After five seasons in Prague, Haraslin’s departure came just days after the go-ahead goal against Lyon—his fifth and final contribution for the club. The 28-year-old winger secured a lucrative move to Al-Fateh in Saudi Arabia’s Pro League, with Sparta reportedly receiving around €5 million in compensation. His exit follows that of forward Jan Kuchta, who joined Legia Warsaw over the summer.

Head coach Brian Priske, fresh off a 0-2 league defeat to Mladá Boleslav with a heavily rotated squad, now faces the task of reshaping his lineup for the high-stakes second leg. With Haraslin’s replacement, Josimar Alcocer, having impressed in the first meeting, the Czech side is expected to repeat its starting XI at Groupama Stadium.

“We have a real chance to progress if we deliver the same performance we showed in the first leg,” Priske told reporters. “Lyon came to play their first competitive match of the season on our turf—that’s never easy. They haven’t played since then, which is a small advantage we must capitalize on. Consistency will be key, especially in midfield.”