Preview: Sigma Olomouc vs Lausanne Sport - prediction, team news, lineups

Europa Conference League action returns this Thursday night with eight intriguing knockout phase playoff matches, including a tasty affair in Czechia as Sigma Olomouc welcome Swiss challengers Lausanne Sport.

The hosts head into their European fixture on the back of successive league defeats, while the visitors will be looking to shake off a six-match winless run.

Match preview

Sigma Olomouc will feel somewhat fortunate to have reached this stage of the competition after closing out the league phase with successive defeats against Gibraltar’s Lincoln Red Imps and Poland’s Lech Poznan.

Seven points from six games proved to be just enough to qualify for the knockout phase, with Tomas Janotka and his men occupying the 24th spot in the standings.

Sigma will now be looking to give a good account of themselves in this opening leg, though that may prove a lot easier said than done considering their poor run of form.

The Hanaci have lost seven of their last eight competitive matches, including their last two domestic games against Banik Ostrava and Viktoria Plzen.

On a positive note, the club have only lost four competitive home matches this entire season - a stat which will offer some comfort ahead of a tricky encounter.

While Sigma were fortunate to make the top 24, Lausanne Sport endured frustration after missing out on an automatic round-of-16 spot by the smallest of margins.

The club finished their league phase campaign in ninth spot - an agonising one point adrift of the top eight, despite a 1-0 victory over Fiorentina during the final matchday.

Another source of frustration for Peter Zeidler and his men has been their poor run of form - a six-game winless streak, to be exact.

The Blue and Whites have not tasted victory since mid-January, while their latest outing ended in a thrilling 3-3 draw with Swiss Super League strugglers Servette.

With just two away victories from their last 11 such outings, the priority for Lausanne this Thursday night is to bag a positive result which they can take into the second leg.

Sigma Olomouc Conference League form:

L D W W L L

Sigma Olomouc form (all competitions):

L L L W L L

Lausanne Sport Conference League form:

W W D L D W

Lausanne Sport form (all competition):

W D L D L D

Team News

Sigma head into Thursday’s encounter without Ugandan forward John Dembe, who is yet to make his debut for the club since his big winter transfer due to a knee injury.

Midfielder Artur Dolznikov participated in several friendlies during the winter break, though once competitive football returned, the 25-year-old was sidelined with an injury. He remains out of action.

Yunusa Muritala has been out for this entire season with a knee injury, while David Tkac is also on the shelf.

Lausanne, on the other hand, are missing defender Hamza Abdallah due to a knee injury.

Canadian forward Theo Bair is struggling with the same issue, while Swiss midfielder Souleymane N'Diaye is carrying a shoulder problem.

Sigma Olomouc possible starting lineup:

Koutny; Elbel, Lurvink, Sylla, Hadas; Barath, Beran; Sturm, Sip, Ghali; Rusek

Lausanne Sport possible starting lineup:

Letica; Poaty, Sow, Mouanga, Bergvall; Beloko, Roche, Custodio; Lekoueiry; Butler-Oyedeji, Traore