Haraslín Reflects on Sparta Prague’s Title Hopes After Derby Defeat

Despite a recent 2-1 loss to their Prague rivals, Sparta Prague winger Lukáš Haraslín remains optimistic about his team’s chances of winning the Czech First League title. Speaking at a press conference following the match, the 29-year-old Slovakian international acknowledged the setback but emphasized their continued commitment to challenging for first place with ten rounds remaining in the competition.

First-Half Lead Not Enough

Sparta Prague took the lead at Eden Stadium just before halftime through a goal from Patrik Vydra, but the defending champions rallied in the second half to secure a 2-1 victory. Haraslín expressed his frustration with his team’s performance after the break.

“First of all, I’m angry. It was a game of two different halves. In the first one, we did exactly what we had to do. We took the lead,” Haraslín stated. He criticized his team’s approach in the second half, suggesting a potential underestimation of their opponents.

“I don’t know if we thought it would be possible to kick it to 1-0. Yes, it is possible, but if you score a goal around the 80th minute and make a save, you jump to a narrow lead. In the second half, we were terribly stuck, as if it wasn’t us and a completely different team came to the field. We can’t play like that,” he added.

Ten-Point Deficit, But Hope Remains

With five rounds of the regular season and another five rounds of the extra season remaining, Sparta Prague currently trails the league leader by ten points. Despite the significant gap, Haraslín is determined to keep fighting for the top spot.

“We will still desire to play for first place. With today’s match, the goal has moved away from us, but it is not over yet. As long as there is an opportunity to fight for first place, we will fight,” Haraslín assured reporters.

Looking Ahead to a Challenging Schedule

Haraslín acknowledged the challenges ahead, with a busy schedule including European competitions, league matches, and the Czech Cup, as well as international duty with the national team.

“We have a tough outing in Europe ahead of us, then the league, the cup again and the national team break. We will analyze the match and put it behind us as soon as possible. We must avoid the mistakes we made,” he said.

Disputed Penalty Decision

The Sparta Prague captain also voiced his disagreement with a penalty decision during the match, believing he was fouled by Tomáš Chorý before Mojmír Chytil scored to make it 2-1.

“From my point of view, it was a foul from behind. I felt the blow. I don’t know how much it weighs, but it’s hard for me to withstand the impact of a hundred-kilogram opponent. I don’t want to make excuses for it, that’s the way it was decided, I won’t change it. We didn’t lose at that moment, the whole second half is to blame,” Haraslín admitted.

Patrik Vydra’s Profile

Patrik Vydra, the 22-year-old Czech footballer who scored for Sparta Prague in the derby, primarily plays as a defensive midfielder but can also feature as a centre-back. He has been with AC Sparta Prague since January 1, 2023, and his contract was last extended on February 11, 2025. Transfermarkt reports his market value at €4.00m as of February 26, 2026. Vydra began his youth career at Český lev Union Beroun (2009-2015) and AC Sparta Praha (2015-2021). He was on loan to FK Mlada Boleslav in 2024. Wikipedia confirms his birthdate as June 20, 2003, in Beroun, Czech Republic, and his height as 1.90m.