Sparta dominated the first leg with 69% ball possession and 11 shots, with eight on target. This win was a significant moment for the Reds, marking only their second victory in the last 12 Champions League encounters and their sole clean sheet in the recent five matches.

The team’s manager, Lars Friis, has reasons to be optimistic about the 2024-25 season, as Sparta has triumphed in all three of their competitive games thus far. Their most recent match on July 27 against Telpice ended in a convincing 4-1 win, reinforcing the belief that they can progress to the next round. Notably, Sparta hasn’t lost a competitive game by two or more goals since facing Liverpool in the Europa League on March 14.

Conversely, Shamrock Rovers are facing a challenging period, with the loss in the first leg being their second straight defeat and fourth in the last six matches. In their encounter with Sparta, Rovers managed only two shots on target out of five and held a mere 31% possession.

For Rovers to move forward, they must overcome a daunting record, having never won an away game in their last eight Champions League attempts, coupled with just three clean sheets in those matches. Their last victory by a two-goal margin was on May 31 against Drogheda United, and by at least three goals on April 29, against the same team.

Currently, Rovers find themselves in fifth place in their league, holding 34 points from 23 games. They are set to resume their League of Ireland campaign on August 2.

Sportai365 predicts a win for Sparta Prague.