Coach of Sparta Prague Lars Friis during second qualifying round UEFA Champions League, 2nd leg match on July 30, 2024 [on August 4, 2024]

Sparta ousted Shamrock Rovers and FCSB in their previous two qualifying ties to set up a playoff round meeting with the champions of Sweden.

They enjoyed a successful trip to Malmo for last week's first leg, with an own goal and a Matej Rynes effort proving enough to clinch a 2-0 away victory.

As a result of that win, the reigning Czech First League champions are now just one game from reaching the Champions League main draw for the first time since 2005-06.

They will enter Tuesday's contest off the back of a 2-2 league draw against Slovacko which extended their unbeaten start to the 2024-25 season to 11 matches (W9, D2).

Sparta can also take confidence from the fact that they have put together an 11-game unbeaten home run in all competitions since losing 5-1 to Liverpool in March.

Lasse Berg Johnsen of Malmo FF celebrates during the UEFA Champions League football match between Malmo FF and Klaksvik on July 23, 2024 [on July 28, 2024]

Meanwhile, Malmo began their European campaign with a 6-4 aggregate win over KI, before they recorded a 6-5 after extra time against PAOK to progress to the final qualifying round.

After scoring 12 goals in their last four European matches, Henrik Rydstrom's side would have been disappointed to draw a blank in last Wednesday's home meeting with Sparta.

The Swedish outfit now have their work cut out if they are to overturn a two-goal deficit and reach the Champions League main draw for the first time since 2021-22.

The Allvenskan leaders prepared for their midweek trip to Prague with an underwhelming 2-2 draw against relegation-threatened Kalmar.

Unfortunately for Malmo, they have tended to struggle on their travels in UEFA's elite club competition, having failed to win any of their previous eight Champions League away matches in regulation time.