“It’s a tough draw. No matter who we play, it’s going to be tough. It’s the Champions League, the best competition in the world with the best players. Manchester City is maybe the best team in the world for me. It’s going to be tough, second it will be a good experience for the side. I haven’t spoken with (Feyenoord coach) Brian Prisk yet,” said Sparta coach Lars Friis in an interview with Nova Sport.
It was he who was Priske’s assistant in Sparta, together they led the Leten team to two titles in a row and last season to the domestic cup. After Priske left for the Netherlands, he took over Prague.
“When it was over, I smiled a bit because all the games are going to be very difficult for us. I didn’t want to play City the most and we got them right at the start. I didn’t have anyone I wanted the most. Feyenoord will of course be spicy too ,” said Sparta defender Jaroslav Zelený.
He considers Brest to be the most playable on paper. “All the other teams are very good, it will be very difficult with them. So I will choose Brest, but more so due to the fact that I don’t have a complete eye on them,” said the thirty-two-year-old Zelený.
Letenští will present themselves among the elite for the first time since 2005. In this year’s qualification, they managed three preliminary rounds – first they eliminated the Irish Shamrock Rovers, then the Romanian FCSB and finally Malmö. For the promotion, the people of Prague will receive 18.62 million euros (over 466 million crowns).
The Czech Republic will have a representative in the Champions League after two years, when Plzeň also made it to the competition through three preliminary rounds.
Starting this season, the Champions League will be played in a league system with a common table and also with 36 teams instead of the previous 32. No opponents will play twice in the league phase, 24 teams will advance, eight of which go directly to the round of 16.
Unlike previous seasons, it will no longer “fall” into the spring elimination phase of the Europa League. The final will take place on May 31 next year in Munich.
In the past year, Leverkusen dominated the German league without defeat for the first time in its history, as well as the German cup. He failed only in the Europa League final with Bergamo.
Kovář, Schick and striker Adam Hložek were not missing from Bayer’s success, but the Spartan pupil transferred to Hoffenheim in August.
Coach Xabi Alonso’s men face tough opponents. At home, in addition to Sparta, they will encounter both Milan teams Inter and AC and also Salzburg, away they will meet Liverpool, Atlético, Feyenoord and Brest.
Girona will also be seen among the elite for the first time, where defender Ladislav Krejčí transferred from Sparta in June. The Czech representative will meet his former coach from Sparta Priske at home.
In addition to Feyenoord, the Catalans will play Liverpool, Arsenal and Slovan Bratislava at home, and will challenge Paris St. Germain, AC Milan, PSV Eindhoven and Graz.
Defending champions and historically the most successful team in the competition, Real Madrid, will challenge Dortmund at home in a replay of the June final.
AC Milan, Salzburg and Stuttgart are also waiting for the white ballet at the Santiago Bernabéu, outside they will encounter Liverpool, Bergamo, which they defeated in the UEFA Super Cup in August, and the French teams Lille and Brest.
Slovan Bratislava can look forward to Manchester City, AC Milan, Dinamo Zagreb and Stuttgart at the Tehelné polí in their first appearance. They will challenge Bayern Munich, Atlético Madrid, Celtic Glasgow and Girona.
