Arsenal arrive in Prague chasing perfection in the Champions League league phase. Mikel Arteta’s side have a 100% record and the confidence of a 4-0 demolition of Atletico Madrid, achieved with a ruthless 13-minute burst.
Slavia Prague will not roll over. Jindrich Trpisovsky’s team just held Atalanta BC to a goalless draw and have strung together five straight clean sheets across competitions. Their only defeat all season came against Inter Milan, and their home record in Europe is usually productive.
Form points to the visitors. Arsenal have won nine in a row domestically after a 2-0 victory at Burnley and remain one of only two sides yet to concede in this season’s league phase. But injuries and a key suspension force selection calls that could shape the night.
Slavia Prague vs Arsenal team news
Arsenal must cope without the suspended Martin Zubimendi, who misses out through an accumulation of yellow cards. Viktor Gyokeres and Gabriel Martinelli were both withdrawn with issues at Burnley; Gyokeres is a doubt and Martinelli, a muscle victim who has scored in every Champions League game so far, is expected to sit out.
Further absentees include Martin Odegaard (knee), Noni Madueke (knee), Gabriel Jesus (knee) and Kai Havertz (knee). That opens the door for Christian Norgaard to make a first Champions League start, while Mikel Merino may again be tasked with leading the line if Gyokeres is not ready.
Slavia Prague are depleted. Ivan Schranz (muscle), Filip Horsky (ACL), Petr Sevcik (ACL), Dominik Javorcek (knee), Tomas Holes (knee), Igoh Ogbu (hamstring) and captain Jan Boril (unspecified) are all out. With Boril sidelined, Lukas Provod is set to wear the armband from the No.10 role, and former Luton Town defender Daiki Hashioka is likely among the substitutes.
Form
Arsenal have won seven straight league-phase matches and sit fourth in the overall table behind Inter Milan, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain. They are unbeaten in 10 UEFA meetings with Czech clubs, winning eight. Slavia, meanwhile, sit 28th in the 36-team rankings with two points but have failed to score in only one of their last 27 European home games. Expect Slavia to counter with energy and look for set plays; expect Arsenal to test their resolve with sustained territorial play and restarts.
Predicted Lineups
Slavia Prague predicted XI: Markovic; Zima, Chaloupek, Vlceck; Moses, Oscar, Zafeiris, Mbodji; Provod; Chory, Chytil.
Trpisovsky’s 3-4-1-2 leans on compact lines, wing-back outlets and Provod’s craft between the lines. The front pair will chase channels and press short build-up.
Arsenal predicted XI: Raya; White, Saliba, Hincapie, Lewis-Skelly; Eze, Norgaard, Rice; Saka, Merino, Trossard.
With Zubimendi banned, Norgaard anchors and Rice balances the middle third. If Merino leads the line, rotations with Trossard between half-spaces can drag centre-backs out, while Saka carries the primary one-v-one threat.
Slavia Prague vs Arsenal prediction
Arsenal’s depth should decide this. Even with changes, the Gunners’ set-piece threat and control phases look strong enough to crack a stubborn Slavia defence. The hosts’ clean-sheet run may keep this tight early on, but sustained pressure should tell. We say: Slavia Prague 0-3 Arsenal.
