Sparta Prague 0 - Espanyol 2

Sparta: Blazek; Pospech, Homola, Repka, Kadlec; Sylvestre (Jun 60'), Simakl, Kisel, Kolar (Lustrinelli 83'); Matusovic, Dosek. 4-4-2.
Espanyol: Iraizoz; Sergio Sánchez (Chica 51'), Jarque, Torrejón, Moha; Fredson, Zabaleta; Luis García, De la Peña (Ito 81'), Riera (Julián 89'); Pandiani. 4-2-3-1.

Goals:
0-1. 17. Luis García (penalty). After García himself fouled by Kadlec inside area.
0-2. 85. Riera. Picked up Pandiani pass and ran on to beat Blazek from left of area.

Espanyol got off to the best possible start in the group stage, a 0-2 win over Sparta Prague taking them joint top of their table and taking some pressure off Ernest Valverde. Despite fears of the quality of the opponents, the coach decided to make eight changes from his league line-up, with the out of favour Luis García returning to the side. And after Fredson had gone close, it was the ex Real Madrid and Mallorca forward who won himself a penalty and converted it to give the Catalans the lead with just over a quarter of an hour gone.

Pandiani felt himself unlucky not to even be given a free kick when hacked down on the edge of the area midway through the second half, but Gorka and Jarque managed to keep out a dangerous attack by Dosek and then Matusovic with a quarter of an hour to go. Five minutes from the end though Pandiani sent Riera away on a counterattack, and the winger left Kisel for dead before firing in an agled shot which Blazek couldn't stop from entering the net.