Arsenal vs. Slavia Prague – Europa League, April 8, 2021

Can Slavia Prague claim a third straight British scalp in the Europa League?

Following triumphs over Leicester City and Rangers, the Czech champions visit the Emirates Stadium on Thursday, April 8, hoping to upset Arsenal in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final tie.

The Gunners have already seen off Benfica and Olympiacos in the knockout phase, but Slavia poses a completely different threat altogether.

After assessing the Europa League odds, I will share my Arsenal vs. Slavia Prague prediction and betting pick.

As expected, the top-rated online sports betting sites view Arsenal (1.50) as the clear favorite to gain a first-leg advantage on Thursday.

Still, the big odds for both the draw (4.25) and the away win (6.00) stand out to me. Let’s not forget what Slavia has already achieved this season.

Having secured a 3-1 away win against Olympiacos in the Round of 16, Arsenal survived a second leg scare. The Greek champions ended up winning 1-0 in London, yet the Gunners eventually snuck through.

Mikel Arteta’s men have invariably found a way to advance in the Europa League this season. But in the EPL, it has been a totally different story.

The Gunners head into Thursday’s clash on the back of a lackluster 3-0 defeat to Liverpool, meaning they have lost four of their previous nine Premier League games. With three wins and two draws coming in that time, Arsenal remains stuck in tenth place.

Arsenal’s youngsters have impressed the Europa League this term, but it is now time for senior players like Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to step up.

After winning four of their six group games earlier in the campaign, the Red and Whites secured an impressive 2-0 aggregate win over Leicester in the Round of 32 – sealing a goalless draw at home before beating the Foxes in their own backyard.

Many believed that Slavia’s fairytale run would come to an end against high-flying Rangers in the previous round, but the Czech champions upset the odds and proved their doubters wrong.

Once again, Jindrich Trpisovsky’s men drew the first leg before completing the job with a 2-0 away victory.

The Red and Whites were held to a rare draw in the Fortuna Liga last weekend, although they still find themselves 14 points clear at the top of the Czech First League. Having picked up 22 wins and five draws, Slavia remains unbeaten in domestic competition this season.

After providing an assist against Leicester, Nicolae Stanciu scored in both legs against Rangers – taking his tally to 13 goals and six assists this term. Abdallah Sima (15 goals, six assists) and Jan Kuchta (14 goals, eight assists) are also in lethal form.

Don’t get me wrong – Arsenal could win the first leg. But when you consider both teams’ recent form, the price for the home win offers very little value here.

Instead, I’m going with the draw for my Arsenal vs. Slavia Prague pick. The Czech champions have already proved they can compete with some of Britain’s top teams – and Arsenal is arguably weaker than Slavia’s previous opponents in this competition.