Arsenal travel to the Czech Republic on Wednesday, 4 November, looking to maintain their impressive Champions League form when they face Slavia Prague at the Fortuna Arena. Mikel Arteta’s side will arrive with confidence following their important 1-0 Premier League victory over Liverpool at Anfield, while the hosts are still searching for their first win in this season’s Champions League league phase.
Arsenal have collected seven points from their opening three European fixtures, beating Napoli 1-0 away and Lille 3-0 at home before drawing 2-2 with Bayern Munich. Slavia, meanwhile, have taken just one point, losing 3-2 at home to Lens and 2-0 away to Sabah before earning a 2-2 draw against Fenerbahçe.
The Gunners have established themselves as one of the competition’s most consistent sides. They are unbeaten in 18 consecutive Champions League matches in normal time, recording 13 victories and five draws. They have also avoided defeat in their last nine away games in the competition and scored in each of their previous 14 Champions League away fixtures.
Their confidence will have received another boost on Sunday, when Kai Havertz’s 16th-minute goal secured a 1-0 victory at Anfield. The result gave Arsenal their first league win at Liverpool’s ground in 14 years and moved them three points clear at the top of the Premier League.
William Saliba’s return to fitness was one of the main talking points at Arteta’s pre-match press conference in Prague. The French defender has resumed full training after a lengthy absence with a back injury and played 45 minutes in a behind-closed-doors match last week before travelling with the Arsenal squad.
Arteta confirmed that the defender is ready to return, although his involvement against Slavia will depend on what the team needs.
“Now he’s in a really good place. He’s built the capacity that we needed, and now it’s about giving him minutes.”
Saliba’s return gives Arsenal another important option in central defence, particularly after Ezri Konsa and Gabriel Magalhães impressed during the victory over Liverpool. However, Arteta stressed that the club had carefully managed the defender’s recovery to minimise the risk of another setback.
The Arsenal manager also addressed the situation surrounding teenage midfielder Max Dowman. The 16-year-old remains eligible for Wednesday’s European fixture despite serving a three-match suspension following his red card against Fleetwood, as the ban applies to domestic competitions.
Arteta described the incident as a learning experience and praised the youngster’s attitude in training.
“That’s a chapter that is gone. It’s a moment of learning from all of us, and we move on.”
Dowman made Champions League history during Arsenal’s 3-0 victory in Prague last season, becoming the competition’s youngest-ever player at 15 years and 308 days. He could now have another opportunity against the same opposition, although Arteta has not confirmed whether he will start.
Slavia manager Jindřich Trpišovský has acknowledged the quality and tactical balance of Arsenal, highlighting their ability to control matches while limiting the opportunities available to their opponents.
Speaking at his own pre-match press conference, the Czech manager praised the development of Arteta’s team and the consistency they have shown across competitions.
“Sometimes I feel that they allow opponents only what they themselves want.”
Translated from Czech.
Trpišovský also highlighted Declan Rice’s all-round qualities, describing him as a complete midfielder and praising his ability in both penalty areas and from set-pieces.
The Slavia manager believes his side must improve on their performance in last season’s meeting. He wants his players to retain possession more effectively, make better decisions when winning the ball and become more dangerous in attacking transitions.
“The task is to be more dangerous going forward and play our own game with greater possession.”
Translated from Czech.
Slavia’s European record underlines the size of the challenge. They have gone 22 Champions League matches without a victory, recording eight draws and 14 defeats since their last win against Steaua București in September 2007. They have also gone nine successive European home matches without winning.
The head-to-head record is similarly difficult for the Czech side. Arsenal are unbeaten in five previous meetings with Slavia, winning three and drawing two. Their most recent visit to Prague ended in a 3-0 victory last season, with Bukayo Saka scoring from the penalty spot before Mikel Merino added two goals.
Arsenal have also avoided defeat in all 11 of their matches against Czech opposition, winning nine. Notably, they have kept clean sheets in all six of their previous away matches against Czech clubs.
Trpišovský provided an update on his squad, confirming that goalkeeper Jakub Markovič has returned to training and will be included in the matchday squad. Midfielder Lukáš Provod has also resumed training and is available for a limited spell, although he is not expected to start.
Ange N’Guessan remains a doubt after failing to complete an earlier training session, although he returned to training the following day.
With Arsenal looking to extend their unbeaten European run and Slavia determined to end a long-standing Champions League winless streak, Wednesday’s meeting carries significance for both sides. The Gunners will be aiming to strengthen their position in the league phase, while the hosts will hope that home support and a more aggressive attacking approach can help them produce a much-improved performance.
