The UEFA Women’s Champions League qualifying final between AS Roma and AC Sparta Prague isn’t just another August clash. It’s survival, redemption, and ambition all tied together in 90 minutes at Stadion SK Prosek, Prague.
The winner takes a golden ticket to the final qualifying round of the UWCL fixtures; the loser isn’t banished entirely but drops into the brand-new UEFA Women’s Europa Cup. Even in defeat, there’s continental football to play, but the hierarchy of ambition is clear: Roma want the Champions League. Sparta want revenge.
Roma’s Second European Life – The Push for the Group Stage
AS Roma have tasted Europe and they want more. Their first foray in 2022/23 ended in the quarterfinals, a debut campaign that made the continent sit up and take notice. Since then, the landscape has changed. The UWCL fixtures now run with an 18-team league phase, stretching beyond the old 16-team group format. To get there, though, you have to fight through the mud of qualifying.
Roma finished third in Serie A Femminile 2024/25, which thrust them into the unforgiving League Path of qualification. Their message is simple: this club belongs in the Champions League proper, not as a footnote in the Europa Cup.
Their semi-final against WFC Aktobe was a steady enough tune-up. A 2-0 win, with goals from Marta Pandini and Giulia Galli in the space of a minute, sealed progress. But head coach Luca Rossettini wasn’t satisfied. He rolled out a 3-4-2-1 formation, rotated heavily, and afterwards admitted it was “more suffered than expected.” This wasn’t Roma at full throttle; it was Roma keeping their powder dry.
Rossettini’s message for the final was uncompromising: “We have to win it at all costs.” For Pandini, the words echo: “We will do everything to win.” There’s no hedging here. Roma see themselves as Champions League material – anything less would be regression.
Sparta Prague – Chaos, Heart, and Home Advantage
If Roma represent calm professionalism, Sparta Prague are the storm. Their semi-final against FC Nordsjælland was football theatre in purest form: a 3-0 halftime lead, 4-1 up at one stage, then a collapse that saw them pegged back to 4-4 in the dying minutes. Extra time was frantic, penalties inevitable.
Enter 17-year-old goalkeeper Nikola Harantová, who became the unlikely heroine. Two penalty saves, ice in her veins, and then Eliška Sonntagová buried the decisive kick.
Sparta were through, the crowd at epet ARENA (812 fans making plenty of noise) breathing relief more than jubilation.
Captain Eva Bartoňová was blunt afterwards: “What happened in the second half must not be repeated… Against AS Roma we have nothing to lose. We will fight for advancement.”
That line matters. Sparta are playing in their own city, under the gaze of Czech football fans, but the pressure lies with Roma. Sparta can swing freely, chaotic, dangerous, buoyed by the underdog energy.
And there’s history here too. In 2022, Roma dumped Sparta out of UWCL qualifying with a 6-2 aggregate win. For Sparta, this is a revenge mission on home soil.
The Czech-Italian Connection: Olivie Lukášová’s Story
One subplot shines above the rest: Roma’s goalkeeper Olivie Lukášová. Born in Prague, raised in the Czech game, she cut her teeth with Slavia Prague – Sparta’s fiercest rival. She was the first Czech goalkeeper to play in Serie A when she moved to Roma in 2024, fulfilling what she called “a dream come true.”
At 1.81m, Lukášová is an imposing figure in goal. She built her reputation with standout UWCL performances, including a legendary 13-save showing against Wolfsburg. Now she returns to Prague not as a homegrown keeper fighting to prove herself, but as a European-level player in command of Roma’s ambitions.
For Sparta fans, it adds spice. Lukášová once stood against them in domestic derbies. Now she comes back as the obstacle to their continental dreams.
New Faces and Fresh Blood – Sparta’s American Imports
Sparta’s squad has undergone a quiet transformation, with fresh American recruits brought in over the summer. Against Nordsjælland, they showed their hand:
Tori Hansen, a defender from Brooklyn FC (and formerly Melbourne Victory), slotted into the starting XI with authority. Ellie Ospeck, an attacker from Houston Dash, entered the semi in the 59th minute, bringing raw pace and verticality. Reagan Bridges, a former FIU standout and 2024 CUSA Defensive Player of the Year, got her chance late in the second half.
The American influence adds steel and unpredictability. If Sparta are to unsettle Roma, these new imports may play decisive roles.
Eva Bartoňová – Sparta’s Warrior Captain
Every story needs a talisman, and Sparta’s is Eva Bartoňová. A Czech international, she’s known across Europe not just for leadership but for moments of flair – her bicycle-kick goal against South Korea went viral worldwide. She’s played for Slavia, Inter Milan, and now leads Sparta into a battle where their spirit must outweigh their flaws.
Her words on Harantová – “She didn’t complicate things and supported us” – show how vital her steady presence is. Against Roma’s seasoned midfield, Bartoňová will need to drag her side into the fight, maybe even beyond their limits.
Roma’s New Era – Building Around Depth
While Sparta thrives on chaos, Roma bring controlled evolution. Rossettini has been rotating heavily, bedding in players like Wini Heatley, who joined recently and spoke of the “incredible history” of Roma and the standards she must meet. The Italian side now has depth, flexibility, and a hunger that comes from not being the reigning champion but wanting to prove themselves again.
Marta Pandini looks increasingly like the emotional heartbeat of this squad. Her semi-final goal against Aktobe wasn’t just a strike; it was a marker. “We believe so much in this path,” she said, radiating conviction. Roma are not simply here to qualify – they’re here to build a European reputation brick by brick.
What’s at Stake – More Than Just Qualification
The stakes are layered. At the top, entry into the UWCL league phase – the place where Roma believe they belong. Slip up here and you don’t disappear entirely: the loser drops into the UEFA Women’s Europa Cup, the brand-new secondary tournament. That’s still Europe, still visibility, still games against decent opposition.
But the perception is different. For Roma, dropping into the Europa Cup would be seen as failure, a step backward for a club that wants to climb the AS Roma standings in both Italy and Europe. For Sparta, even Europa Cup football would be progress – but beating Roma on home soil would redefine them entirely.
Past Encounters, Future Battles
Roma’s 2022 dismissal of Sparta (6-2 on aggregate) looms over this tie. But both sides have changed. Roma are more settled, with Serie A pedigree and international recruits. Sparta are younger, fresher, and emboldened by American imports. The ghosts of that defeat remain, but this is a different battlefield.
Prediction – Controlled Chaos vs Ruthless Ambition
For Roma, this is a step toward the Champions League phase, where they want to test themselves against Europe’s best. For Sparta, it’s a shot at redemption, pride, and upsetting one of Italy’s strongest clubs in front of their home fans.
In a year when UWCL fixtures look more competitive than ever, this final isn’t even the playoff round – yet it already feels like do-or-die. Europe doesn’t hand out respect freely. You take it, you seize it, or you fall into the shadows of the Europa Cup.
On Saturday in Prague, Roma and Sparta will fight for that respect. And only one will walk away with their Champions League dream intact.
doragon sports 