Celtic handed massive advantage as Sparta Prague make plea

Sparta Prague have made a plea to the Czech Prime Minster heading into their game against Celtic in the Europa League.

The level of football being played around the world in amongst the pandemic is varying greatly. It’s a difficult time in Scottish football with huge hits to finances and atmosphere through the lack of fans at games. As is the case this weekend, we’re still seeing the closure of last season take place with the delayed Scottish Cup semi-final between Celtic and Aberdeen being played out on Sunday.

In the Czech Republic it’s much worse, no top level league matches have been played since 4th October. The Czech government introduced much stricter restrictions meaning games have been cancelled, initially until 3rd November. The Europa league matches for Czech clubs were an agreed exemption and Sparta Prague have so far lost 0-3 away to Milan and 1-4 at home against Lille.

The Czech club are concerned that the lack of football is hampering their chances of success and giving Celtic a fundamental advantage for the upcoming match in Glasgow on Thursday. It’s not been the case that the pandemic has done the Hoops any favours with so many players being ruled out of matches. But this current scenario might help.

More from The Celtic Bhoys

• Celtic handed fresh injury doubt before Feyenoord game
• Celtic’s £40.7 million announcement should scare Rangers
• Brendan Rodgers makes superb claim about returning Celtic player
• BBC pundit makes sensational claim about Celtic hero Kyogo
• Kyogo Furuhashi sends clear message to Celtic doubters

Sparta have written via their club captain Borek Dockal to the Czech Prime Minister, Andrej Babis, requesting for football to restart as soon as possible. They’ve joined up with Slavia Prague and Slovan Liberic with all three clubs making the same point in an open letter to their PM.

As the Daily Record reports the letter makes points about the importance of football and the strong precautions taken to protect players meaning it’s safe to continue. But the critical part of the letter as far as Celtic are concerned is the advantage the Czechs feel has been handed to the Hoops:

"“It is necessary to emphasise that, from a sporting point of view, our clubs are fundamentally disadvantaged compared to their European rivals by the interruption of professional competition.”"

The lack of games rarely helps a club although with the way some Celtic players tired towards the end of the draw away at Lille, some might argue a rest can be helpful. This should still be good news for the Hoops.

With much of Europe tightening restrictions and new lockdowns being announced across the continent, it’s by no means obvious that the Czechs will be in a position to relax their stance. It’s no more an unfair disadvantage in the current pandemic than where a team loses players on international duty due to positive tests. These days we all have to get on with the situation. Let’s hope Celtic can be stronger and win the Sparta ties.