After a break for over a week, the UEFA Champions League is back. London giants Arsenal will be back in action against Czech side Slavia Prague. The Gunners will be aiming to continue their red-hot form in Europe. Mikel Arteta’s side has been unbeaten thus far in the tournament, currently occupying the 4th spot with 3 wins from 3 games. Slavia on the other hand are placed 28th with 2 points from 3 games.
The Gunners’ unbeaten run in the UCL campaign thus far has been mainly due to their high scoring rate. The London Reds have scored 8 goals in 3 games without reply averaging 57% possession and 86.7% pass accuracy.
Preview
The Premier League giants head into this encounter on the back of a strong 4-0 win over La Liga side Atletico Madrid. The Gunners capped up a convincing victory with new striker Victor Gyokeres bagging up a brace. On the other hand, Czech side Slavia Prague managed a goalless draw against Atalanta in their last outing and will be desperate for at least a point against the current Premier League toppers.
Arsenal began their UCL campaign with a 2-0 win over Athletic Club, followed by a 2-0 win over Olympiacos and then a 4-0 drubbing over Atletico Madrid. Slavia began their UCL campaign with a 2-2 draw over Bodo/Glimt. They were then defeated 3-0 by Inter and then played out a 0-0 draw against Atalanta.
Arsenal head into the game with grit and determination eager to etch out another win. On the other hand, Slavia might be winless, but they remain defensively resilient and their 0-0 draw against Atalanta is a proof of the same.
With a goal difference of +8, Arsenal is just behind the likes of PSG, Bayern Munich and Inter. As a result, a big win against the Czech side can see the Premier League side go on to potentially top the UCL standings.
Coming to the game, Arsenal will deploy their direct attacking style of gameplay which can be frustrating for the opponent who will rarely find possession of the goal. An early goal for Arsenal will likely see Slavia pushing forward which will in turn, open the half-spaces, where Arsenal’s switches and third-man runs become more damaging.
Should Slavia manage a draw till the first half, the visitors will focus a lot on winning the second balls and thus the hosts can be left stranded on their own half.
Head-to-Head
The two sides have previously met 4 times in Europe. Arsenal is unbeaten in UEFA competition (2W, 2D) with the spoils of the war heading to Arsenal twice. Slavia Prague on the other hand have never beaten Arsenal ever in UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Europa League thus far.
Back in 2007, Arsenal registered their biggest UCL win where they humiliated Slavia 7-0 in UCL group stage and then a 4-0 win in Prague in 2021 Europa quarter finals. Meanwhile, across the 4 games, Slavia has managed a possession of a mere 35% which is a testament of Arsenal’s dominance over in this fixture of the years.
Team News
Slavia Prague
The Czech is severely depleted owing to injuries. Filip Horsky, Petr Sevcik, Schranz, Dominik Javorcek, Tomas Holes, Igoh Ogbu, and Jan Boril are all ruled out of the game with multiple injuries leaving Slavia short-handed.
The team won 2-0 against FC Baník Ostrava and that will serve as extra motivation for the side. With Jan Boril ruled out, Lukas Provod will once again lead the side from the start.
Predicted XI: Markovic; Zima, Chaloupek, Vlceck; Moses, Oscar, Zafeiris, Mbodji; Provod; Chory, Chytil
Arsenal
The Premier League toppers too have been plagued with injuries thus far. In their last game against Burnley, both Victor Gyokeres and Martin Zubimendi were subbed off after suffering muscle niggles. While Zubimendi is ruled out with a UEFA ban after collecting too many yellow cards, Gyokeres’s availability remains doubtful.
Christian Norgaard is likely to make his UCL start for Arsenal and is likely to pair up with Mikel Merino. Other injury concerns include the likes of captain Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Martinelli, and Noni Madueke.
Predicted XI: Raya; White, Saliba, Hincapie, Lewis-Skelly; Eze, Norgaard, Rice; Saka, Merino, Trossard
Where The Match Will Be Decided
Heading into the game, Arsenal are tipped favourites for this encounter. Mikel Arteta’s game style of quick passing and pressing will come in very handy for the game. A stable midfield of Rice, Merino and Norgaard will also be vital for the game. Arsenal will bank a lot on Declan Rice at the base of their midfield. The Gunners will implement 2v1s on Slavia’s wingbacks, to create havoc on Slavia who mainly relies on a 3-4-2-1 setup,
Arsenal’s ability for quick transitions and ability to score from set-pieces will be a huge problem for Slavia Prague to mitigate. Arsenal’s ball re-possession (33 ball recoveries per match) will be difficult for Slavia if they go on the counter. The Czech side will be eager to play to their strength which mainly lies on their defensive transitions, coupled with their high physical duels. The only drawback – Bukayo Saka’s pace and gameplay can easily breakdown their high defensive line.
Match Prediction
Betting Odds: Slavia Prague (12.5) Draw (6) Arsenal (1.22) via BetMGM UK
Arsenal head into the game brimming with confidence and looks easy to wrap up the tie fast. Their good form in both the Premier League and in the UCL will work as a moral boost for Arteta’s boys. On the other hand, Slavia Prague will be desperate to rake up a draw.
We predict Slavia Prague 0-3 Arsenal. This is mainly owing to the fact that Arsenal manages an xG of 2.8 on an average in UCL thus far with 2.67 goals per match and 15 shots per match. Slavia however has the tendency of conceding early goals (first half goals in their past 3 matches) showcases why Arsenal will move ahead with a 3-0 victory.
