Liverpool? Sparta is an equal opponent for anyone, says Řepka. Krejci is the other me

Prague’s Sparta made it through to the eighth round of the Europa League via Galatasaray. And if they wanted an attractive opponent, the luck of the draw was in their favour. It got English Liverpool. However, according to Tomáš Řepka, Sparta can be an equal opponent.

After years of misery, Sparta fans are once again experiencing days of plenty. Last year they celebrated the championship title after nine years. This season they managed to advance from the Europa League group and also knocked out Turkish Galatasaray.

In the next phase, however, the difficulty of the opponent will increase by several levels. Sparta will face the famous Liverpool, which currently leads the Premier League table. One would say that the chances of progression are slim. But that is not what former Sparta and West Ham stopper Tomáš Řepka thinks.

Řepka thinks Sparta can hurt Liverpool

“Sparta is already a team of the wider European top, today it can be an equal opponent for anyone. Coach Priske knows exactly what he wants to play and chooses the right types of players for his style of football,” said Řepka in an interview with iSport.

The name of captain Ladislav Krejci, who is strikingly reminiscent of the ex-Spartan stormtrooper in his leadership, is being bandied about a lot. Řepka himself sees a resemblance in him.

“I see Krejda, maybe he is the second Řepka. Although he is probably not completely stylized into me (smile). Martin Vitik is a professor, just like Asger Sörensen. They both know more with the ball than I did. At the moment, the Spartan stoppers are the ceiling for me in the Czech league,” the former Fiorentina and West Ham defender is convinced.

Sparta, however, have an extremely difficult month ahead of them. Apart from the double-header with Liverpool, there are two derbies with Slavia and an away game in Plzeň.

Liverpool, on the other hand, will also have a game against Manchester City for the top spot in the table this weekend. The worse news is that Liverpool also have an extremely good bench, as even with substitutes they beat Chelsea in the EFL Cup final at the weekend.

Source: iSport, Premier League