"We know that but when you cross the white line it's eleven versus eleven.
"They are extremely dangerous. They're a top team. They have internationals all around their squad. You know what you are up against. We want to be here, we want to compete. We want to win the tie and we know that is difficult but that is what we want to do.
"We know what we're up against in terms of opposition. We know how good they are but we're here to compete and try to win games. That is going to be the aim. Our full focus is trying to win the game."
In previous campaigns Rovers often arrived into their European campaign with a confidence boosting lead over the the chasing pack in the League of Ireland.
This season couldn't be more different. The club's reputation is the only reason anyone is giving them any hope of still winning the league, with them currently trailing leaders, and fellow European travellers, Shelbourne by 13 points.
The historic five in a row hanging by a thread, things were compounded by an FAI Cup exit on Friday night. And not just any exit, but at the hands of the fiercest of their Dublin rivals Bohemians at Dalymount Park.
"Domestically we haven't been as good as we wanted in the first half of the season," Bradley acknowledges.
"There is no getting away from that, for different reasons. It is done, we have to learn from that and focus on what is front of us. That is Champions League football and a chance to retain our league.
"When you operate at the level we do and have done for a number of years, you're going to win and lose games. You're playing regularly and in big competitions. On Friday night we weren't good enough and if you're not good enough in any game of football you lose. We lost on Friday."
The main stand at Tallaght, as well as the south stand, which usually hosts the club's most vociferous supporters, have already sold out for the game with limited ticketing left for the rest of the ground.
Bradley is hopeful that the capacity of the stadium will be tested and that a vocal support can give his side "energy", with the Rovers manager admitting that his side "need all the help we can get."
New UEFA rules that limit conversations with the referees to a role for the team's captain are something that his players will have to get used to quickly.
According to the organising body, 'Captains must also take responsibility for their team-mates, asking them to respect the referee, keep their distance and not surround the match officials.'
In the victory over Reykjavik, Jack Byrne was sent off after receiving two yellow cards, while Darragh Nugent missed the game at Tallaght after being sent off in the first leg.
Of the change, Bradley added: "It is new to our players and it has been brought in mid-season for us.
"It has taken a bit of time to adjust. we have to make sure we adjust to that on Tuesday because we can't be picking up yellow cards."
Should Rovers pull off a surprise over the two legs, then they would face the winners of the tie between Steaua Bucharest and Maccabi Tel Aviv.
More: Two tough European draws for Shamrock Rovers
Getting to the second qualifying round is already worth €350,000 to the club, with an additional €200,000 on offer if they can find a way past Sparta.
Bradley acknowledges that the sums are massive for sides coming for a league where the winners receive less than €150,000, but the 39-year-old says his concerns are about what happens between the white lines.
"There's no getting away from the smaller nations of Europe, the money from these competitions is very, very important.
"We're no different to that. It's essential for us to be competitive in Europe on the pitch. If you do that, the rewards come, but our main focus is being competitive on the pitch and trying to win games."
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