Slavia Prague’s captain has criticised Arsenal and the matchday referee after the Gunners’ 3-0 Champions League win on Tuesday night.
Arsenal made it 10 wins in a row with a heavy win over the Czech table-toppers on their own turf in Prague.
A penalty from Bukayo Saka and two second‑half goals from makeshift striker Mikel Merino helped the Gunners to victory.
But despite Arsenal barely breaking a sweat en route to victory, Slavia captain Lukas Provod had a bone to pick with the Gunners.
Lukas Provod feels referee allowed Arsenal too much time on set-pieces
Provod voiced his displeasure with some of Arsenal’s tactics in their 3-0 triumph.
He felt that referee Aliyar Aghayev allowed the visitors to play as they wished.
“Arsenal prepare for set-pieces for a long time, we knew that,” Provod said after the game, as per the Evening Standard.
“When they were leading, they didn’t rush anywhere, the referee didn’t rush them. I guess that’s a compliment for us too.”
Provod also pleaded his innocence after he gave away a penalty in the first half.
VAR spotted a handball from the winger from a Bukayo Saka corner, and the Gunners’ captain stroked home the opener from the spot.
“I was in charge of Gabriel, which is a tough one, so I was 100 per cent focused on defending him,” Provod said.
“The ball went from his head to my head and then into my hand. I prayed that VAR wouldn’t rule it out, which rarely happens.
“I don’t know exactly what the rule is when the ball goes from my head to my hand. Unfortunately, it was a penalty.
“In the first situation, [the referee] told me that it went from Gabriel’s head to my hand. Which wasn’t true.”
Arsenal break records en route to victory in Prague
Arsenal have become the first team to keep four consecutive clean sheets in Europe’s top club competition since the late 1960s.
Leeds were the last English team not to concede a goal in their opening four matches, in the 1969‑70 European Cup campaign, under Don Revie.
Arsenal have also made it eight successive clean sheets in all competitions for the first time since 1903, when they were in what was then known as the Second Division.
Furthermore, Max Dowman became the youngest player in Champions League history at 15 years 308 days when he was brought on to replace Leandro Trossard.
