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Europa League · League phase, matchday 5

Sparta Prague vs AZ Alkmaar: Match Preview & Stats

Sparta Prague crest Sparta Prague
vs
AZ Alkmaar crest AZ Alkmaar
epet ARENA, Praha

Our picks

Model predictions are published 48 hours before kick-off

To take in the latest form and rest days, the predictions for this match come out on . (If either team plays another match in between, they come out once that match is over.)

See today's ready predictions →

Our record

  • Sparta Prague: 2 of 3 right
  • AZ Alkmaar: 6 of 8 right

Our result picks in each club's earlier matches on this site.

Match facts

Competition
Europa League, League phase, matchday 5
Kick-off
Venue
epet ARENA, Praha
Since last match
Sparta Prague: 4 days (1. Liga) · AFC Bournemouth (1‑3) AZ Alkmaar: 4 days (Eredivisie) · Sparta Rotterdam
Next match
Sparta Prague: 2 days (1. Liga) later AZ Alkmaar: 2 days (Eredivisie) later

Last starting XI

Sparta Prague 4-3-3

  1. 44 Surovcík
  2. 25 Hoever
  3. 22 Soh
  4. 6 Guddal
  5. 2 Suchomel
  6. 28 Macek
  7. 20 Mannsverk
  8. 18 Irving
  9. 27 Singhateh
  10. 14 Brunes
  11. 7 Alcócer

Coach: Brian Priske vs AFC Bournemouth, 1-3 · Europa League · 5 Nov

AZ Alkmaar 4-2-3-1

  1. 28 De Busser
  2. 22 Dijkstra
  3. 3 Goes
  4. 29 Hoedt
  5. 5 Chávez
  6. 21 Kwakman
  7. 6 Koopmeiners
  8. 24 Oufkir
  9. 17 Byskov
  10. 11 Daal
  11. 9 Meerdink

Coach: Leeroy Echteld vs FC Groningen, 4-3 · Eredivisie · 8 Nov

Our predicted line-ups come with our picks, 48 hours before kick-off. Until then: each club's last starting XI.

Injuries and suspensions

Sparta Prague

  • DF Adam SevínskyInjured · Late November 2026
  • DF Emmanuel UchennaInjured · Return unknown
  • MF Matěj RynešInjured · Late November 2026
  • FW Adam KarabecInjured · Late November 2026
  • FW Ondrej PenxaInjured · Return unknown
  • – Magnus Kofod AndersenInjured · Return unknown

AZ Alkmaar

  • GK Jeroen ZoetInjured · Mid November 2026
  • MF Stije ResinkInjured · Early January 2027
  • FW Jizz HornkampInjured · Day to day

Players listed as injured, suspended or away with their national team, with their expected return.

Missing Players Impact

Sparta Prague

Low impact
Missing attack share 7.0%
Missing minutes share 5.0%
6 players out
Key absences:
  • FW Adam Karabec 5% attack · 2% mins

AZ Alkmaar

Low impact
Missing attack share 1.0%
Missing minutes share 0.0%
3 players out

Share of team playing time and attacking output over the last 10 matches accounted for by unavailable players.

Tactical Profile & Play Quality (0–100)

Sparta Prague AZ Alkmaar
Box & Territory Pressure 50 63
Set-Piece & Corner Threat 67 43
Finishing Efficiency 27 28
Defensive & Goalkeeper Wall 33 35
Underlying Play Power 42 69
Sparta Prague Balanced (results match underlying play)
AZ Alkmaar Playing above results (positive regression candidate)

OptimaGoal 0–100 performance indices built from the last 10 matches before kick-off.

Game-State Scenarios & Goal Timing

Sparta Prague

When scoring first 67% won · 83% unbeaten (6 matches)
When conceding first 0% points rescued · 0% won (4 matches)
1st Half: 46% 2nd Half: 54%
First 15': 0% Last 15' (76-90'): 8%

AZ Alkmaar

When scoring first 88% won · 100% unbeaten (8 matches)
When conceding first 29% points rescued · 14% won (7 matches)
1st Half: 34% 2nd Half: 66%
First 15': 10% Last 15' (76-90'): 38%

Reaction to scoring or conceding first and goal distribution across the last 15 matches.

Key Attacking Threats

Sparta Prague

  1. 1. FW Josimar Alcócer 1G · 1A
    Team attack 16.0% Team shots 17.0%
  2. 2. FW Jonatan Braut Brunes 0G · 1A
    Team attack 12.0% Team shots 11.0%
  3. 3. DF Tobias Guddal 2G · 0A
    Team attack 9.0% Team shots 6.0%

AZ Alkmaar

  1. 1. FW Mexx Meerdink 7G · 1A
    Team attack 20.0% Team shots 16.0%
  2. 2. FW Ro-Zangelo Daal 1G · 2A
    Team attack 11.0% Team shots 12.0%
  3. 3. FW Weslley Pinto 2G · 1A
    Team attack 10.0% Team shots 9.0%

Top available players by share of team attacking production and shot volume over the last 10 matches.

Sparta Prague AZ Alkmaar
Over 1.5 goals 7/10 7/10
Over 2.5 goals 4/10 5/10
Over 3.5 goals 3/10 3/10
Both teams scored 5/10 4/10
Clean sheet 4/10 2/10
Failed to score 3/10 4/10
Goals per match (scored / conceded) 1.7 / 0.8 1.4 / 1.4

Last 10 matches, all competitions, results after 90 minutes.

