In the Europa League last-16 draw, Liverpool are going up against Sparta Prague, and Milan, led by USMNT star Christian Pulisic, will be facing off against Slavia Praha. It’s shaping up to be some exciting football. The match between Liverpool and Sparta Prague is catching attention, and the Milan versus Slavia Praha game is expected to be intense. Fans can look forward to skilful plays and strategic moves from these teams.
The Europa League always brings top-notch football, and these upcoming games will surely be part of its exciting history.
Milan vs Slavia Praha
Milan will face Slavia Praha away in the UEFA Europa League Round of 16 second leg. The Rossoneri’s journey to this stage saw them secure a 5-3 aggregate victory over Rennes.
In the first leg at San Siro, Milan dominated with a 3-0 win, ensuring an easy game back at home. However, the tables turned as they found themselves trailing three times, ultimately losing 3-2.
Stefano Pioli’s men will look for a more comfortable game in Prague on Thursday. They had already beat Slavia in the first leg at San Siro but struggled more than they thought, securing a 4-2 win against a team that played down to ten more for more than an hour after a straight red card for El Hadji Malick Diouf at minute 26.
More and more bettors are looking at this match as a potential golden bet. Namely, Slavia is coming as an outsider, but Milan are not showing their best game yet. If betting is not your cup of tea, you can sit back and relax with some free slots no download. You can find all the main information on how and where to play them on trusted review sites.
Milan – Preparing for Prague
Milan, a semi-finalist in the UEFA Champions League last season, are gearing up for a strong Europa League run. While this season may not mirror the previous one, Milan’s experience in European football makes them a team to watch.
Coach Stefano Pioli acknowledges Liverpool, Bayer Leverkusen, and Atalanta as top favourites, but Milan, with their institutional knowledge and the iconic San Siro, hold a unique advantage.
Key stats before RO16:
- Current season record: 2 wins, 2 draws, 2 losses.
- Goals scored: 5 (avg. 0.84 per match).
- Goals conceded: 8 (avg. 1.34 per match).
- Possession: 46.34%.
- Passing accuracy: 84%.
- Balls recovered: 214 (avg. 35.67 per match).
- Tackles won: 37 (avg. 6.17 per match).
- Clean sheets: 2 (avg. 0.34 per match).
- Saves: 19 (avg. 3.17 per match).
Slavia Prague – Outsides or Not?
Slavia Praha entered the UEFA Europa League last 16 after winning their Europa League group ahead of José Mourinho’s Roma so they are not a team that should be underestimated. Their stats in the group phase were impressive as you can see below:
- Group stage record: 5 wins, 0 draws, 1 loss.
- Goals scored: 17 (avg. 2.84 per match).
- Goals conceded: 4 (avg. 0.67 per match).
- Possession: 53.84%.
- Passing accuracy: 80.5%.
- Balls recovered: 243 (avg. 40.5 per match).
- Clean sheets: 4 (avg. 0.67 per match).
- Saves: 13 (avg. 2.17 per match).
Liverpool vs Sparta Prague
Liverpool’s path in the Europa League has taken an exciting turn. They were drawn against Sparta Prague in the Round of 16. In the final season under Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool are on a mission to add more trophies to their collection.
Having topped their group, Liverpool secured a direct route to round 16, bypassing the playoff round. On the other hand, Sparta Prague won against Galatasaray in a two-legged tie to reach this stage. The Premier League giants already secured a comfortable 5-1 away win in Prague last week and need one last step to earn a spot in the quarter-finals.
Liverpool Plans and Predictions
Klopp’s Liverpool have really had a challenging journey through the 2023-24 season. Klopp’s midfield tactics are still working like a charm, so let’s see what lies ahead for the Reds:
- Klopp’s strategic moves brought in four new midfielders, boosting Liverpool’s prospects.
- The journey to perfection continues, with Klopp recognising the need for more improvements.
- Despite competition from top teams like Manchester City, Arsenal, and Aston Villa in the Premier League, Liverpool is making significant progress.
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Sparta Prague – Standing a Chance?
Liverpool’s recent win in Prague was more comfortable than many thought, especially considering Sparta’s stats before their latest European meeting.
- Goals: 1.88 avg. per match
- Goals conceded: 1.38 avg. per match
- Possession: 50.25%
- Passing accuracy: 78.63%
- Balls recovered: 316, 39.5 avg. per match
- Clean sheets: 0.25 avg. per match
- Saves: 3.13 avg. per match
Eliminating Mauro Icardi and Dries Mertens’ Galatasaray was also quite an achievement for the Czech side, but Liverpool confirmed their status as Europa League favourites with a dominant away performance. They are now ready to secure a spot in the quarter-finals with the second leg at Anfield on March 14.
Conclusion
Milan and Liverpool clearly have an advantage ahead of this week’s Europa League Round of 16 deciders and regardless of what Pioli says, the Rossoneri are also among the favourites to win the trophy this season. Whether they’ll win the Europa League for the first time in history is another story, but both the Rossoneri and Liverpool have taken all the necessary steps to qualify for the next round, where they could even meet for the first time since 2021.