They may be two of the most successful clubs in their respective countries, but meetings between Liverpool and Sparta Prague have been rare throughout history.

With 56 domestic top-flight titles between them, the Reds and Zelezna Sparta are big dogs in England and Czechia. However, official meetings in UEFA competitions have been slim.

They’ve been paired together in the last 16 of the 2023/24 Europa League, with Jurgen Klopp’s side the firm favourites for the trophy, never mind the tie against the Prague outfit. However, their opponents sit at the top of the Czech First League table, having lost just one domestic game all season, and beat Galatasaray in the knockout round play-offs to reach this stage.

Here’s Liverpool and Sparta Prague’s complete head-to-head record.

Sir Kenny Dalglish’s first European match in charge of Liverpool wasn’t one for the history books as his side visited Sparta Prague in February 2011 in the Europa League last 32.

Injured captain Steven Gerrard was absent for the visitors, who dominated over 90 minutes but couldn’t break through as the likes of Dirk Kuyt, David N’Gog and Maxi Rodriguez toiled in front of goal.

Luis Suarez had arrived at Anfield a month earlier but was ineligible having already played for Ajax in Europe that season.

As well as Suarez, Liverpool had also splashed out a then club-record fee of £35m for striker Andy Carroll in January 2011. However, he had been out for a significant period before joining and wasn’t fit enough to play in the reverse fixture against Prague at Anfield.

Instead, it was the forward combination of Kuyt and N’Gog who struggled to break down the visiting Czech side. The breakthrough eventually came in the 86th minute when Raul Meireles’ corner was nodded in by Kuyt.

It was an ultimately disappointing Europa League campaign for Liverpool, who would exit the competition at the next round. After a 1-0 defeat at Portuguese outfit Braga, the Reds were unable to score back at Anfield on Carroll’s first start for the club.