Ararat-Armenia host Sparta Praha in Europa League league-stage opener
Ararat-Armenia begin their UEFA Europa League league-stage campaign at home to Sparta Praha at the Vazgen Sargsyan Republican Stadium in Yerevan, in a fixture that reunites the sides after two meetings last season.
Those previous encounters, both in the UEFA Europa Conference League, ended in Sparta Praha's favour. The Czech club won 4-1 away in Prague and then 2-1 in Yerevan, results that give them a clean record over their upcoming opponents heading into this new European campaign.
Form guide
Both sides arrive with almost identical recent form. Ararat-Armenia have taken three wins, a draw and a defeat from their last five matches, while Sparta Praha have also won three of their last five, though with two losses rather than one draw and one defeat.
With the win tallies level at three apiece, neither side can claim a clear edge in recent results, and matchday one offers both a chance to open their league-stage account against a familiar opponent.