Sparta to face Lyon in Champions League qualifier

Sparta Prague have drawn the French club Lyon in the third qualifying round for the league stage of football’s Champions League. If Sparta get past Lyon, they will have to get through one more round of qualifiers to reach Europe’s top club competition. If they fail to beat the Lyon, they will go straight into the second-tier Europa League.

The French club feature Czech international Pavel Šulc, while Adam Karabec, who was at Lyon last season, is now a Sparta player. The two legs of that time take place on August 3 or 4, and August 11.

Slavia Prague, who lifted the Czech title last season, go straight into the league phase of the Champions League.