Arsenal draw Slavia Prague in Europa League quarter-finals

Mikel Arteta’s side will face the Czech champions in the last eight

Tom Kershaw
Friday 19 March 2021 08:28 EDT
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(Handout via REUTERS)

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Arsenal will face Slavia Prague in the Europa League quarter-finals.

Mikel Arteta’s side survived a scare in the second leg of their last-16 victory over Olympiacos, suffering a 1-0 defeat on the night despite the Greek side having a man sent off. That was still enough to secure their place in the last-eight, though, courtesy of a commanding 3-1 lead from the first leg.

Prague knocked out Rangers in a chaotic and controversial round of 16 tie, which was overshadowed by allegations of racism. Rangers had two men sent off as they fell to a 3-1 aggregate defeat and a post-match brawl broke out after Glen Karama was allegedly the target of abuse from defender Ondrej Kudela.

The Gunners are looking to go one step further after falling to defeat against Chelsea in the final in 2019, however, Arteta conceded that his side barely stand a chance if they are unable to produce a better showing next time out.

Asked if they will be out if they play as badly in the next round, Arteta said: “Yes, because what we have to do, the way we are set up, the organisation we have and the way we want to play, we have to be much more efficient, much more simple, much more cohesive as a team.

“Without that structure, you are exposed when you lose the ball in really dangerous areas without any opposition.

“When you do that, and we did that as well where we created chance after chance, but again, we want to be in the competition, and when you have four, five, six big chances in Europe you have to put them away and then the tie is over.”

Elsewhere, Manchester United were drawn against Granada. Ajax will take on Roma and Villarreal play Dinamo Zagreb.

Quarter-final draw in full

Granada vs Manchester United

Arsenal vs Slavia Prague

Ajax vs Roma

Dinamo Zagreb vs Villarreal

Semi-final draw

Granada/Manchester United vs Ajax/Roma

Arsenal/Slavia Prague vs Dinamo Zagreb/Villarreal

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