Arsenal host Salvia Prague in the first leg of Europa League quarter-finals later today, as the pressure to deliver mounds on Mikel Arteta and his men especially after that Liverpool defeat last weekend.
Betting on Euro, the fixture tilts towards Arsenal but Salvia Prague, on the papers, sounds a wholesome job for the Gunners but it’s tougher than it looks. While Arsenal are enduring another tough year in mid of Premier League table, the visitors are enjoying one of their best seasons in recent history. Jindřich Trpišovský’s team are not only sitting at the top of the ladder in the Czech Republican league with a massive fourteen-point lead over Sparta but also in midst of an incredible 21 match unbeaten run in all competitions. The last time Salvia Prague lost a match was on December 10th against Bayer Leverkusen in the Europa League group stage.
Coming into the game, Salvia Prague will be marginally favorites over the Gunners, but Arsenal definitely does boast the quality of players who can change the tie in a matter of touches.
TEAM NEWS
Along with that defeat to Liverpool, Arsenal suffered a massive blow on Saturday night when Kieran Tierney was subbed off owing to knee problems which will probably keep Scott out on the sidelines for at least six weeks. Though, they could welcome back Granit Xhaka, Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith-Rowe, who all trained yesterday. David Luiz has undergone a minor procedure and risks missing out on the rest of the season.
For the visitors, teenage goalkeeper Matyas Vagner will take charge between the woodwork with Ondrej Kolar out of the tie owing to a sinus fracture. Vagner was sent off in eighteen minutes in the League last time he took charge of the gloves. The defensive duo of Simon Deli and David Hovorka are definite to miss out, while Salvia Prague could welcome back Ibrahim Traore and Abdallah Sima.
Although, the man in the headlines, Ondrej Kudela – for racially abusing Arsenal academy graduate Glen Kamara the last time he played in the Europa League against Rangers, Ondrej was handed a one-game ban by UEFA and was not in the travel squad owing to illness. He was due to be questioned by the police about the racial abuse when he touched down in the UK and looks like someone is running away from being questioned and charged.
UEFA have provisionally banned Ondrej Kudela for Slavia Prague’s next European match (the Europa League tie at Arsenal that he was not travelling to anyway) whilst they investigate him over a breach of their anti-racism regulations.
— James Benge (@jamesbenge) April 6, 2021
Probable XI:
ARSENAL: Bernd Leno; Hector Bellerin, Rob Holding, Gabriel, Bukayo Saka; Thomas Partey, Mohamed Elneny; Willian, Martin Odegaard, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang; Gabriel Martinelli.
Slavia Praha: Matyas Vagner; Alexander Bah, David Zima, Jan Bori, Lukas Masopust; Jakub Hromada, Lukas Provod; Oscar Dorley, Nicolae Stanciu, Peter Olayinka; Abdallah Sima.
