 20/10/76, European Cup Winners' Cup second round first leg • Heaviest home defeat 2-4: Southampton v Sporting Clube de Portugal 21/10/81, UEFA Cup second round first leg • Heaviest away defeat 2-0 on three occasions, most recently v Hamburger SV 03/10/84, UEFA Cup first round second leg UEFA Europa League/UEFA Cup • Biggest home win 3-0: Southampton v AC Sparta Praha 15/09/16, group stage 3-0: Southampton v Vitesse 30/07/15, third qualifying round first leg • Biggest away win 0-3: Limerick FC v Southampton (see above) • Heaviest home defeat 2-4: Southampton v Sporting Clube de Portugal (see above) • Heaviest away defeat 2-0 twice, most recently v Hamburger SV (see above) 6 AC Sparta Praha - Southampton FC Thursday 24 November 2016 - 19.00CET (19.00 local time) Match press kit Generali Arena, Prague Squad list AC Sparta Praha Current season All-time UCL QUAL UEL League UEL UEFA No.