Arsenal vs Slavia Praha Europa League preview: where to watch, team news, predictions

Arsenal face Slavia Praha in the UEFA Europa League quarter-final first leg on 8 April at 21:00 CET.

Where to watch the game on TV

Fans can find their local UEFA Europa League broadcast partner(s) here.

Form guide

Arsenal
Form: LDLWWD
Latest: Arsenal 0-3 Liverpool, 03/04
Where they stand: 10th in Premier League

Slavia Praha
Form: DWWWDW
Latest: Brno 0-0 Slavia, 04/04
Where they stand: 1st in Czech First League

Possible line-ups

Arsenal: Leno; Bellerín, Holding, Gabriel, Cédric; Partey, Xhaka; Saka, Ødegaard, Willian; Aubameyang

Slavia Praha: Vágner; Bah, Bořil, Zima, Masopust; Sima, Stanciu, Holeš, Provod, Olayinka; Kuchta

Expert predictions

Ondřej Zlámal, Slavia reporter: If Slavia have courage to crank up their high press, utilise their dangerous wingers and attack in numbers, they are capable of a positive result to take back to Prague for the second leg. The Czech champions also have to avoid any defensive lapses and stay laser focused – a repeat of their performance to Leicester in the last 32, basically.

View from the camps

Mikel Arteta, Arsenal coach: "Is the Europa League now out best chance of qualifying for the Champions League? Until it’s mathematically possible, you have to fight. We have to be realistic in the league, and it’s difficult. What do I know about Slavia? That they are a really strong side. They've been unbeaten in the league. They’ve always been in the game. Really difficult, brave, exciting: top attitude all the time."

Jindřich Trpišovský, Slavia coach: "The advantage for us is that we know the players of big clubs like Arsenal. The disadvantage is that they rotate a lot, and they have a big squad. [Bukayo] Saka is doing really well. They have [Pierre Emerick] Aubameyang and [Martin] Ødegaard in good form. Arsenal have always been a team with quick, technical players."

Lukáš Provod, Slavia midfielder: "Arsenal are a huge club, we all know it; we all watched them as kids. We have set ourselves the goal of advancing and, if we succeed, it would be from the realm of dreams."