Slavia Prague vs Arsenal Prediction: Betting Tips & Odds

Arsenal visit Slavia Prague at the Fortuna Arena on Thursday morning NZT, chasing a third win from four games in this season’s Champions League. Kickoff is at 9am. 

Slavia haven’t won any of their last 18 games in European competition, and they’ve picked up one point from their first three in this campaign.

I can’t get excited about Arsenal at $1.25, so for this Slavia Prague vs Arsenal preview I’ve gone looking for a better price. My best bet still backs the visitors and pays north of $2 - it’s a market worth comparing across a few football betting sites before kickoff.

Slavia Prague

Slavia look far stronger in the Czech First League than in Europe.

They’re seven points clear at the top after a 5-0 win at Jablonec, and they beat Zbrojovka Brno 4-0 in the cup before that.

The Champions League has been a different story. They lost 3-2 at home to Lens and 2-0 at Sabah.

Their only point came at Fenerbahce on 20 October, where they were two down inside 11 minutes before substitute Pavel Kacor equalised in the 90th.

I’d give them more of a chance if Tomas Chory was available. Their big target man was sent off for an obscene gesture in a 0-0 draw with Hradec Kralove and isn’t expected to play for the club again. Without him, I’m not sure how they’ll relieve pressure.

Danijel Sturm has two of their four goals in the competition, and he’s the player Arsenal will want to watch most closely.

Team News: Chory and Schranz are out. Provod and N’Guessan are doubts.

Predicted Lineup: Domchak; Vlcek, Holes, Zima; Suleiman, Moses, Sadilek, Kubiak; Ayaosi, Sturm; Nowak.

Arsenal

Arsenal have conceded twice in three Champions League games, and both goals came in the 2-2 draw at Bayern Munich on 21 October.

They were just as tight at Anfield on 1 November. Liverpool didn’t manage a shot on target, and Kai Havertz’s 16th-minute goal sent Arsenal three points clear in the Premier League.

Rotation is my bigger concern. Hull visit the Emirates on Saturday, and Arsenal’s second string drew 1-1 with League Two side Fleetwood on 27 October before going out of the League Cup on penalties.

Max Dowman should get a start here. He’s serving a three-match domestic ban for his red card at Fleetwood, but it doesn’t cover Europe. He became the competition’s youngest player when he came off the bench against Slavia last season, aged 15 years and 308 days.

Viktor Gyokeres looks set to lead the line. His only Arsenal goal this season came at Fleetwood, and I’m not fully convinced he’ll take his chance.

Team News: Saka is out. Eze is a doubt. Saliba is available again after his back injury.

Predicted Lineup: Raya; White, Konsa, Gabriel, Hincapie; Rice, Lewis-Skelly; Dowman, Odegaard, Madueke; Gyokeres.

• Arsenal have won three and drawn two of their five meetings with Slavia.
• Arsenal beat Slavia 7-0 at the Emirates in October 2007.
• Arsenal are unbeaten in 11 games against Czech opposition.
• Slavia are unbeaten in five games in all competitions.

Arsenal should win this comfortably, and I’d be surprised if it’s still level at half-time.

Slavia’s crowd will be loud, and they’ve scored twice in two of their three European games, so I can’t rule out a goal for the hosts. But they’re missing their main outlet up front, and Arsenal haven’t given much away to far better sides than this.

I doubt William Saliba starts after nearly four months out, but having him on the bench gives Arsenal a fresh option late on.

Over 2.5 goals at $1.55 is too short for me. Four of Arsenal’s last nine games have had fewer than three goals, including their last three, and I can see them easing off once they’re two up.

My score prediction is 0-2, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Dowman is involved in one of them. If you’ve got betting bonuses to use this week, I’d put them on that correct score rather than Arsenal’s $1.25 match price.

Arsenal to Win to Nil @ $2.20

A win to nil asks a bit more of Arsenal than the match result, but not much more for me.

Arsenal won 4-0 in Prague in the 2021 Europa League and 3-0 there in last season’s league phase. Their only other visit, back in 2007, finished 0-0.

They’ve kept nine clean sheets in 15 games this season. Slavia also failed to score at Sabah, a side I’d have expected them to trouble.

I’ve seen this priced at $2.10 and $2.20, so it’s worth checking a few New Zealand betting sites before you settle.

My one fear is a late goal if Arsenal empty their bench in the second half. I’ll take that risk at $2.20, with Arsenal chasing a third clean sheet in four European games.