It is fair to say that there will be no love lost on the pitch or in the stands when Rangers and Sparta Prague clash at Ibrox tonight.
With recent events involving both Sparta and Slavia still fresh in the mind, this has to be a case of unfinished business for the Gers and to get a win against Czech opposition at the fourth attempt over the last 12 months.
Certainly, Sparta should not be feared, especially at Ibrox, and with their recent form causing their manager to fret, it is clear that Rangers must seize the initiative against tonights opponents, whilst cutting out basic errors of their own – keep the back door closed.
Both teams suffered heavy defeats last weekend, with Sparta on the wrong end of a 4-0 scoreline away to Slovacko in the Czech First League.
🗣️THE PRESS CONFERENCE | AC Sparta Prague is playing a very important match against Rangers tomorrow. Both teams have the same number of points in the table. Read what coach Pavel Vrba and midfielder David Pavelka said about the game. #acsparta
➡️https://t.co/mdpC4mGQQm pic.twitter.com/CqplT8EIsE
— AC Sparta Prague (@ACSparta_EN) November 24, 2021
Their coach Pavel Vrba knows his defence has work to do and that they need to put things right at Ibrox or pay the price – as told to Sparta’s official website:
“We did not play well and Slovacko deserved to win. I hope we will take this lesson and try to learn from it. We need to leave it behind us. I hope a match like this will not repeat anymore.”
On the defensive woes he added, “I know that the last matches were not the best and we conceded many goals. On the other hand, it can help us to improve some aspects and learn from them.”
Inconsistent
It coul be said that both teams have shared patchy, mixed form this season.
With Sparta sitting in fourth place in the Czech table, five points off leaders Slavia – they have recorded three wins in their last five league games with only two victories from their last five overall.
After a lacklustre performance in Prague a few weeks ago when Steven Gerrard’s team were off the boil and off target, tonight is the time to put down a marker and make a statement.