Arsenal ready for Prague return

Arsenal FC, runners-up two seasons ago, will make an rapid return to Prague after the draw placed them into UEFA Champions League Group H along with SK Slavia Praha. The London club guaranteed their place with two wins against Czech champions AC Sparta Praha in the third qualifying round and will be hoping for a repeat when they face Slavia on Matchdays 3 and 4.

Fond memories
Slavia are newcomers to this stage and it is the first time the sides have met in UEFA club competition. However the Czech side's coach Karel Jarolím has fond memories of facing FC Steaua Bucuresti, who are also in the section, having been an assistant in the 1999/00 season when they eliminated the Romanian side from the UEFA Cup third round. Sevilla FC, who have won the UEFA Cup in each of the last two seasons, and AEK Athens FC will meet on Monday 3 September to decide who fills the fourth place in the section, the second leg of their third qualifying round tie having been postponed because of the death of the Spanish club's defender Antonio Puerta on Tuesday.

Keith Edelman, Arsenal managing director
We have played in Prague quite a bit over the last few years, we have never been to Bucharest and that's going to be a new challenge for us, we have played a lot in Athens. Sevilla, of course, had a great run in the UEFA Cup and have done extremely well in that competition. They are all tough. The thing about the Champions League is it's an exciting competition but also a very challenging one. We have a very good young team full of enthusiasm. There is great team morale and we are confident we can have a great season. We feel very positive about that.

José María Del Nido, Sevilla president
You can't count your chickens before they hatch. We haven't qualified yet because we still have to play the second leg against AEK Athens but I will start to think about the group after that game.

Gheorghe Hagi, Steaua coach
There are no weak teams at this level. There are teams with a big tradition in the Champions League and that's why I did not pay so much attention to the draw. Of course I was interested, but whatever the group, our policy and philosophy would have stayed the same: we have reached the group stage, which means we are also a very good team. Of course, Sevilla won the last two UEFA Cup finals and one UEFA Super Cup and have dominated European football in the last two years. Yes, Arsenal reached the UEFA Champions League final, while Slavia won both legs against [AFC] Ajax to qualify. It will be tough, but we will fight for our chance. Our aim is to reach the last 16 and we will go for it.

Karel Jarolím, Slavia coach
It could have been a better draw, I wanted to play AC Milan most of all as they are the holders. We know the power of Arsenal very well from their games against Sparta while Steaua will be awkward rivals. I expect Sevilla to be the third opponents and we will fly to Athens to see their second leg against AEK next Monday.