Can the Gunners be stopped?
The English league leaders from London will be welcomed by Czech champions Slavia Prague at the Fortuna Arena early on Tuesday evening. The Gunners thrashed Atletico Madrid 4-0 in their last Champions League game and are now fourth in the table with nine points after three games.
Prague, on the other hand, fought to a goalless draw against Atalanta Bergamo on the last matchday and are only 28th with two points.
Slavia Prague has performed solidly in the Champions League so far, earning two draws against Bodö/Glimt and Bergamo and losing to Inter Milan. However, solid is not enough to advance, and with the Czech team’s remaining schedule, which includes FC Barcelona, their chances are dwindling. At least there was another victory in the domestic league last weekend, after Prague had recorded four draws in a row and surrendered the top spot in the table to Sparta.
Arteta’s team, on the other hand, is currently a force to be reckoned with and remains victorious without conceding a goal in our tip for the Slavia Prague vs. Arsenal match. The English side have won their last nine games in a row and have kept a clean sheet in their last seven. They are also unbeaten in the Champions League and have a goal difference of 8:0.
Slavia Prague vs. Arsenal Prediction AI
Our AI generally agrees with the bookmaker odds and also sees Arsenal as the clear favorite in the game. However, the greatest value is offered in terms of goals. The bookmaker Interwetten promises odds of 2.25 for “under 2.5 goals” in the entire game, which corresponds to a probability of approximately 44 percent. However, AI calculates a probability of 52.5 percent in the same Slavia Prague vs. Arsenal prediction. The Gunners have also only scored more than two goals once in their last eleven competitive games, so this tip seems to be of value.
Slavia Prague – Statistics & current form
Slavia Prague is currently going through a difficult phase on the international stage. The Czech champions have failed to win any of their last four encounters with Arsenal (two draws, two defeats) and have only played Anderlecht more often without ever recording a victory.
Overall, their record against English teams is sobering: in eight home games at European level, they have managed just one win – against Leeds United in the UEFA Cup season in March 2000. Since then, Slavia have failed to win in seven consecutive home games against English opponents, scoring just one goal in that period. In our Slavia Prague vs. Arsenal prediction, we are tipping another defeat.
Slavia too harmless in attack
Their continued lack of success also extends to the UEFA Champions League. Since their first victory in the competition in September 2007 against FCSB, the club has been waiting for another triumph for 14 games – the longest ongoing streak without a win among all 36 teams in the current season.
Significant weaknesses are particularly evident in attack: Slavia failed to score on matchdays two and three, recording both the lowest expected goal value (xG 0.84) and the lowest xG per shot value (0.04) of any team. Despite the great commitment of their Czech players – with 2,017 minutes played, the third-highest national quota in the competition – the team has so far lacked international punch and efficiency in front of goal.
Arsenal – Statistics & current form
Arsenal are in impressive form in the current Champions League season. The Londoners have won all of their first three games without conceding a single goal – a feat that only Inter Milan has also achieved this season. We are therefore betting on another clean sheet for the Londoners, with Slavia Prague vs. Arsenal odds of 1.95.
Should the team win their fourth game, it would be their best start to a Champions League season since 2005/06. Overall, the Gunners are unbeaten against Czech opponents (eight wins, two draws) and have an impressive goal difference of 27:3 – with eight clean sheets.
Martinelli can make history
Gabriel Martinelli has been particularly impressive in attack, scoring in all three of Arsenal’s Champions League games so far this season. He is on the verge of making club history, as only club legend Ian Wright has previously managed to score in Arsenal’s first four European games of a season (in the 1994/95 European Cup Winners’ Cup). We also believe in our prediction for the Slavia Prague vs. Arsenal match that he will score again and make history.
Under coach Mikel Arteta, who has won 63 percent of his 27 Champions League games with Arsenal – the best record for a coach at an English club with at least 20 games – the team has found a stable balance between defensive strength and a variable offense.
Slavia Prague – Arsenal Head-to-head record
The head-to-head record between Slavia Prague and Arsenal speaks for itself. In four meetings so far – two in the Champions League and two in the Europa League – the Czechs have failed to win a single game. Two games ended in a draw, while the English side emerged as clear winners on both occasions. The goal difference is particularly striking: Arsenal scored a total of twelve goals in these encounters, while Slavia only found the net once.
Slavia Prague – Arsenal Tip
The Gunners go into this game as clear favorites with nine wins in a row and a flawless Champions League record. They have not conceded a goal in their last seven games, including the Champions League, making them one of the strongest defenses in Europe. However, they are not known for scoring an incredible number of goals: in their last eleven competitive games, they have only scored more than two goals once.
Gabriel Martinelli is also on the verge of making club history: the Brazilian has scored in all three of his Champions League appearances so far and could become the first Arsenal player since Ian Wright to score in his first four consecutive games in a European competition. According to Slavia Prague vs. Arsenal betting odds, however, the home side goes into this match with virtually no chance of winning. The Czech champions have not won in seven home games against English teams and have also been waiting for a win in 14 Champions League games.
