A blistering first-half display saw Arsenal cruise past Slavia Prague 4-0 to progress to the Europa League semi-finals 5-1 on aggregate.
The visitors arrived in the Czech capital knowing they had to score to have a chance of qualifying against a Slavia team who had not lost at the Eden Arena for 18 months, but they had an early ‘goal’ ruled out by the Video Assistant Referee for the tightest of offsides against Emile Smith Rowe.
However, Mikel Arteta’s side soon made up for that disappointment when Nicolas Pepe’s neat, close-range finish gave them a deserved 18th-minute lead, which they soon doubled thanks to Alexandre Lacazette’s penalty (21).
Three minutes later Arsenal were in dreamland when Bukayo Saka’s low drive from the edge of the box made it 3-0, with their captain Lacazette grabbing his second of the night with 13 minutes to go to add the icing on the cake.
Arsenal will now face Villarreal and their former manager Unai Emery in the semi-finals, with the first leg in Spain on April 29, before the return leg at the Emirates on May 6.
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