Southampton are in the Czech Republic today to face Sparta Prague in the Europa League. It’s a match which could decide the winners of Group K, with Inter Milan trailing everyone in 4th place.
Ahead of the game there’s been an interesting development on the kit front. Sparta Prague’s home kit is a maroon type red with darker sleeves, and it’s felt that would clash with both Southampton’s home and away kits. Therefore, both sides will be dressed in their away colours, with Sparta in yellow.
Ahead of the match Sparta’s Costa Nhamoinesu has been speaking to the media and he reckons the Czech team have got a plan to beat Southampton. Quoted by iDNES, Costa explained: “They play in one of the best competitions in the world. The first match we lost, but we know what went wrong and what didn’t. This time, we will continue doing what was good. We have other plans. But that’s our secret. How do you say it in Czech? Secret.”
One secret Costa couldn’t keep is that Sparta have lots of injuries ahead of the Southampton match. The situation is such that the defender was asked if the other players are tired: “It’s a shame that we have a lot of experienced players injured. And the rest of us are professionals, so whilst tiredness comes, we have to beat it.”
It’s not only injuries hurting Sparta, two of their players are sick. David Lafata and Mario Holek are both suffering from illness and they’re doubts to start against Southampton.
Sparta’s manager David Holoubek believes Southampton will pick some squad players for the match, but still conceded that the Premier League are ‘certainly the favourite’.
So that’s a team forced to play in their away kit at home, lots of injury problems, sickness affecting at least a couple of the players, and a manager who concedes a Southampton squad heavy team would still be the favourite.
Costa’s secret better be good.
