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Milan will face a relatively unknown opponent on Thursday night when they host Sparta Praha at San Siro, with the two sides having met only six times before in their history.
For Milan the goal is simple: to win and move to six points out of six possible to start the group stage of the Europa League, but the Czech team will try to upset the apple cart because right now it is absolutely flying, sitting on top to their league which has currently been suspended.
We spoke to the editor of DenikSport and the Sparta insider Jan Vacek on the next match and what the Rossoneri can expect.
What were your reactions seeing that Sparta and Milan would face off again?
“I think Milan are a great opponent for Sparta. It will be a great experience for all players. They themselves wanted Milan to join the group, so they are definitely satisfied ”.
Could it be a big advantage for Sparta to play in front of an empty San Siro?
“I do not think so. It can help Sparta, there won’t be a lot of pressure on them, but I’m sure the players would prefer to play in front of a crowded stadium. “
Sparta dominated for a long time at home, but in the last two seasons they lost the Scudetto against Slavia, what is the dynamic of Prague football at the moment?
“It took several years for the club to recover from an experiment with Andrea Stramaccioni in summer 2017. Mr. Stramaccioni brought many players such as Janko, Kaya, Ben Chaim, Mandjeck, Mavuba and Biabiany. They were very expensive, but they didn’t sound good at all. They were terrible.
“Then, new sporting director Tomáš Rosický spent two years rebuilding the team. They now have a lot of great young players on the team. Slavia is still within walking distance, but Sparta shortens the distance. They have won 17 of their last 21 games and are finally back on track. “
Which Sparta players should we look for?
“Definitely Adam Hložek. He is the brightest Czech talent since Tomáš Rosický. Exceptional young man, with speed, power and technique. He is still only 18, but he is almost a complete player.
“He played 59 games in the Czech top-flight, scored 14 goals and 13 assists. He is also a member of the Czech national team. He is versatile, he can play on offense or both wings. From my point of view, the best position for him is a support attacker, something like Bergkamp played with Henry.
“Milan must also pay attention to striker Lukáš Juliš. In 2020 he scored 16 goals in 22 games. In the past he had health problems, but now he’s back. By the way, he is the player who scored in the quarter-finals of the 2016 Europa League at Lazio (3: 0 for Sparta).
“The third is Bořek Dočkal, a midfielder with a ton of experience, captain (also captain of the Czech national team). A very intelligent technical player, exceptional in the construction phase “.
How much will the disqualification of the Czech Liga help or hinder Sparta?
“It certainly doesn’t help. Before the Lille match, Sparta hadn’t had a match for three weeks. Plus, like teams around the world, it fights COVID-19, so it’s not easy. If the championship ended, Sparta would be in better shape “.
What kind of match do you expect between the two sides and how do you think Vaclav Kotal will play out?
“I expect Milan to be dominant on the ball, with a clear territorial advantage. Sparta will be well organized in defense and await the possibility of quick counter attacks, after all this is a way of playing that they manage to win in national competitions (six games, six wins).
“The problem for Sparta is that they are missing two key central defenders (Slovak national players Štetina and Hancko) due to injuries, so Václav Kotal will have to leave his favorite 3-5-2 with Hložek and Juliš in attack. I expect Sparta to start with a 4-5-1 with Hložek on the wing. “
AC Milan have been linked to Adam Hlozek in recent days, what do you think of those links?
“I noticed that, but to be honest, I don’t attach much weight to it. Many clubs are associated with Hložek, Bayern, Leipzig, BVB, Milan, Atlético, PSV, Arsenal, Chelsea etc.
“I don’t expect Adam to go to Italy. Sparta will ask for 20-25 million euros for him, and I don’t think Italian clubs are historically willing to pay these amounts for young players. Hložek will leave Sparta, either in winter or next summer at the latest. He’s going to the Bundesliga. If I had to guess at the club, it would be Borussia. “
Finally, a prediction for the starting Sparta XI and for the full-time score …
“Heča – Sáček, Čelůstka, Lischka, Hanousek – Vindheim, Pavelka, Dočkal, Trávník, Hložek – Juliš.
“3-1 to Milan”.
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