Our prediction for this Europa League match:
Ibrox Stadium will host Thursday’s Europa League game between Rangers and Sparta Prague, the two teams who are level on points in Group A. The Gers produced fine displays in back-to-back meetings with Brondby, and they are surely capable of matching Sparta in front of home fans. All Helander, Jack, and Oforborh remain in the recovery room, while Sakala could be recalled to the starting XI after coming as a substitute in a 3-1 loss to Hibernian in the Scottish League Cup semis.
The Czechs, on the other hand, failed to impress in back-to-back defeats to Olympique Lyon, which is probably the main reason why we are tempted to put our money on the hosts. The visitors must be low on spirits ahead of the trip to Glasgow as they suffered a heavy 4-0 loss to Slovacko at the weekend.
Highlighted Player (Jon McLaughlin):
Jon McLaughlin is a goalkeeper who plays for Sunderland. The 188-cm-tall shoot-stopper played for non-League sides Harrogate Railway Athletic and Harrogate Town in the past, but in 2008 he joined Bradford City. After spending six years at Valley Parade, McLaughlin signed a contract with Burton Albion and he has been playing for the Pirelli Stadium outfit ever since.
Jon McLaughlin made 45 appearances for Burton Albion in both 2014/2015 and 2015/2016 seasons and he has established his self as the team’s first-choice goalkeeper. He was producing scintillating displays for Burton in the 2015/2016 League One campaign and, no doubt, he helped the team secure promotion to the Championship.
Jon McLaughlin was born on 9 September, 1987 in Edinburgh, but he has yet to make his debut for the Scotland national team. Speaking of his honours, the goalkeeper won the Football League Two play-offs with Bradford City in the 2012/2013 season.
Highlighted Team (Sparta Prague):
Established in 1893, Sparta Prague is one of Europe’s oldest clubs and the most successful side in Czech Republic, having won no fewer than 36 league titles and 27 Czech Cup trophies. The club play their games at the Generali Arena in Prague and hold a long-lasting rivalry with Slavia Prague.
Sparta Prague enjoyed their Golden Years in the 1960’s, when average attendance was nearly 40,000 and players like Jiri Tichy, Andrej Kvasnak and Vaclav Masek entertained the crowds week in week out. Rudi largely impressed in the maiden Champions League campaign during the 1991/92 season as they finished second in the semi-final group, meaning they were among top 4 European sides at the moment.
Nevertheless, Sparta Prague have enjoyed little to no success on the European stage since, reaching the Champions League knockout stages on just one occasion, with their latest major coup the return of prodigal son Tomas Rosicky from Arsenal.