Spotlight on Slavia Prague ahead of Arsenal's Champions League trip to the Czech Republic 

As Arsenal gear up to face Slavia Prague in the Champions League here's Tim Cooper's preview 

Focus on Slavia Prague 

One of two clubs in the Czech capital, Slavia Prague have a hostile rivalry with Sparta Prague to match the one in North London.

One of the weakest groups in the competition, they have only played 50 games in the Champions League in their history - most of those in the qualifying rounds - and on their last appearance in the competition proper in 2019-2020 they finished bottom of their group.

We’ve played the Czechs on four occasions, twice in the Champions League and twice in the Europa League.

In 2007-08, we hit them for  for seven in a thumping 7-0 victory at Emirates Stadium as Theo Walcott bagged his first two Champions League goals, with others coming from Cesc Fabregas, Alexander Hleb, Nicklas Bendtner and an own goal.

In 2021 we beat them 4-0 at home with a brace from Alex Lacazette and two more from a teenage Bukayo Saka and Nicholas Pepe - who also scored our goal in a 1-1 draw at the 19,000-capacity Fortuna Arena in Prague.

Today’s Slavia squad includes a host of current Czech internationals including top scorer Tomas Chory (20 goals last season) and his strike partner Vasil Kusej and midfield schemer Lukas Provod, plus big Nigerian centre-back Igoh Ogbu and two Liberian midfielders, Divine Teah and Oscar Dorley.

Trivia fact: Llike our own North London rivals Slavia are widely (and mistakenly) regarded as a Jewish club and often subjected to antisemitic abuse by Sparta fans. In fact they have no Jewish connection.