Form guide

Sparta Prague

  • D 1-1 at Viktoria Plzeň (A) 1. Liga · 8 Nov
  • L 1-3 vs AFC Bournemouth (H) Europa League · 5 Nov
  • D 0-0 at Bohemians 1905 (A) 1. Liga · 1 Nov
  • W 5-1 vs Slovácko (H) 1. Liga · 25 Oct
  • L 0-1 at Olympiacos (A) Europa League · 22 Oct

AZ Alkmaar

  • W 4-3 vs FC Groningen (H) Eredivisie · 8 Nov
  • L 1-2 vs Juventus (H) Europa League · 5 Nov
  • L 0-1 at Ajax (A) Eredivisie · 31 Oct
  • L 0-2 vs FC Twente (H) Eredivisie · 25 Oct
  • W 4-0 at Ararat Armenia (A) Europa League · 22 Oct

Last five competitive matches before kick-off, all competitions, results after 90 minutes.

When the goals come

ScoredConceded

Sparta Prague

AZ Alkmaar

Goals in each 15-minute period, Europa League this season. Stoppage time counts with its half.

Top scorers

Sparta Prague

Player G A
Tobias Guddal 2 0
Josimar Alcócer 1 1
Ebrima Singhateh 1 0
John Mercado 1 0
Patrik Vydra 1 0

AZ Alkmaar

Player G A
Mexx Meerdink (1 pen) 3 0
Weslley Pinto 2 1
Valdemar Byskov 1 1
Peer Koopmeiners 1 0

Goals and assists in the Europa League this season.

Corners and yellow cards

Sparta Prague AZ Alkmaar
  • 6.2 Corners won 5.0
  • 6.8 Corners conceded 5.0
  • 2.2 Yellow cards 1.8
  • 2.2 Opponents' yellow cards 3.0

Per match in the Europa League this season. Average per club and match: 4.7 corners, 1.9 yellow cards.

Attack and defence ratings

Sparta PragueAZ Alkmaar
Attack 34 43 1.5 goals per match this season1.8 goals per match this season
Defence 23 40 1.5 conceded per match this season1.0 conceded per match this season

0 to 100 against this season's Europa League clubs (100 = best). The rating is our model's long-run strength before this match: it uses the last three years and counts recent matches most, so a few results do not move it at once. Under each rating: this season's actual goals per match.

1771Elo #148 Elo rating 1802Elo #128

Head-to-head

0Sparta Prague wins
0draws
2AZ Alkmaar wins

2 meetings since 2010, results after 90 minutes.

  • 19 Mar 2026 · Conference League Sparta Prague 0-4 AZ Alkmaar
  • 12 Mar 2026 · Conference League AZ Alkmaar 2-1 Sparta Prague

Table

#Team PWDLGoalsGDPts
1 Benfica 4 400 13:3 +10 12
2 AFC Bournemouth 4 400 11:2 +9 12
3 Ferencváros 4 400 11:3 +8 12
4 Union St.Gilloise 4 310 10:2 +8 10
5 Juventus 4 310 11:4 +7 10
6 Olympiacos 4 310 4:1 +3 10
7 Bayer Leverkusen 4 301 8:1 +7 9
8 Beşiktaş 4 211 11:8 +3 7
9 Dinamo Zagreb 4 211 5:4 +1 7
10 Levski Sofia 4 211 4:3 +1 7
11 Sunderland 4 211 4:4 0 7
12 NEC Nijmegen 4 211 8:9 -1 7
13 Lyon 4 211 6:7 -1 7
14 AZ Alkmaar 4 202 7:4 +3 6
15 Anderlecht 4 202 6:3 +3 6
16 OFI Crete 4 202 5:4 +1 6
17 Rennes 4 130 4:3 +1 6
18 Omonia Nicosia 4 202 6:7 -1 6
19 Torreense 4 202 7:9 -2 6
20 Real Sociedad 4 121 9:4 +5 5
21 Crystal Palace 4 121 9:6 +3 5
22 Hoffenheim 4 112 6:6 0 4
23 Sparta Prague 4 112 6:6 0 4
24 Sturm Graz 4 112 3:6 -3 4
25 NK Celje 4 112 5:9 -4 4
26 Salzburg 4 112 3:8 -5 4
27 Celta Vigo 4 103 4:6 -2 3
28 Jagiellonia Białystok 4 103 4:7 -3 3
29 Milan 4 103 4:7 -3 3
30 Viktoria Plzeň 4 103 3:7 -4 3
31 Marseille 4 103 2:6 -4 3
32 Celtic 4 103 6:11 -5 3
33 Hapoel Beer Sheva 4 013 1:8 -7 1
34 Lillestrøm 4 013 2:10 -8 1
35 Lech Poznań 4 013 2:12 -10 1
36 Ararat Armenia 4 004 4:14 -10 0

Our table from the results; the two clubs of this match are highlighted. Full table

Season projection

Members

Where these two clubs are projected to finish in the Europa League: average points, likely range and chances.

ClubPts Avg ptsLikely Top 8Play-off round Win it
Sparta Prague 4
AZ Alkmaar 6

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Every club's chance of every place, from our simulated seasons, updated daily.

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Times are UTC.