Sparta Prague vs. Alkmaar: Priske Demands Defensive Improvement for ECL Return Leg

Prague – Sparta Prague manager Brian Priske has demanded a significant improvement in his team’s defensive performance ahead of Thursday’s Conference League return leg against AZ Alkmaar, following a 2-1 defeat in the Netherlands last week. Priske described his team’s defensive display in Alkmaar as “one of the worst” during his tenure.

“Defensively, I expect a completely different performance than last week. We have to improve significantly – not just in the penalty area, but overall. We need to be more aggressive and compact,” Priske stated at a press conference. “What happened in Alkmaar was one of the worst defensive performances since I’ve been with the team. I was very disappointed. But I told the guys I’m sure we will never play that badly again.”

Sparta will have home advantage at a sold-out Letná Stadium for the crucial second leg. Lukáš Haraslín is absent from the starting lineup after being substituted early in a recent domestic match against Slovácko. Jan Kuchta, Matyáš Vojta, and John Mercado will lead the attack, whereas 17-year-old Hugo Sochůrek retains his place in midfield.

AZ Alkmaar manager Leeroy Echteld anticipates a hostile atmosphere and expects Sparta to arrive out aggressively. “The home side will want to put us under immediate pressure, take advantage of the support from the fans, and try to overwhelm us. They will want to score quickly. We must be prepared and not allow ourselves to be pushed back unnecessarily,” Echteld said.

Priske pointed to previous European successes at Letná Stadium as a source of optimism, recalling how Sparta overturned first-leg deficits against Dinamo Zagreb and Galatasaray Istanbul in the 2023/24 season to progress in European competitions. The club is aiming to reach the quarter-finals of a major European tournament for the first time in ten years, having been eliminated by Villarreal after defeating Lazio in the round of 16 of the Europa League in 2016.

The match represents a chance for Sparta to reverse their fortunes after a disappointing first leg, but Priske stressed the need for a marked improvement in all areas of the pitch to secure a place in the next round.