While UEFA is sometimes criticised for protecting the elite, especially in the Champions League, the meeting of these two clubs at this stage of the competition goes against that notion, as it will be the first time in 41 years that teams from the Czech Republic (or Czechoslovakia) and Austria have met at the highest level of European competition.

Sparta's qualification for the Champions League for the first time in 19 years is a major factor, as they will be playing at this level for the first time since a 0-0 draw with FC Thun in 2005.

When Czech football was at its peak in the late 1990s and early 2000s, Sparta were at the forefront, reaching the group stage seven times in nine seasons.

Towards the end of that run, however, it became clear that their talent was waning, as Sparta failed to win any of their last 14 Champions League matches before the recent drought - the fourth-longest current winless streak for any club, behind only FCSB, Genk and Maribor.

Sparta also had to endure some dark days before returning to the top flight, losing out in qualifying to the likes of Denizlispor, Vaslui, Spartak Subotica and neighbours Zilina from across the Slovakian border.

Lars Friis' side will also be hoping to be more competitive against the elite than they were last season, when they were thrashed 11-2 on aggregate by Liverpool in the Europa League.

However, the Maroons have not lost since that awful week in March, which included a 4-0 thrashing at the hands of Viktoria Pilsen, and they sit top of the Czech league with 19 points from seven games.

However, it was their play-off win over Malmo that has been the talk of the capital over the summer, as Lukas Haraslin inspired them to a 4-0 aggregate victory over the Swedish side.

Despite the visitors' relatively modest European pedigree, the two clubs have met before in Champions League qualifying in 1997, when the Austrians were known as Wustenrot Salzburg, long before the Red Bull takeover, and Sparta won 3-0 on aggregate.

That acquisition has transformed the club, however, and the Champions League is now familiar territory for Salzburg, who are in their sixth consecutive group/league phase.

Only Shakhtar Donetsk have equalled that feat from outside Europe's top five leagues, but new coach Pep Lijnders has been tasked with taking the club to the next level and making them more competitive in European competitions.

Salzburg have only reached the knockout stages of the Champions League once, in 2022, and that ended with a 7-1 second-leg defeat to Bayern Munich in the last 16.

Lijnders has made a promising start to his tenure, beating Twente and Dynamo Kiev to get this far, with Salzburg needing to qualify after surrendering the league title to Sturm Graz for the first time in 11 years last season.

Ending a run of just one win in 10 Champions League away games will be the order of the day as Salzburg look to get off to a strong start against one of their lowest ranked opponents.

Sparta Prague possible starting lineup:

Vindahl; Vitik, Panak, Sorensen; Preciado, Laci, Kairinen, Rynes; Birmancevic, Rrahmani, Haraslin

Red Bull Salzburg possible starting lineup:

Blaswich; Van der Brempt, Piatkowski, Baidoo, Terzic; Bidstrup, Bajcetic, Clark; Nene, Yeo, Gloukh

Prediction:Sparta Prague 2-2 Red Bull Salzburg

Sparta Prague VS Red Bull Salzburg stream and TV listing

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