Slavia Prague were left chasing shadows and collecting souvenirs as Arsenal strolled through the Czech capital with a 3–0 win that looked more like a training drill than a Champions League clash.

The home fans came for a fight, they got a footballing lecture instead. From Bukayo Saka’s ice-cold penalty to Mikel Merino’s ruthless double, it was an evening that exposed Slavia’s limits on the European stage and reminded everyone why Arsenal are top of their group without breaking a sweat.

At one point, even 15-year-old debutant Max Dowman, yes, fifteen, came on to join the fun. The teenager didn’t just make history as the youngest player in Champions League history; he also made Slavia look old, slow, and out of ideas.

For the hosts, it was humiliation at home. They started brightly, full of noise and optimism, but that lasted about as long as it took Saka to find his rhythm. The English winger danced through their defence like a man dribbling cones at training before converting a penalty that silenced the stadium.

Slavia’s goalkeeper Jakub Markovic will be having flashbacks of Merino’s brace, first a classy volley, then a header that slipped past him after an awkward fumble. The crowd sighed; the scoreboard mocked them.

By the time Dowman entered the pitch, Arsenal fans were chanting “school’s out,” and it couldn’t have been truer, the Gunners had turned Slavia’s ground into a classroom, and Mikel Arteta was the headmaster.

With this result, Arsenal not only secured four straight Champions League wins but also matched a 122-year-old club record for consecutive clean sheets. Slavia, on the other hand, will be lucky if they can clean up their confidence before their next group game.

As for Arsenal? They didn’t just win. They entertained, embarrassed, and educated.