CL Preview: Sparta Prague - Real Madrid

Sparta Prague are fighting for a lot more than club glory as they continue their impressive Champions League campaign against Real Madrid in Prague on Wednesday night.

With no World Cup representation for the Czechs to look forward to, this European campaign gains new dimensions. For the fans, it's a chance to celebrate performances against the continent's elite and for the players who failed to beat Belgium twice it's a potential psychological lifeline.

For Real Madrid, the expectations are always high and boasting at least two of the planet's biggest names, progression to the quarter finals at least is mandatory.

Coach Vicente Del Bosque will be relying on Zidane and his midfield bodyguard Makelele to conjure - and harness - the magic against the Czechs but it will be a tough tie for the Castillian kings all the same. Both Frenchman returned from Australia to step-up the menace against Sevilla in the weekend's 2-1 win with Zidane looking as if he's finally found the spellbook after all.

Sparta assumed a major role in the Group stages, holding the might of Bayern back on German soil and finishing Group H 3 points behind the European champions and convincingly ahead of Feyenoord and Spartak Moscow. But their group was not the most challenging and the tests get harder this time with the dangerous Panathinaikos and Porto both keen to get vital points at their expense.

Real flowed through to win Group A, beating Roma to the tape by four points. The strength of the competition was similar to Sparta's group as Lokomotiv Moscow and Anderlecht tried to chase the two favourites with the Russians earning a UEFA Cup place by finishing just two points adrift of the Italian champions.